This is beyond any doubt the BEST ham I have ever tasted - and the secret is all in the Ham Glaze.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr15 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16
Calories: 649kcal
Ingredients
8-10lbham shankfully cooked
½cupbrown sugar
2½tablespoonsbalsamic vinegar
1½tablespoonsdijon mustard
Instructions
Remove the ham from the refrigerator 1-2 hours before it needs to go into the oven. This will allow the meat to come a bit closer to room temperature before it goes into the oven.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a large roasting pan or a heavy-rimmed baking sheet with foil and place the ham cut side down in the pan. Roast for 45-50 minutes. While the ham begins roasting, combine the sugar, vinegar, and mustard in a small cup or bowl. Set aside next to the stove.
Remove the ham from the oven and baste generously with the glaze, using about ¼ of the glaze. Continue to roast the ham until it is deep brown and glazed, brushing the ham with more glaze every 10 minutes or so.
Transfer the ham to a large platter and let rest for 10-15 minutes prior to slicing.
Notes
I roast an 8 lb ham for 50 minutes, then baste it and roast for 10 minutes more, baste again, roast for 10 minutes more, baste it generously with all remaining glaze one last time, and roast it for 5 more minutes. An average of 10 minutes of cooking time per lb of ham should be just right.IF YOUR HAM IS NOT SPIRAL CUT: Place the ham on a large cutting board and score the ham with cuts, 1/2" deep in a diamond pattern. If that sounds confusing, look down at the ham and start in a straight line from one end to the other making a 1/2" deep cut all the way across and over the top of the ham. Then repeat this cut, about an inch apart, slicing the ham from one side to the other. Then turn the ham 90 degrees and repeat, straight cuts, all the way across the ham. It should resemble a checkerboard when you are finished. This process allows the glaze to penetrate deeper into the ham. It is well worth the effort and it only takes a few minutes. (You can skip this step with spiral-cut hams.)