Recipe: Maple Glazed Ham with Raisin Sauce or Apricot-Berry Sauce

MAPLE GLAZED HAM WITH RAISIN SAUCE

1 cooked ham, shank portion (4 to 4 1/2 pounds)
2 tablespoons whole cloves

FOR THE MAPLE GLAZE:
1/4 cup maple-flavored syrup or pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Dash ground cloves

FOR THE RAISIN SAUCE:
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1 cup raisins
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
OR Apricot-Berry Sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Score the top of the ham into diamonds*, then stud the ham with whole cloves (tip, right). Place the ham on a rack in a large shallow baking pan. Insert a roasting thermometer in the center of the thickest portion without touching bone.

Bake for 1 1/4 hours.

MEANWHILE, TO PREPARE THE MAPLE GLAZE:
In a small saucepan, combine the maple-flavored syrup, butter, corn syrup, the 1 tablespoon orange juice, 1/8 teaspoon allspice, and ground cloves. Bring to a boil; remove the pan from heat.

Brush the ham with some of the maple glaze. Bake for 15 minutes more or until thermometer registers 135 degrees F., brushing once or twice with the remaining glaze. Cover ham with foil and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.

MEANWHILE, TO PREPARE THE RAISIN SAUCE:
In a medium-size saucepan, combine the brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the apple juice, raisins, the 3 tablespoons orange juice, vinegar, orange rind, and 1/8 teaspoon allspice.

Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture starts to thicken. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until thickened.

Serve the ham the Raisin Sauce or Apricot-Berry Sauce.

TO SCORE THE HAM:
Add an old-fashioned, decorative touch to baked ham by scoring the top and studding it with cloves. The scoring also allows the glaze to penetrate the meat.



1. To score the ham, use a small sharp knife to diagonally cut 1/4-inch-deep parallel lines in the top of the ham about 1 inch apart. Make another series of cuts at right angles to form diamonds.

2. Using your fingers, insert a whole clove in the middle of each of the diamonds. You may find it easier to pierce the meat first with the point of a skewer and then insert the clove.

VARIATION:

MAPLE-GLAZED HAM WITH APRICOT-BERRY SAUCE
(Prepare as for Maple-Glazed Ham with Raisin Sauce omitting the ingredients for the raisin sauce.)

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 (16 ounce) can unpeeled apricot halves packed in light syrup, drained and sliced
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries

In a medium-size saucepan, combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in orange juice. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to thicken. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in apricot halves; heat through. Stir in strawberries.

Makes 10 servings
Source: Like Grandma Used to Make by Reader's Digest