Baked Ham Recipe

Whether you are baking a whole ham or half of a ham, here are my tips and a great way to cook it.

I prefer a sugar cured smoked ham and usually only buy and bake half of a ham.* Although there is what some people consider the "waste" of the hock, there is actually more ham on it for slicing than on the butt end because of the large joint in the butt end. Also, the hock is wonderful for boiling for ham stock to use in vegetables.

When buying ham, I don't buy expensive "reduced salt" or fancy brands or trims. I just look for smoked, sugar cured ham.

I remove the wrapping the ham comes in, separate the hock -- be sure it is cut so you can remove it. If not, have the butcher cut it for you. Reserve the for another use.

Then I rinse off the ham with cold water and pat it dry with paper towels.

I score the fat and stick 6 or 8 whole cloves in it in different places. I pat a cup of dark brown sugar firmly on the fat side of the ham while keeping it upright. I then place the ham in a large Reynolds oven baking bag. I drizzle 1/2 cup honey over the sugar. Then the bag with the ham in it is placed on a baking rack in a large roasting pan.

I then add 1 small bottled Coca-Cola (preferred) or 1 can of Coca-Cola to the bag (although this is optional -- sometimes I don't add the Coca-Cola). Just add it to the bag. You will baste the ham with it later. As much air as possible is removed from the bag and it is sealed loosely with the tie that comes with the oven bags. I position the end of the bag on top of the ham as much as possible while keeping the ham with the sugared side up. I then bake the ham for 20 to 25 minutes per pound at 350 Degrees F. (Disregard the directions on the ham, if any.) About half way through the roasting time, I baste the ham once. Toward the end of the baking time, be careful that all the water ** doesn't cook out and burn the ham. However, it won't hurt if it is browned well.

Remove ham from oven. Carefully open the baking bag and allow ham to cool. When cool, reclose the bag and refrigerate. Slice when cold.