Holiday Ham Recipe

For the ham:

Bring the ham up to room temperature: Place it in a large container with the packaging intact. Pour hot tap water over the ham to cover it and let it soak for 30 minutes. (If you don’t have a large enough container, use the sink.)

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325°F and arrange a rack in the bottom third.

Remove the ham from the water and its packaging. Place it in a large roasting pan and stud it all over with the cloves, about 1 inch apart. Pour the apple cider or juice and bourbon over the ham; place the herbs in the pan. Cover the pan with foil and cook for 30 minutes. Baste the ham, cover, and continue to cook for another 30 minutes. Baste again, spread the dates and onions around the ham, and drizzle with the olive oil. Cover and continue to cook, basting every 30 minutes and checking the pan to make sure it’s not burning (if the bottom of the pan starts to dry up, add about 1/2 cup water), until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham registers between 130°F and 135°F, about 2 3/4 hours more. Meanwhile, make the glaze.

For the glaze:

Place all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally until the butter has melted and the mixture is combined; set aside.

When the ham is ready, remove it from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 425°F. Remove the foil and, using a long sharp knife, score the ham in 1-inch-wide, 1/4-inch-deep diamond patterns, moving the whole cloves as needed.

Brush 1/2 cup of the glaze all over the ham. When the oven has reached 425°F, bake the ham, uncovered, until the outside has darkened in color and is caramelized, about 15 minutes.

Using two sets of tongs, carefully transfer the ham to a serving platter. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions and dates from the roasting pan and arrange them around the ham. Transfer 1/4 cup of the pan juices to the remaining glaze, stir to combine, and rewarm, if desired. Taste, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons more of the pan juices if you choose. Serve the glaze alongside the ham.

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