Savoury Elderberry Recipe

Elderberry Meat Glaze

A glossy elderberry glaze made for roasted pork, ham, chicken, duck, or venison. It adds deep colour, a savoury berry finish, and a beautiful shine to roasted and grilled meats.

Prep: 5 minutes Cook: 20 minutes Makes: About 1 cup Best brushed on near the end
Roasted meat brushed with glossy elderberry glaze and served with herbs and elderberries

Elderberry meat glaze is a simple way to turn a roast, ham, grilled chicken, or pork dish into something rich and memorable. The elderberry juice reduces into a dark, glossy glaze with a balance of tart berry flavour, sweetness, vinegar, and savoury seasoning. Brush it on near the end of cooking for shine, flavour, and that beautiful deep elderberry colour.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup elderberry juice
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 small garlic clove, finely minced, or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Pinch of salt, to taste
  • Optional: pinch of chili flakes for gentle heat
Using frozen elderberries?
Simmer and strain the berries first to make elderberry juice. Elderberries should be cooked before being used in recipes.

Instructions

  1. Add the elderberry juice, maple syrup or honey, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, garlic, herbs, pepper, and salt to a small saucepan.
  2. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring often.
  3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the glaze has reduced and thickened enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.
  4. Stir in the butter at the end to give the glaze a smooth, glossy finish.
  5. Taste and adjust. Add a little more vinegar for brightness, more maple syrup or honey for sweetness, or more pepper and herbs for a savoury finish.
  6. Brush the glaze onto meat during the last 10 to 15 minutes of roasting or grilling. Serve extra glaze warm on the side.
Tip: Do not brush the glaze on too early. The natural sugars can darken quickly, so add it near the end of cooking.

Best With

Roasted pork, ham, chicken, duck, venison, turkey, meatballs, pork tenderloin, and grilled sausages.

Storage

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Warm gently before brushing onto meat or serving.

Flavour Notes

Deep, glossy, savoury-sweet, lightly tart, and herbaceous with a rich elderberry finish.

Recipe Notes

This elderberry meat glaze is easy to adjust depending on what you are cooking. For ham or pork, use maple syrup or brown sugar for a warmer sweetness. For duck, venison, or beef, keep the glaze slightly less sweet and add extra black pepper or rosemary. For chicken or turkey, a touch of Dijon and apple cider vinegar helps brighten the finished dish.

More Elderberry Recipes

Explore more ways to use elderberries in savoury sauces, drinks, baking, preserves, and farm kitchen favourites.

Back to Savoury Uses Back to Elderberry Recipes
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