HONEY GLAZED HAM

INGREDIENTS

• 1 6-8 pound smoked, boneless ham
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 cup pork or chicken stock 

For the Glaze

• 2oz honey
• hot water (as needed)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of whole grain mustard 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon flake sea salt 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 325°.
2. While the oven preheats, remove the ham from the packaging and allow it to come to room temperature.
3. Line a large cast-iron Dutch oven (or roasting pan) with heavy duty aluminum foil - you’ll thank me later.
4. Place the ham into the foil lined Dutch oven/pan and pour in the cider with the stock. If you can use the lid of the Dutch oven, cover the ham with the lid. If the ham is too large to use the lid, cover with parchment paper and then with more foil. If using a roasting pan, cover with parchment and two layers of foil. 
5. Place the ham in the 325° oven and heat for 20 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches 135°-140°.
6. When the ham is warmed through (135°-140°), remove from the oven and carefully lift the ham out of the Dutch oven/pan and pour the cider/ham jús into a small sauce pan.
7. Turn the oven temperature up to 425°. Keep the heavy-duty aluminum foil in the Dutch oven/roasting pan - it’s about to get messy.
8. While the oven heats, add the honey and mustard to the cider/ham jús and slightly reduce the mixture in the saucepan, just until it's a bit more viscous. Lower the heat and whisk in the butter a tablespoon at a time. Set glaze to the side and allow to come to room temperature.
9. While the oven temperature is increasing, use a sharp knife to score the ham in the classic diamond pattern or against the grain and in even intervals across the top of the ham. This will allow the glaze to set into the ham and make the final step of carving a bit easier should you master the shellac-like surface texture of a perfectly glazed holiday ham.
10. When the oven has reached 425°, mix in the brown sugar and flake salt to the glaze (The glaze should be cooled enough that the sugar will not dissolve. You don't want to add the sugar and salt to hot glaze or it will dissolve and you won't get as much crusty bits on the surface of your ham). Now, brush approximately half of the glaze onto the surface of the ham. If the glaze seems too thick to baste, add a small amount of hot water to loosen it. Roast the glazed ham uncovered for 15 minutes.
11. After 15 minutes remove the ham and apply more glaze. Repeat this glazing about every 15 minutes until the glaze is gone or until the ham has achieved a nice dark-golden crust.
12. Let the ham rest for 20-30 minutes prior to slicing.