There’s more than one way to glaze a ham

Susan Spicer

Since baked ham is an Easter tradition, I started looking at recipes a couple weeks ago. There are so many different ways to glaze a ham I can’t believe it!
The first recipe I want to share is from a good new cookbook I just got, “The Crabby Cook Cookbook,” by Jessica Harper. She calls her Easter ham dish “Ham I Am.” It’s very easy and quite delicious, and serves 15-20 people.
Another easy recipe I used for years is from an old Louisiana cookbook from 1984. It uses peach preserves in the glaze, but I made it once using pineapple preserves, and that worked, too.
In case you’re cooking for just one or two, try this Lazy Day Ham Steak. It’s terrific.
Happy Easter from Susan’s Kitchen!

Ham I Am
1 bone-in ham (10-12 lbs), fully cooked, at room temperature
1/2 c. apricot preserves
1/4 c. (packed) brown sugar
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. black pepper

Combine preserves, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, garlic, cinnamon and pepper in food processor and mix till mixture is a smooth glaze.  Put ham in roasting pan and brush it generously with the glaze.  Bake until the ham is heated through and the glaze has browned nicely, about 1 hour.  Serve warm or at room temperature Serves 15-20.  Oven temperature should be 325-350 degrees.
(From “The Crabby Cook Cookbook,” Jessica Harper, Workman Publishing, N.Y.)

Louisiana
Glazed Easter Ham
1 (10-14 lb.) whole cooked ham, bone-in
Whole cloves
1 1/2 c. peach preserves
2 c. red wine
1 bay leaf
1/2 c. brown sugar

Place ham, fat side up, in a deep roasting pan with a cover.  With a sharp knife, cutting 1/4 inch deep, score outside fat in a diamond pattern.  Spoon preserves over surface.  Stud with cloves.  Pour wine into bottom of pan; add bay leaf.  In 350 degree oven, cover and bake 30 minutes.  Uncover and coat with brown sugar.  Continue to bake, uncovered, basting once or twice, for 30 minutes more.  Serves 20-30.
(This ham is better, I think, if you refrigerate it after it’s cooked and serve cold.)

Lazy Day Ham Steak
1 thick-cut ready-to-eat ham slice
2 t. dry mustard
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. or more red wine

Rub ham slice with dry mustard, using 1 teaspoon for each side. Place in a shallow baking pan. Combine honey and wine; pour over ham. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees, for 35-40 minutes. Serves 2.