It was a big day in my virus isolation. I took the garbage out! It must be time for a special meal. Actually, I went to the grocery store and they had a ham on sale. Whatever, it is always time for a nice ham!
I know what you’re thinking. We can’t have company and who will be eating all that ham! Fortunately, slice ham freezes well and there will be many fine meals ahead.
I decided to double smoke it in my smoker but go old school with the glaze and make a Brown Sugar Glaze.
You can make this in an oven and get a great result. Just cook it for 3 hours at 350 F (175 C). Start brushing the ham after 1 hour and brush it with glaze every 20 minutes for the last 2 hours.
This recipe calls for a fully cooked ham. You will just be reheating it as opposed to cooking it. Check to make sure the label notes it is a cooked ham.
Prepare the glaze by mixing in a saucepan:
- 200 ml (1 7/8 cup) brown sugar
- 50 ml (1/4 cup) orange juice
- 100 ml (3/8 cup) honey
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) cider vinegar
- 20 ml (4 tsp) Dijon mustard
- 2 ml (1/2 tsp) cinnamon
- 2 ml (1/2 tsp) ground cloves
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) ground ginger
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) ground nutmeg
Put it over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Let it boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, and remove from heat.
Cut a diamond pattern in the skin of the ham. Make slices ¼ inch (6 mm) deep and 1 inch (25 mm) apart.
Put the ham in a 200 F (95 C) smoker and smoke until the internal temperature is 120 F (50 C). This took about 7 hours in my smoker.
Warm the glaze over low heat if it is too thick to brush. Brush the surface of the ham and smoke for about 2 hours longer, brushing the surface every ½ hour until the internal temperature is 140 F (60 C).
Let the ham rest for 15 minutes and then carve and serve. We served it with a nice salad, Copper Pennies and Scalloped Potatoes.
The Verdict
This is the kind of glaze I grew up with. It isn’t fancy, it is just delicious. The spices in the glaze makes any day seem like a holiday.
The Old Fat Guy
Ingredients
- 200 ml (1 7/8 cup) brown sugar
- 50 ml (1/4 cup) orange juice
- 100 ml (3/8 cup) honey
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) cider vinegar
- 20 ml (4 tsp) Dijon mustard
- 2 ml (1/2 tsp) cinnamon
- 2 ml (1/2 tsp) ground cloves
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) ground ginger
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) ground nutmeg
- 2.8 kg (6 pound) ham
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients except the ham in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly.
- Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Preheat your smoker to 200 F (95 C).
- Smoke to an internal temperature of 120 F (50 C).
- Warm the glaze to thin and brush the ham with the glaze.
- Smoke for about 2 more hours, brushing with glaze every 1/2 hour until the internal temperature is 140 F (60 C).
- Let sit for 15 minutes and serve.
- To cook in an oven, cook at 350 F (175 C) for 1 hour. Then brush with glaze and cook for 2 hours more, brushing with glaze every 1/2 hour.
