Classic Glazed Ham
Ingredients
For the Ham:
1 9- to 10-pound bone-in fully cooked smoked ham (butt or shank half)
2 tablespoons whole cloves (optional)
1 1/2 cups glaze of your choosing (recipes follow)
For the Apple-Maple Glaze:
2 cups apple cider
1/2 cup apple jelly
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup whole-grain mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
For the Mustard-Orange Glaze:
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup Dijon mustard
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
For the Hoisin-Spice Glaze:
2 teaspoons five-spice powder
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
For the Pineapple-Apricot Glaze:
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
8 thin slices ginger
2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
Directions
Remove the ham from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Prepare the glaze of your choosing.
For the Apple-Maple Glaze: Boil the apple cider in a saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low; stir in the apple jelly, maple syrup, mustard, allspice and nutmeg.
For the Mustard-Orange Glaze: Mix the brown sugar, mustard and orange zest and juice in a bowl.
For the Hoisin-Spice Glaze: Toast the five-spice powder in a small saucepan over medium heat with the peanut oil, about 1 minute. Add the hoisin sauce, honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce and 1 cup water. Boil and reduce to 1 1/2 cups, about 5 minutes.
For the Pineapple-Apricot Glaze: Put the lime juice in a saucepan; add the ginger and pineapple juice. Boil until reduced to 1/2 cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Strain, then add the lime zest, apricot preserves and mustard.
Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Trim off any skin from the ham. Use a sharp paring knife to score through the fat in a diagonal crosshatch pattern without cutting through to the meat. Insert the cloves into the ham (if using), 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 water into the bottom of the pan. Transfer to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham registers 130˚ F, about 2 hours 30 minutes (about 15 minutes per pound).
Increase the oven temperature to 425˚ F. 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.
