Holiday Hams

Holiday Coca-Cola Baked Ham

Ingredients

• 1 10-12-lb. bone-in ham
• whole cloves
• 1 1-lb. box dark brown sugar
• 1 12-oz. can Coca Cola (no diet)
• 1 14-oz. can pineapple rings, drained and the juice reserved
• 1 C. sweet concord grape wine

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a sharp knife, remove the rind from the ham. Score surface of the ham crosswise and lengthwise, forming a crisscross pattern about 1/4 inch deep and 1 inch apart. Place 1 clove in the center of each square. Place ham, fat side up, in a roasting pan. Press brown sugar onto the surface of the ham. Expect some sugar to fall into the roasting pan. Place in oven and bake until brown sugar just begins to melt, about 30 minutes. Pour the Coca-Cola over the ham, mixing with melted sugar in bottom of roasting pan. Baste ham with the cola mixture and bake an additional 30 minutes.Meanwhile, combine reserved pineapple juice and sweet concord grape wine in a small bowl. Baste ham with pineapple mixture every 20 minutes. Bake ham for a total of 16 minutes per pound. During the last 20 minutes of baking time, remove ham from oven and decorate with the pineapple rings. Use 2-3 wooden picks (toothpicks) to hold each ring in place. Place a cherry in the center of each ring, also using a wooden pick. Return to oven and continue to bake the final 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand for at least 15 minutes before transferring to serving platter. Skim excess fat from drippings in the pan. Serve drippings as sauce with the ham. 

Baked Honey Ham

Ingredients

• 2 C. honey
• 2 C. brown sugar
• 1/3 C. cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. cloves
• 5-6 lb. bone-in ham, or 3-4 lb. boneless ham

Directions

Combine honey, brown sugar, vinegar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Bake bone-in ham at 350 degrees for 1 hour to heat through, basting with honey sauce occasionally. If desired, bake another 10 minutes at 450 degrees to glaze the top.

To cook boneless ham, slice half way through at 1/4-inch intervals, then tie with string. Place in roasting pan. Heat honey sauce and pour over ham to marinate for 24 hours before baking. Then bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until heated through. If desired, bake another 10 minutes at 450 degrees to glaze the top.

Yield: 6-8 servings