Holiday Ham

Directions

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350° F.

2. Trim the ham of any excess fat and place it flat-side down on a rack in a large roasting pan. Using a small, sharp knife, score the ham by making a grid pattern(1/4 inch deep) across the ham at 3/4-inch intervals.(If you’re using a sliced ham, you’ll only need to make 1 set of cuts, perpendicular to the slices that are already there.) Poke the pointy ends of the cloves into the ham where the lines intersect, scattering any remaining cloves on the bottom of the pan.

3. Zest the oranges, and set the zest aside in a small saucepan for the glaze. Juice the oranges directly over the ham, straining the seeds, then cover the ham with foil and bake for 2 hours, turning the pan and basting with the pan juices once or twice during cooking.

4. Meanwhile, add the syrup and marmalade to the pan with the zest, and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring. When the marmalade has melted, remove from the heat and set aside.

5. After 2 hours, increase the oven temperature to 425° F. Remove the foil, pour the glaze evenly over the ham, and bake another 30 minutes uncovered, or until nicely browned. Transfer the ham to a serving platter, and let it sit 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm, drizzled with pan juices.

Note: You can find smoked hams at specialty food shops and good butchers, or in most supermarkets. You can also use a honey-cured ham, sliced or unsliced.

Variations: Substitute 1/2 cup cranberry or pomegranate juice for the orange juice. Substitute a good-quality honey for the maple syrup.