Chef Belinda’s special glaze adds a fresh and flavorful twist to the holiday ham.
Photo by Michael Phillips
SERVES 10 (WITH LOTS OF LEFTOVERS)
Ham
1 8- to 10-pound spiral-cut smoked or cooked ham
1 cup liquid of your choice (cola, ginger ale, juice, white wine, chicken stock or water)
Glaze
½ cup apricot preserves
¼ cup bourbon
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons grated orange rind/zest (optional)
Leaf lettuce, for garnish
Orange halves, quarters or slices, for garnish
Pomegranate seeds, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 F and adjust oven rack to bottom position. Line a large baking pan with foil and insert a rack. With ham sitting on the rack, gently pull apart the slices and pour liquid over ham. Reposition ham flat side down and cover tightly with another larger piece of foil. Cook approximately 15 minutes per pound (about 2½ hours) until temperature on an instant-read thermometer reaches 120–130 F. Note: larger hams will require more cooking time. Meanwhile, prepare glaze.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add preserves, bourbon, syrup, mustard, cinnamon, cloves and orange rind. Stir and simmer for 3–4 minutes until sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.
Remove ham from oven and increase temperature to 425 F. Turn ham on its side so the slices are exposed. Using a pastry brush, baste ham with glaze and return to oven for 15 minutes. Remove and repeat glaze one more time and return to oven for 15 minutes more. Remove from oven and glaze with remaining mixture and set aside for one hour before serving. If slices start to separate and fall over, use 2–3 long skewers to hold ham intact during the glazing phase. Once ham cools, before serving, remove skewers. Plate on a bed of leaf lettuce garnished with oranges and pomegranate seeds.
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