Christmas Traditions –
Honey Baked Ham
Like every family, we have holiday traditions. The memories of Grandma baking ham, turkey, polish sausage and making chicken soup for my Mom are as real today as they were 60 years ago. I can smell the sour cabbage, bacon, and onions. I can see the feast spread on the table. I can taste the honey on the ham Grandma made. So, I decided to share one example of a Honey Baked Ham recipe. You can have a look and do your own research. This recipe comes from the Neely family of BBQ and Food Network fame. We like a little spice with our honey, so this recipe suits us well.
Is Ham Good or Bad for You?
First, when I talked about getting a ham for baking, I’m not talking about pulling up to the local Kroger’s and buying whatever is on sale. This year I ordered a nitrate free, smoked ham, from the butcher at Whole Foods Market. Last year I tried a ham from my local farmer (His schedule and mine just didn’t mesh this year, so I tried Whole Foods.) What I am talking about is having a conversation with your local butcher or farmer about making sure your meat sources that are organic, free range, humane.
I’ve done a lot of reading about eating pork, in general. Some say pork is good for you, “the other white meat.” Others say that pigs are unclean. I like this post on eating pork from the healthy eats section of the Food Network Blog. Do your own research and make educated decisions for you and your family.
The Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 pounds bone-in ham nitrate free, smoked ham
- 1/3 cup organic brown sugar
- 1/3 cup Bee Wild Gallberry honey
- 2 teaspoons organic cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- With this recipe, buy the best ham you can.
- Your oven should be preheated to 350 degrees F.
- Line your roasting pan with aluminum foil. This will help with the cleanup.
- Then, put your rack in the roasting pan.
- Bake your ham, round side down, for 1 hour.
- Mix the remaining ingredients in a medium sauce pan and heat, stirring constantly, on medium until a glaze is formed.
- Brush half the glaze on the ham and bake for another 30 minutes.
- Turn the ham over. Brush the ham with the remaining glaze and bake another hour.
- Let the ham rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.
