While many people think of turkey as the quintessential main course for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, we suggest trying a beautiful Coleman All Natural Meats Applewood smoked uncured spiral cut ham. Because it’s fully cooked, you won’t have to get up at dawn to get it into the oven and then spend all day basting to keep it from drying out like you would with turkey. Just heat it up for a couple of hours and glaze it either with the included packet of glaze or, to make it extra special, with one of the recipes below. If you want to get creative, read on for tips for making your own glaze.
That’s it—an easy, no muss no fuss, but guest-pleasing, spectacular centerpiece for your holiday table.
Cranberry Orange Ham Glaze
The flavors of the season shine through in this sweet glaze that complements the applewood smoky flavor of the ham. With only four ingredients, it comes together quickly, but will look and taste like you cooked all day.
Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Ham
This sweet, tart, and spicy glaze is a classic. The acid in the vinegar and mustard are a delicious counterpoint to the rich umami of the ham, and the brown sugar and honey give a beautiful caramelized finish to the presentation.
How to Make Your Own Glaze from Scratch
Glazing a ham is easy, but you need to balance the flavors for the best result. A good glaze has four main ingredients:
Butter, to add body to the glaze and help it stick to the ham.
Sugar, to add sweetness and caramelize the surface of the ham. This could be brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, or a combination.
Acid, to counterbalance the sweetness of the sugar. You can use apple cider vinegar, a fruit juice like orange, apple, or pineapple and/or Dijon or another grainy mustard.
Spices, to add a punch of flavor. Try traditional holiday warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger or nutmeg. You can even use bourbon or spiced rum. The alcohol cooks off, but the rich flavor is left behind.
Some combinations for your inspiration:
Maple syrup, brown sugar, apple cider, bourbon and cinnamon
Honey, pineapple juice, Dijon mustard, and ginger
Chile-infused honey, orange juice, espresso and a pinch of red chile powder
Tips for Cooking the Perfect Ham
When you’re using a spiral cut ham, the process is easy.
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the ham on a rack in a large roasting pan. Add a cup of water to the bottom of the roaster and cover with foil.
- Heat the ham to an internal temperature of 130 degrees F, which should take about 12-15 minutes per pound.
- Remove the foil and brush half the glaze over the ham. Cook for about 20 minutes, then brush with the remaining glaze.
- Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F and place the uncovered ham back in the oven just until the glaze is caramelized and the internal temperature reads 140 degrees F.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
The great things about a spiral cut ham are that it’s easy to carve—much easier than a turkey—and you can do just as much with leftover ham, if not more, than turkey. That’s if there’s any left!
The Coleman Way, since 1875, is our commitment to quality, taking pride in humanely raising animals on family farms in the U.S.A. with no antibiotics ever, no growth hormones, and 100% vegetarian fed. The result is premium, great-tasting, all-natural meats in a variety of cuts and flavors that can be easily prepared and that you can feel good about serving to family and friends.
