Hosting Advice For A Perfect Holiday Ham

By Family Features

November 23, 2023

Thanksgiving is here and bringing together loved ones with classic seasonal meals is a staple of the holiday season, and few centerpieces call to mind childhood memories like a tender Ham cooked to perfection. A longtime hallmark of family meals during the holidays, ham can feed a crowd, complement a wide variety of side dishes and is easily elevated with glazes, spices and rubs of all kinds for those who want to take their hosting up a notch. So now that your Turkey is done, now it's time to prepare meals for the rest of the holiday season.

While Ham can be the centerpiece of your holiday dinner, it's also a versatile dish that can be served for any special occasion. Ham is also ideal for incorporating into holiday brunches, served as an hors d'oeuvre at cocktail parties and shared at office potlucks.

To help cook the perfect Ham for your celebration, consider this advice for a festive feast from the experts at Coleman Natural Foods, which has produced high-quality, all-natural, humanely raised, no antibiotics ever, fresh and prepared meats sourced from American farmers since 1875.

Start with a tender and delicious spiral Ham, which is pre-cut in one continuous swirl, allowing you to simply cut each piece from the one behind it for even, consistent slices.

Set the oven to 250-350˚ F, keeping in mind lower temperatures lead to longer cooking times but more tender meat. Bake 10-16 minutes per pound, adding glaze about 15 minutes prior to finishing, until the Ham reaches an internal temperature of 145˚ F at its thickest part.

Make your guests' mouths water with a sweet glaze that mingles with the Ham's natural saltiness, creating a balance of flavors. To achieve a unique taste, try flavors such as Pineapple, Honey or Ginger. For a classic, delicious Ham perfect for holiday gatherings and special occasions, try this Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Ham.

After enjoying as the centerpiece of your holiday dinner, it can be savored in the days following your celebrations to help make lunches and weeknight meals a breeze after a busy season.

Leftover Ham can be enjoyed in sandwiches like a Ham And Cheese Melt, mixed in a Delicious Salad, chopped up into an Omelet for a Hearty Breakfast or added to Macaroni and Cheese for a Protein-Packed Dinner.

Find more Holiday Ham Recipes at: www.ColemanNatural.com

Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Ham
Prep time: 12 minutes
Cook time: 90 minutes
Servings: 32

• 1 Fully Cooked Coleman Natural Applewood Smoked Bone-In Spiral Ham, (7 - 9 Pounds)
• 1 Cup of packed Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Cup of Honey
• 1/2 Cup of Unsalted Butter
• 1/4 Cup of Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Cloves

Preheat the oven to 325˚ F.

Remove the Ham from packaging and place in a roasting pan with a flat side down.

Bake the Ham for about 1 hour until it is heated through to an internal temperature of 130˚ F with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the Ham.

In a medium saucepan, combine the Brown Sugar, the Honey, the Butter, the Dijon Mustard, the Apple Cider Vinegar, the Cinnamon and the Cloves. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring it frequently, until the Butter is melted and ingredients are well combined.

Brush about half of the Glaze over the Ham, making sure to fill the crevices or the scored cuts.

Return the Ham to the oven and bake it for 30-45 minutes, or until the Glaze is bubbly and caramelized with an internal temperature of 145˚ F.

Baste the Ham with the pan’s juices and the Glaze every 10-15 minutes while baking.

Remove the Ham from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving it.