I love Easter for a lot of reasons, but one big one is because in my family we traditionally eat ham. It's tasty and makes for some great leftovers, but most importantly — it's so easy!
Unlike Thanksgiving and that tiresome turkey, ham is a snap. If you buy a pre-baked one, then it's almost fool-proof. Of course, some hams are better than others, and I believe that all comes down to the glaze. I love this one I've used over the years that's a simple mixture of mustard, sugar, and honey. It's got just the right amount of sweetness to match the salt, and it will fly off your platter.
Baked Ham With Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze
1 10-pound ham (you can adjust the amount of glaze if your ham is larger or smaller)
1 cup honey
1/4 cup mustard (whole grain works well)
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 Tablespoons of unsalted butter
Preheat the oven to 350.
Remove all packaging (don't forget that plastic button!) and place ham cut-side down on a baking sheet.
Tightly cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
While that's cooking mix the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan on your stove over medium heat until the brown sugar has dissolved completely.
When ham is ready score it with cuts no more than 1/4 inch deep, and then brush the ham with about 1/4 of the glaze.
Increase the oven temperature to 425 and return the ham for 15 minutes. Then repeat the glazing process three more times — every 15 minutes. It should take about an hour in all, but you'll know when a dark, golden brown crust forms.
Let it rest 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Image via thebittenword.com/Flickr
