How to Cook and Glaze a Ham

Nobody can cook like your mother used to cook for you. A timeless favorite for many families in the springtime is a delicious glazed ham - especially around Easter. The best recipes for glazed ham are those that are passed down from generation to generation. This is because the recipe is tried and tested numerous times. Mom and Grandma know what works, and they know what no one will eat - so you can trust this recipe. It is simple and delicious!

This particular recipe for glazed ham is the same recipe my mother has been making for years, and it was passed down from her grandmother. This glazed ham is sweeter than a typical sugar or honey glaze, and it is guaranteed to turn heads and impress even the pickiest of palettes. This recipe is simple, and should be easy to replicate for even the most inexperienced cooks.

This is the basic list of Ingredients you will need. Please feel free to add to them if you wish:

• One 6-8 pound ham (or larger if you are serving more than eight)
• 1/2 cup of pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar, without clumps works best
• 1/2 cup of Coca-Cola
• One tablespoon of brown mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon of pulverized or ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon of finely ground cinnamon

First of all, many times you will be able to purchase a fully pre-cooked ham at the store.  While a fresh ham is guaranteed to taste better than a factory-cooked one, if you have a pre-cooked ham, skip this step. 

If you have a raw ham, bake it in the oven fat side up until the internal temperature of the ham is about 150 degrees Fahrenheit and the juices in the center of the ham run clear.  You must cook your ham slowly at around 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 to 30 minutes per pound.  Your ham may cook more quickly, as fast as 18 minutes per pound, or more slowly, as long as 35 minutes per pound, depending on the thickness of the ham, and the power of your oven.

Do not cook the ham at a higher temperature to speed things up.  It will dry the ham out, and it won't taste nearly as good.  Slow and steady cooking is the best method when it comes to ham and pork.

In a saucepan, combine the pure maple syrup, Coca Cola, brown sugar, mustard, ginger and cinnamon.  Simmer these ingredients on a low heat for about two minutes.  This will thicken the glaze slightly, and allow the ingredients to mix well with one another.  Do not cover the saucepan, or cook on high heat.  If you cook this mixture too hot, it may caramelize or burn, and the glaze will not taste good and may potentially ruin your ham.  Just be careful to slowly heat and simmer your glaze.  Never allow it to boil.

If you are cooking a fresh ham, spoon half of your glaze mixture over the top of the ham 20 minutes before the ham is finished cooking.  When there is only 10 minutes remaining, spoon the rest of the glaze mixture over the top of the ham.  During the last 10 minutes, the glaze should become thick and sticky over the ham from the heat in the oven. 

If you are using a pre-cooked ham, follow the same steps during the re-heating process to lock in the sweet flavor of the glaze.  Depending on the reheating instructions, you may need to glaze the ham sooner than 20 minutes before it is finished - particularly if you are heating the ham at a lower temperature than 325 degrees.

Delicious
This recipe should serve around eight people, and will definitely have your diners singing praises for this recipe.

When preparing a sweet glaze for a ham, a huge slew of ingredients can be used to create a unique flavor.  The constants for most ham glazes are brown sugar, mustard, and ginger.  You can substitute many other sweet ingredients for a ham glaze, such as honey, molasses, agave, fruit nectar, etc. 

You can come up with an unlimited number of glaze recipes following these simple instructions.  Whatever recipe you invent, it is fail-proof that basically any sweet glaze will taste delicious over a freshly cooked ham - and this customization ability is the best part about cooking a glazed ham.