Basic Glazed Ham
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 12 to 14 servings
- Total: 5 hr 15 min
- Active: 15 min
Ingredients
For the Ham:
1 10- to 12-pound fully cooked bone-in half ham, shank or butt portion
Glaze ingredients (see recipes within instructions)
For the Mustard-Orange Glaze (Optional):
1 orange, halved and thinly sliced crosswise, plus the juice of 2 oranges
Whole cloves, for studding the ham
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
For the Pineapple-Rum Glaze (Optional):
Thinly sliced fresh pineapple
Whole cloves, for studding the ham
2 cups pineapple juice
1 cup pineapple preserves
1/4 cup dark rum
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon coriander
For the Pomegranate-Jalapeño Glaze (Optional):
2 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup spicy mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon jalapeño hot sauce
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1 jalapeno, diced
For the Cranberry-Maple Glaze (Optional):
2 cups cranberries
1 cup cranberry juice
3/4 cup maple syrup
4 thyme sprigs, plus 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 cinnamon stick
For the Ginger-Juniper Glaze (Optional):
2 teaspoons whole juniper berries, plus 2 teaspoons crushed
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, plus 1 teaspoon crushed
1 cup ginger preserves
1/2 cup dry vermouth
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
For the Rosemary-Honey Mustard Glaze (Optional):
4 rosemary sprigs, plus 1 tablespoon chopped
1/2 cup whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup dry white wine
Directions
- Let the ham sit at room temperature, 1 hour.
- Position an oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 350 degrees F. Trim off any skin from the ham, leaving a 1/2-inch layer of fat. Score the fat with a sharp knife in a 1-inch crosshatch pattern without cutting through to the meat. Place the ham, fat-side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan.
- Pour 2 cups water into the pan; depending on your choice of glaze, stud the ham or add aromatics to the pan. Tent the pan with foil. Bake until a thermometer inserted into the ham registers 110 degrees F, 2 to 2 1/2 hours, adding another 1 cup water to the pan if the liquid evaporates. Remove from the oven and uncover.
- While the ham is baking, prepare the glaze of your choosing (see recipes, below).
- For the Mustard-Orange Glaze: Before baking, arrange the orange slices all over the ham, securing with cloves. For the glaze, whisk together the brown sugar, mustard and the juice of 2 oranges.
- For the Pineapple-Rum Glaze: Before baking, arrange the pineapple slices all over the ham, securing with cloves. For the glaze, simmer the pineapple juice over medium heat until syrupy, 7 to 8 minutes. Whisk in the preserves, rum, mustard powder, cloves, allspice and coriander.
- For the Pomegranate-Jalapeño Glaze: Simmer the pomegranate juice over medium heat until syrupy, 7 to 8 minutes. Whisk in the mustard, vinegar, 1 tablespoon chili powder and the hot sauce. Brush on the ham as directed, sprinkling with the remaining 2 teaspoons chili powder before returning to the oven. Add the pomegranate seeds and diced jalapeño to the reduced pan juices.
- For the Cranberry-Maple Glaze: Boil the cranberries, juice and maple syrup with the thyme sprigs and cinnamon stick over medium heat until syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped thyme.
- For the Ginger-Juniper Glaze: Before baking, add the whole juniper berries and black peppercorns to the water in the roasting pan. For the glaze, simmer the preserves, vermouth and champagne vinegar over medium heat until syrupy, 4 to 5 minutes. Brush onto the ham as directed, sprinkling with the crushed juniper berries and crushed peppercorns before returning to the oven.
- For the Rosemary-Honey Mustard Glaze: Before baking, add the rosemary sprigs to the water in the roasting pan. For the glaze, boil the mustard, honey and white wine over medium heat until syrupy, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the chopped rosemary.
- Whisk 1/4 cup of the pan juices into the glaze of your choosing. Brush the ham with about half of the glaze. Return to the oven and continue baking, brushing with the glaze twice more, until the glaze is caramelized and the thermometer registers 140 degrees F, 1 1/2 to 2 more hours.
- Transfer the ham to a cutting board or platter; let rest 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the remaining pan juices into a saucepan and boil until slightly syrupy. Spoon the reduced pan juices over the ham. Serve with any remaining glaze.