Vetted Recipes

Best Recipe for Holiday Ham, Three Ways

Ingredients

  • One 12-14-pound cured and smoked bone-in ham, preferably with a layer of fat
  • 1 1/2 cups peach preserves
  • 1 cup Dijon mustard (preferably country Dijon)
  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 4 medium shallots, finely chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
  • 1 1/2 cups hot pepper jelly
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons finely grated garlic
  • 3 tablespoons finely grated ginger
  • 3 tablespoons whole allspice, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
  • Biscuits or soft dinner rolls
  • Spicy Honey Mustard
  • Pickles
  • roasting pan with rack

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F, with the rack in the lower third of oven. If your ham has a layer of fat, use a sharp paring knife to score the fat in a diamond crosshatch pattern, about 1 inch wide and 1/2 inch deep.
  2. For Tangy Peach Mustard Ham OR Sweet and Spicy Jerk Ham: In a medium bowl, mix together the glaze ingredients of your choice. Brush all over ham (reserving some glaze for basting while cooking).
  3. In a medium bowl, mix together the glaze ingredients of your choice. Brush all over ham (reserving some glaze for basting while cooking).
  4. For Smoky BBQ Ham: Brush the ham with maple syrup (reserving some syrup for basting while cooking). Combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium bowl, then rub all over ham, pressing into syrup to adhere.
  5. Brush the ham with maple syrup (reserving some syrup for basting while cooking). Combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium bowl, then rub all over ham, pressing into syrup to adhere.
  6. Position roasting rack in roasting pan; pour 2 cups water into pan and place prepared ham on rack. Cover pan with foil and bake 1 hour. Remove pan from oven, remove foil, and brush ham with reserved glaze or maple syrup. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Return ham to oven uncovered. Bake until glaze has caramelized and the ham's internal temp reads 135°F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted in the middle of the ham (avoiding bone), brushing with more glaze or syrup if desired, 40 minutes to 1 hour more. Let rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve with biscuits or rolls, mustard, and pickles.
  7. Position roasting rack in roasting pan; pour 2 cups water into pan and place prepared ham on rack. Cover pan with foil and bake 1 hour. Remove pan from oven, remove foil, and brush ham with reserved glaze or maple syrup. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F.
  8. Return ham to oven uncovered. Bake until glaze has caramelized and the ham's internal temp reads 135°F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted in the middle of the ham (avoiding bone), brushing with more glaze or syrup if desired, 40 minutes to 1 hour more.
  9. Let rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve with biscuits or rolls, mustard, and pickles.

Want to Generate a Custom Recipe?

Click Here → Defined Recipe