This Easter ham recipe is all about the glaze! Sticky and sweet, this maple pomegranate glaze is easy to prepare and adds tons of flavor.
Cooking a whole ham for family gatherings is an easy way to impress your guests. The great thing about ham is you can buy the fully cooked, which means all you need to do heat it up and create a yummy glaze.
This year we tried a ham from Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative. It was seriously the best ham I’ve ever tasted. I even messaged Grass Roots right after to tell them this.
If you’ve been following along for a while, you know that I buy my meat almost exclusively from Grass Roots. They work with small farmers with humane and transparent practices. I’m not sure how they made this ham so flavorful, but I’m guessing it has to do with the farms the animals were raised on. The pigs live outdoors and are free to graze and forage, which gives them a diverse diet full of treats like acorns and berries.
Small batch farming means that Grass Roots is only able to offer 100 hams this year so check the site now to make sure you get one. If you miss out, don’t worry they have lamb, beef and other delicious options you can still buy.
I scored the outside of the ham in a diamond pattern, cutting to a depth of about ¼ of an inch. I also inserted whole cloves into the diamond intersections. I messed up my diamond pattern a bit, but everyone was still impressed with the look. Scoring is optional, but fun to do. It also gives the exterior of the ham a crispy texture and makes room for the glaze to settle in.
I served the ham with mashed potatoes, a pomegranate kale salad and maple bacon squash.
PrintHoliday ham with maple pomegranate glaze
Description
Making a delicious glazed Easter ham couldn’t be easier! Just combine a few simple ingredients to create a delicious sticky glaze that adds tons of flavor.
Ingredients
1 Grass Roots Farmers’ Coop ham
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup pomegranate juice
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
whole cloves (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Place the ham in a roasting pan. If desired, score the outside all over in a diamond pattern, cutting to a depth of about ¼ of an inch. Insert a whole clove into each intersection of the diamond pattern.
- Bake the ham for about 20 minutes per pound.
- When ham is about 30 minutes from done, prepare the glaze. In a medium saucepan combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, pomegranate juice, and ground ginger. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil the mixture until it starts to thicken, about 2-5 minutes.
- About 20 minutes before the ham is done, brush about half of the glaze over it and return to the oven. After 10 minutes, brush the remaining glaze mixture over the ham.
- Allow to rest for 15 minutes. You can cover loosely with foil if desired while resting to keep the ham warm.
This post is part of a partnership with Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative, but all opinions are my own.
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