Martha Stewart Living (April 2009)
For us, there's sort of a philosophical question when it comes to Easter brunch: Is Easter really Easter without a ham?
You can have your pork loin, and you can have your leg of lamb. For us, a big juicy ham is as central to Easter brunch as a turkey at Thanksgiving.
This year, deciding on a recipe for the ham was a no-brainer. As soon as we flipped to this Pineapple-Mustard-Glazed Ham in Martha Stewart Living, we knew it was a match meant to be.
Ham and pineapple is, of course, a classic combo. (Although, to us, it feels very 1960s. Not in a bad way.) Anyway, adding country-style whole-grain mustard keeps this glaze from being too sickly sweet, and using fresh pineapples rescues the ham from Kennedy-era cliches -- or at least it clears your conscience.
Although this recipe is time-consuming, it's really incredibly easy. The glaze has three ingredients -- you literally just slice the pineapples and then simmer them in sugar and water for over an hour. Then you throw in some mustard and let it cool.
Glazing the ham is also a cinch -- you just pour some pineapple glaze over the whole thing a couple times during the two hours that it's cooking.
Here's a little tip about pineapples, by the way: When you bring them home from the store, prop them upside down for a day or two before you cut into them. We're not quite sure why -- maybe something to do with the juices flowing back through the fruit? -- but this trick makes pineapples taste incredible. Plus, it's a kitchen tip from Zach's mom, and we're in no position to turn those down.
What did you and your family eat on Easter? Let us know in the comments.
Pineapple-Mustard-Glazed Ham
Martha Stewart Living (April 2009)
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(This photo: Martha Stewart Living)
Ingredients
Serves 8-10
* 2 medium pineapples, peeled lengthwise, cored, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
* 3 cups sugar
* 2 cups water
* 1/4 cup cup country-style mustard
* 1 smoked, bone-in ham (10 pounds), trimmed of excess skin and all but a 1/4-inch layer of fat
* 40 whole cloves
* 1 cup cup dry white wine
* Mustard greens, for garnish (optional)
Directions
1. Bring pineapples, sugar, and water to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer, skimming foam. Cook until pineapples are translucent and mixture has reduced to 4 cups, 60 to 80 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; let cool. Stir in mustard. (Glaze will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 3 days.)
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lowest position. Score ham with a sharp knife in a pattern of 1 1/4-inch diamonds. Press a clove into the center of each diamond. Place ham, cut side down, in a roasting pan; drizzle wine over top. Coat ham with half the glaze. Cover with parchment, then foil, and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven.
3. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Uncover ham, and coat with remaining glaze (some will fall to the bottom of the pan). Bake, uncovered, basting occasionally, until browned, 40 to 45 minutes. (Tent bone with foil if it becomes too dark.) Transfer ham to a cutting board; let rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Serve with pan drippings and pineapple. Garnish with mustard greens if desired.
