Easter is coming up in a month, so it seems like a good time to start some tasty and easy Easter ideas! Yes, key word "easy." I've always been a little scared of making a ham. But this ham is simple and delish, and it is the first of four different easy glazed ham ideas for your Easter meal. And there may even be a good idea for a next-day sandwich to make with your leftovers one of these days! Fun stuff. I love Easter! (Big thanks to Food Network for the recipe!)What You'll Need:
- 1 fully cooked smoked ham (butt or shank half 9 to 10 lb)
- 2 Tbs whole cloves (optional)
- 1 1/2 c. glaze
Ingredients for the Glaze:
- 2 c. apple cider
- 1/2 c. apple jelly
- 1/2 c. maple syrup
- 1/4 c. whole-grain mustard
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
First, make the glaze:
- Boil the apple cider in a saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 8 to 10 minutes). Reduce the heat to low and add the jelly, maple syrup, mustard, allspice, and nutmeg. That's it! Easy glaze, I'd say.
Now let's make the ham:
- Remove the ham from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Trim off any skin from the ham. Use a sharp paring knife to cut through the fat, or "score" in a diagonal crosshatch pattern without cutting through the meat. (It will end up looking like a bunch of tic-tac-toe boards.) But be careful not to cut through the meat!
- If you're using cloves, insert them into the ham, placing them at the intersections of the cuts. Put the ham flat-side down on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour 1/4 inch of water into the bottom of the pan. Put the pan in the oven and roast for about 2 1/2 hours (or 15 minutes per pound, depending on how big the ham is) or until it reaches 130 degrees with a thermometer inserted.
- Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Pour half of the glaze over the ham and brush to coat. If the water in the bottom of the pan has evaporated, add more. Return the ham to the oven and roast, basting every 10 minutes with the remaining glaze, until glossy and well browned (about 45 more minutes).
Tips on Finding the Right Ham:
- Get a bone-in ham; it will have more flavor and better texture than a boneless one.
- A half ham is all you need, unless you're cooking for 30. The shank half is easier to carve, but the butt half has more usable meat.
- Avoid ham with more than 10% added water. It should be labeled just "ham" or "ham with natural juices."
- Make sure it's smoked and fully cooked, though you'll still need to heat it through before serving.
