Pomegranate Molasses

If you were to take a gallon of fresh squeezed pomegranate juice and boil it for several hours until it had reduced to a thick, slightly viscous syrup, you’d have homemade pomegranate syrup, more commonly called pomegranate molasses. Or you can cut to the chase and buy a bottle of this bright magenta elixir, a tangy flavor enhancer that can be used in any number of refreshing ways.

You might be surprised not to find this product in the sweet category with its cousin, date molasses, but all-natural pomegranate molasses balances its fruit notes with a tart bite that pairs beautifully with savory ingredients and sweet ones. To be sure, many of the pomegranate products on the market can be quite sweet and thick. However, these tend to contain added sugar (or high-fructose corn syrup) to make a cheaper product. The pure, unsweetened, all-natural version has a sweet-and-sour taste much more reminiscent of the fresh fruit itself. If you want a sweeter, thicker glaze you can always cook it down with a bit of sugar as you would to make a balsamic vinegar glaze.