Since Thanksgiving is fast approaching for us Canadians, we thought about creating this post around baked ham for those people who do not like turkey or who may like to have both a turkey and ham at the Thanksgiving table. The star of any holiday banquet is a perfectly baked ham, with moist meat and a crunchy coating. Sometimes this proves to be a bit challenging to accomplish. So, here are a few tips that will hopefully help you get your ham to that level of perfection.
- For an evenly-cooked ham, let the meat sit on the counter for one to two hours before baking it. What this does is bring the ham to room temperature, which in turn will allow it to cook all the way through without drying out or overcooking at the edges.
- Place the ham so that the cut side is face-down in the bottom of your pan. This also prevents the ham from getting dry while it bakes.
- For a truly tasty treat, whip up your own glaze, whether you use mustard, pineapple or the ever-popular brown sugar coating.
- Cover the entire pan with aluminum foil before putting it in the oven to help retain moisture.
- When should you glaze it? Apply it liberally over the entire ham 15 to 20 minutes before it’s finished cooking. If you glaze it prior to putting it in the oven, the coating will likely burn.
- Avoid overcooking it, but if you like a crispy crust, turn the oven to the broil setting 3 minutes before you’re done to get that dark outer layer while keeping the meat inside juicy.
- Let it rest for about 15 minutes and serve it!
Enjoy!