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Chris Lilly’s Spiced Apricot Sauce Recipe

Last Modified On: July 15, 2026

Take your holiday ham over the top with this delicious spiced apricot sauce recipe from barbecue guru Chris Lilly.

This is a first rate glaze for ham inspired by one of the best barbecue cooks I’ve ever met, Chris Lilly, Executive Chef of Big Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur Alabama, consulting chef for Kingsford Charcoal, pitmaster for the Big Bob Gibson competition BBQ team, and author of one of my favorite cookbooks, Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book

Spiced apricot sauce recipe

Pitmaster Chris Lilly

Spiced Apricot Glaze Recipe

4.51 from 211 votes
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This sweet apricot glaze is perfect for Easter ham, or any wet cured ham. It is also great on a variety of other pork barbecue.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 10
Course: Sauces and Condiments
Cuisine: American
Difficulty: Easy

Makes

About 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients
 
 

  • ½ cup apricot or peach preserves
  • ½ cup honey
  • ¼ cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons salad grade balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon paprika (or smoked paprika)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground chipotle
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • teaspoon rubbed sage (sage powder)
  • teaspoon ground cloves

Method
 

  1. Prep. In a small saucepan, combine the glaze ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until you need it. It will keep for weeks.
  2. Serve. If using as a ham glaze, begin brushing the ham during the last hour of heating so that the sugars do not burn. Brush the ham once more just prior to serving.

Video

Notes

About the preserves. You can substitute other light colored preserves such as peach or orange marmalade.

Approximate Nutrition

Calories: 57kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 31mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 34IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg

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