Honey Ham

from Christmas from the Heart of the Home
by Susan Branch

Delicious for a large party—perfect for a buffet.

1 10 lb whole fully cooked ham
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. dry sherry
1/4 c. honey
6 tbsp. Country Style Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 fresh ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cranberries

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Place ham on rack in roasting pan and bake 15 min. per pund, or about 2 1/2 hours total.
• Combine sugar, sherry, honey, mustard and black pepper; set aside.
• After ham has cooked for 1 3/4 hrs., remove from oven, turn heat up to 425 degrees.
• Pour juices from ham into shallow bowl; chill so that fat can be easily skimmed.
• Trim off excess fat from ham; score in 3/4" diamond shapes with a sharp knife and coat generously with glaze.
• Turn oven back down to 325 degrees and bake ham 15 minutes—glaze again and, using toothpicks, decorate with pineapple and cranberries—return to oven 15 min.
• Once more, remove, glaze, and bake 15 min. Meat thermometer should read 135-140 degrees.
• Remove from oven, pour off juices and allow ham to sit 15-20 min. before slicing.
• Skim fat from pan juices—heat through and serve in gravy boat with sliced ham and cooked fruit.

© 1990 by Susan Branch