Choosing a Ham – Baked Ham Recipes

Are you planning a baked ham dinner for Easter? Before you head to the supermarket or butcher to pick up a ham, here’s a rundown of the types you’re likely to see.

Bone-In
A traditional pear-shaped ham that has at least part of the shank bone present. Bone-in hams are sold whole or cut into halves, rump or shank portions, and as center-cut slices (called ham steaks.) Whole hams weigh between 10 and 18 pounds.

Spiral-sliced bone-in hams are available at many supermarkets. The ham is precut in a spiral pattern so you don’t have to slice it. Be careful not to over bake this type of ham as it tends to cook faster than an uncut ham.

Semi-Boneless
A ham with the shank and hipbone removed, leaving only the round leg bone.

Boneless
A ham with the bone, outside skin, and fat removed that is shaped by placing it into a casing or a can before processing.

The most popular kind of ham is a fully cooked ham. It is ready to eat when you buy it. To serve the ham hot, heat it to 140 degrees F. Hams labeled cook before eating are not completely cooked during processing and should be cooked to 160 degrees F. If you’re unsure whether a ham you’ve bought is fully cooked, cook it to 160 degrees F.

Country or country-style hams are distinctively flavored and specially processed. They are cured, may or may not be smoked, and usually are aged. Country hams generally are saltier than other hams and often are named for the city where they are processed. Follow package directions for these hams.

For any of the following recipes, bake ham 15 minutes per pound at 325 degrees F. You do not have to use a meat thermometer if one isn’t available.

Boneless hams are easy to slice and have no wasted meat or bone. I like this kind of ham for dinner, breakfast slices with pancakes, eggs or waffles or for eggs benedict. The slices also make great sandwiches.

I prefer bone-in hams because they have more flavor and if cooked at a low temperature are very tender and juicy. The cloves and glaze on the scored ham add a delicious flavor.

This recipe blends rosemary, mustard, and pineapple for a ham glaze. If you use canned pineapple for the glaze, reserve the canned juices for the 1/2 cup pineapple juice for this recipe.

Pineapple and Rosemary Glazed Ham

1 8- to 10-pound cooked bone-in ham, rump half or one 4- to 6-pound cooked boneless ham
1-1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, divided use
3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons snipped fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons Watkins Rosemary
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard
1 medium (4 lb.) pineapple, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped (4-1/2 cups) or three 20-ounce cans pineapple tidbits, drained (reserve 1/2 cup juice)
1 recipe Grilled Pineapple Slices (see recipe below) (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place ham in a shallow roasting pan. Score ham by making diagonal cuts, 1/4-inch deep, in a diamond pattern. Insert an oven meat thermometer into center of ham; the thermometer should not touch the bone, if present. Roast for 1-3/4 hours if using bone-in ham or 1 hour if using boneless ham. (Bake ham 10 to 15 minutes per pound.)

2. Meanwhile, in a bowl combine 3 tablespoons of the brown sugar, the 3 tablespoons mustard, and rosemary. Brush mixture over ham. Roast for 15 minutes more. Meanwhile, for glaze, in a 2-quart saucepan combine the remaining brown sugar, the pineapple juice, and 1/4 cup mustard. Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring frequently. Remove 1/2 cup glaze to brush over ham. Set aside.

3. Bake ham 30 minutes more or until thermometer registers 140 degree F, generously brushing with the 1/2 cup glaze several times during baking.

4. Meanwhile, add pineapple to remaining glaze in saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Transfer ham to serving platter. Slice ham and serve with pineapple sauce. Makes 16 to 24 servings.

Grilled Pineapple Slices

Cut two peeled and cored pineapples into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Brush each slice on both sides with a little cooking oil; sprinkle lightly with some snipped fresh rosemary. Heat an indoor grill or grill pan. Grill pineapple slices just until they start to brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning once.

Sweet and pungent are perfectly balanced in this clove-studded baked ham. A glaze of brown sugar, honey, orange juice, and some mustard make a lovely crust for this main course.

Glazed Baked Ham

1 5-to-6 pound cooked ham (rump half or shank portion)
Watkins Whole Cloves (about 1 tsp.)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard

1. Score ham by making diagonal cuts in a diamond pattern. To stud the ham with cloves, push in the long end of a clove at intersections of each diamond. Place ham on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer, making sure the thermometer does not touch the bone.

2. Bake ham in a 325 degree F oven until meat thermometer registers 125 degree F. For rump half, allow 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours; for shank, allow 1-3/4 to 2 hours.

3. For glaze, in a medium saucepan, stir together brown sugar, honey, orange juice, and mustard. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Brush about 1/4 cup of the glaze over ham. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes more or until meat thermometer registers 135 degree F. Let stand 15 minutes before carving. (The meat’s temperature will rise 5 degree F during standing.)

4. Reheat remaining glaze and serve with ham. Makes 16 to 20 servings.

This traditional Easter ham gleams thanks to a glaze that balances the deep-flavored sweetness of brown sugar with the tang of red-wine vinegar.

Brown-Sugar-Glazed Ham

1 5- to 6-pound cooked bone-in ham (rump half or shank portion)
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1-1/2 cups red wine vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. If desired, score ham by making diagonal cuts 1 inch apart in fat in a diamond pattern. Place on rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer. Thermometer should not touch bone. Bake until thermometer registers 125 degrees F. For rump, allow 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours; for shank, allow 1-3/4 to 2 hours.

2. Meanwhile, for glaze, in a medium saucepan stir together sugar and vinegar. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, about 30 minutes or until reduced to 1 cup. Remove from heat. Brush ham with some of the glaze.

3. Bake ham for 20 to 30 minutes more or until thermometer registers 135 degrees F, brushing three more times with additional glaze. Let stand 15 minutes before carving. (The meat’s temperature will rise 5 degrees F during standing to the safe temperature of 140 degrees F.) Bring any remaining glaze to boiling and serve with ham. Makes 16 to 20 servings.

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter, Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/march15-08newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and
http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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