Recipe
December 7, 2014
Maple Glazed Fresh Ham
Do not be tempted to trim off all the fat: it’s needed to baste the lean leg meat as it roasts and keep it moist and succulent.
Directions
Yield: Serves 12 to 16
- Using a sharp knife, remove and discard skin from ham. Trim fat to 1⁄2″ layer. Score fat at 1″ intervals in crosshatch pattern — but do not go through meat. (Alternatively, you could have your butcher do this for you.) Season generously with salt and pepper.
- In small bowl, mix garlic, rosemary, fennel, orange zest and oil. Rub paste evenly all over ham. Place ham in roasting pan and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
- Remove ham from fridge. Place on rack in large roasting pan cut side down with shank bone sticking up. Let sit at room temperature 2 hours.
- In small saucepan, place maple syrup, orange juice and vinegar over high heat. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until reduced to 1⁄2 cup, 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 500°F.
- Bake ham in lower third of oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F. Bake, basting with maple glaze and rotating pan every 45 minutes, until instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of ham registers 145°F, 3 1⁄4 to 3 3⁄4 hours in total. Remove from oven. Rest 45 minutes.
- Carve ham into thick slices. Serve with applesauce, pesto and chutney.
Photographer:
Michael Graydon, Nikole Herriott
Source:
House & Home November 2014