Quick glazes take mere minutes, and even those that need to be reduced on the stove top take under 15 minutes.
Lower the heat once the mixture has reached a boil. Stir it occasionally, and simmer it for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it’s thickened slightly. Then turn off the heat, and allow the glaze to cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes before brushing it over the ham.
Once the mixture has thickened slightly, turn off the heat, and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
Let the glaze cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes before brushing it over the ham.
The basic ingredients of a glaze are a sweetener (such as brown sugar or molasses), an acid (such as vinegar or orange juice), and herbs or spices (such as thyme or cloves).
Plan on baking a cured (pre-cooked) ham for about 10 to 15 minutes per pound (about 22 to 33 minutes per kg), or until it reaches an internal temperature of 110 °F (43 °C). If you didn’t soak the ham to bring it to room temperature, plan on heating it for an hour longer.
Rest the hot roasting pan on a wire cooling rack. After you take out the ham, raise the oven temperature to 350 °F (177 °C). If you’re cooking an uncured ham at 325 °F (163 °C), take it out of the oven once it’s reached an internal temperature between 135 to 140 °F (57 to 60 °C), or after about 2 hours. [11] X Research source
Scoring the ham before applying a glaze will also help the ham absorb flavors better. Since a spiral-sliced ham is pre-cut, scoring is unnecessary. If desired, press a whole clove into each point where 2 scored lines intersect. Just remember to remove them before you carve and serve the ham.
The sugars in the glaze will caramelize, yielding an attractive, flavorful, and candy-like skin. Glazing the ham too early in the cooking process will lead to a scorched ham, so wait until the last 15 to 20 minutes.
Raise the temperature when you first remove the ham so the oven has time to heat.
Be sure to keep a close eye on the ham through the oven window to keep it from burning.
While the ham rests, its internal temperature will increase a bit. This means the final serving temperature will be around 120 °F (49 °C) for a cured ham and 145 to 150 °F (63 to 66 °C) for one that was uncooked when you purchased it. For a fresh, uncooked ham, 145 °F (63 °C) is the recommended safe internal temperature. A cured ham was already cooked, so it’s even safe to eat cold. [18] X Research source
To keep the glaze warm, place the saucepan over a burner set to low heat and stir it occasionally.
If you look at the cut side, you’ll see that the bone is closer to one edge. This is the thinner side, and you want to carve the opposite, meatier side. Slice straight down into the ham until you reach the bone. Make cuts every 1⁄4 inch (0. 64 cm), then run the knife horizontally along the bone to remove the slices. If you bought a spiral-sliced ham, simply cut along the bone to remove the slices.
Pair your glazed ham with side dishes such as balsamic green beans, mashed or scalloped potatoes, and roasted carrots.
