Simple, Delicious, Mustard, Brown Sugar, and Honey Glazed Ham

Recipe First:

Used this recipe from Cafe Delights

While I would like to cure a fresh ham hock at some point, I purchased a cured ham like most people from the store.

In the recipe quoted the chef talks about skin on vs off on the ham and recommends going skin off. 90% of ham I have seen is skin off. If you are unsure whether the skin is still on or not (seems to be an oddly common issue if you are not used to working with pork) press into it with your finger nail and if it doesn’t spring back the skin is still on .

I scored the ham all the way around in a diamond pattern. This makes it look amazing when done (we eat with our eyes) and also gives more surface area to promote the Maillard reaction.

Above is after the initial 30 minutes cooking at 300 F — During that time I made the glaze and applied it at this point.

After increasing the temp and basting every 15 minutes we are getting going! The brown sugar is caramelizing nicely, the mustard is doing its thing, and the honey is honeying — just jokes, but all of them together are really a great trio; and with the added cloves, garlic, and cinnamon it evokes the feeling of a home-made meal on a cold winter evening.

The last half hour the colours turned significantly and was directly proportional to the amount of splatter everywhere — While not ideal for the after cook clean this turned out to be the best ham i have made or eaten, the exterior was ripe with flavour, penetrating deep into the meat. Cut, serve, fridge, or freeze this keeps amazingly well and is as good with scalloped potatoes hot out of the oven as well as a sandwich the next day.

Cole Score: 9/10