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3 to 4 kg smoked, fully cooked, boneless ham
3 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup whole cloves, optional
330-mL bottle or can beer
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp bourbon, rye, brandy or water
Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Place ham in a large roasting pan with shallow sides. Using a knife with a sharp tip, score top and sides of ham in a diamond pattern, about 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) deep. Firmly pat 1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar over top and sides of ham. Insert cloves, if using, in an attractive pattern in ham. Pour beer around ham. Loosely tent with foil and bake in centre of 325F (160C) oven 1 hour. Baste with pan liquid halfway through.
Make glaze just before ham is finished its first hour of baking. In a small saucepan, stir 2 cups (500 mL) brown sugar with honey and bourbon over medium heat until sugar melts, about 4 minutes. Use glaze as soon as it's made as it hardens quickly. After ham has baked 1 hour, remove from oven and discard foil. Spoon glaze over entire surface of ham. Bake, uncovered and basting frequently with pan liquid, until a dark glaze forms, about 1 more hour. Remove from oven and place on a cutting board. Loosely cover with foil and let stand at least 5 minutes before slicing. Ham will keep well, covered and refrigerated, up to 4 days.
Calories 433, Protein 40.6g, Carbohydrates 47.5g, Fat 8.9g, Sodium 2163mg.
No matter how you cook it, ham always makes a fantastic centrepiece for the Easter table. This holiday ham gets a non-traditional glaze that's made of honey, brown sugar and beer. It's adapted from a recipe from Helen Webber and Marie Woolsey's book Blueberries and Polar Bears (Blueberries and Polar Bears).