Glazed Easter Ham

• 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  2. 2Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern about 1/8-inch deep. Place cloves in the middle of each diamond. Place the ham in a large roasting pan with a rack, tent it with foil, and bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours—or longer, depending on the package directions. (Some hams may require 3 to 3 1/2 hours at a lower temperature; just check the package.)
  3. 3In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and soda until bubbly. Cook until reduced and a bit thicker, about 15 minutes.
  4. 4After about 2 hours of baking time, remove the foil and brush the glaze on the ham in 20 minutes intervals (put the ham back in the oven, uncovered, in between) until it's nice and glossy. Remove from the oven and allow to rest 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

Get a big honkin’ bone-in ham. Fully cooked.

Use a really sharp knife to score a diamond pattern all over the surface of the ham: First cut lines in one direction…

Then cut in the other direction.

Grab a handful of cloves and poke them into the center of each diamond…

And keep going until the whole surface is dotted. I do this for looks more than flavor: I just think it looks lovely and traditional when it’s all done baking.

Cover the ham with foil, then put it into the oven to warm it up. I do 325 for at least 2 to 2 1/2 hours, but I’d say just look at the instructions on the package and follow those. Some hams say to go 3 to 4 hours, some at a lower temperature. The whole goal here is just to heat the ham slowly…and it takes awhile to do that.

While the ham is in the oven, you can make the glaze: Throw 3 cups of brown sugar into a saucepan…

Along with 1/2 cup of grainy, spicy mustard for a nice tang…

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar for a little bite…

And the star of the show!

A whole can of Dr Pepper.

You can use Coke. Heck, you could probably even use root beer. But please, for the love of all things good and caramelized, do not use diet pop.

(It’s the sugar we’re after here.)

Amen.

Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat…

And simmer it for a good 15-20 minutes until it’s gotten darker and thicker.

After the ham has cooked for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, brush the surface with some of the glaze. Then pop it back into the oven, uncovered, for another 20 minutes or so.

Pull it out and brush on more glaze, then pop it back in the oven.

Then pull it out and brush on more glaze! Keep doing this until the ham is fully heated and the glaze is really gorgeous and glossy.

Note: On my Food Network episode last weekend, I only glazed it once because I had been at church and didn’t want to add too much more time before we ate. It was still totally delicious, but glazing the ham 2 or 3 (or 4) times really results in more of a masterpiece in terms of gorgeous surface.

Mmmm. Easter feast!

Enjoy, guys. This ham’ll take you far in life.