The outer layer of this delicious baked ham is coated with an apricot-honey glaze for a perfect caramel color, while the meat is tender and juicy on the inside. This is definitely the star of your family gathering at your holiday table. Pairing it with a good bottle of wine can make the perfect winter dinner party when the big holiday season is upon us. Garnish it with edible flavors like fresh rosemary, cranberry or currant sprigs in a festive atmosphere. This ham is easily the centerpiece of any sauce, complemented by an array of sides - green beans, roasted butternut squash and silky mashed potatoes mix up all the festive flavors and add color to the table.
Ingredients
- 1 (about 10pound) boneless fully cooked ham, spiral sliced ham
- Sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup apricot preserves
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 pinch of salt
Practice
step 1Remove the ham from the package. Let the ham sit at room temperature for 2 hours before baking. If the ham is not pre-sliced, make a 1/2 inch/12 mm criss-cross cut in the ham.
step 2Make the sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the apricot preserves, honey, orange juice, brown sugar, Dijon and butter. (optional mustard, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper)
Cook over medium heat for another 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Then cool the sauce in a small bowl. The sauce should have the texture of loose honey.
step 3Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
step 4Place the ham cut side down in the baking dish.
step 5Brush 1/3 of the glaze over the ham and cover with foil. Do not allow any steam to enter or escape from the foil as this will dry out the ham. Bake the ham for approximately 2 hours (12-14 mins per pound, or according to package directions). Until the ham is heated and the internal temperature reaches 140°F on a meat thermometer.
step 6Remove the ham from the oven, brush with 1/3 of the glaze, remove the foil, increase the oven to 425˚ F. Once the oven reaches temperature, bake the ham in the oven for 10 mins, until the outside is nice and caramelized.
step 7Remove from oven, brush with remaining 1/3 of the glaze and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until a brown crust forms and the internal temperature reaches 130-135˚F.
step 8Transfer the ham to a serving platter and let rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
step 9Strain the pan juices through a sieve to remove any fat that floats to the top.
step 10Drizzle the pan juices over the ham slices and serve.
You can take the finished sauce, portion it out and use it to brush the glaze over the ham when serving, or serve it together in a bowl so that everyone can add as much as they like.
Enjoy a tasty moment with JoyOuce Kitchen!
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