What’s more Easter than a ham?
OK, probably eggs. And candy. And even a bunny.
But an Easter ham is a tradition!
So I decided to try to cook a ham just so I could share the recipe with you all.
Now, I don’t have a lot of experience cooking large hunks of meat. I feel a bit better about cooking a turkey. A whole chicken, I can handle. But, like Chrissy on New Year’s Eve 2010, ham is not something I’ve ever done before. I also spent a lot of time in the meat aisle at the grocery store before I just grabbed one.
However, I did not know how to properly trim the fat from nor score the ham. So I just kind of hacked at it before applying the glaze. Seemed to work fine!
At first I was a little nervous about the glaze. It uses bourbon, which I don’t like, but my husband does. And it uses mustard, which I like but my husband doesn’t.
Turns out, neither is too overwhelming once the ham is cooked! It’s sweet, but also flavorful. And really, it’s only on the outside, so if it could easily be cut off if someone doesn’t like it. You could also substitute apple cider or water for the bourbon if you’re so inclined.
Also, the great thing about a pre-cooked ham is…it’s pre-cooked. You just have to warm it up (which takes about 2 hours in the oven) before serving.
Which also begs the question: if it’s pre-cooked, could I just eat it as soon as I bring it home from the store?
I have no idea.
Recipe: Brown sugar and bourbon-glazed ham
Adapted from marthastewart.com
- 1/2 fully cooked, bone-in ham (about 7 pounds), not spiral cut
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons bourbon, cider or water
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Trim all but 1/4 inch fat from the ham, and score remaining fat in 3/4-inch diamonds, just deep enough to reach the meat without cutting into it. Place ham, fat side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.
- In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, mustard, and bourbon. Brush 1/4 of the glaze over the ham. Bake the ham, brushing with remaining glaze every 30 minutes, until heated through (140 degrees on a meat thermometer), about 2 hours.
- Let ham stand about 15 minutes before carving. Using a knife with a long blade, carve downward to the bone. Run the knife horizontally through the ham, along the top of the bone, to release the slices.
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