Have a ‘Hoppy’ Easter with a Holiday Ham

When your kitchen is full of colorful eggs, candy baskets, tempting sweets and all that comes with Easter, sometimes a holiday classic is just the answer for simplifying the season. Perfect for pairing with deviled eggs, potato salad and a traditional Sunday feast, this Maple-Glazed Easter Ham provides a hands-off approach to the main dish.

With an easily prepared glaze and your oven doing most of the work, you can keep your attention on time spent with loved ones. Visit Culinary.net to find more seasonal favorites, both classic and contemporary.

Maple-Glazed Easter Ham

Recipe adapted from Southern Living

Total time: 3 hours

Servings: 10

1          bone-in spiral-cut ham (8-9 pounds)

1          cup pure maple syrup

1/2       cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2       cup (4 ounces) bourbon

1/2       teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1/4       teaspoon ground cinnamon

            orange slices and wedges, for garnish

            fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place ham in large roasting pan and fill with 1/2 inch of water. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake about 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes with juices from pan, until meat registers 120 F at thickest portion.

In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stir maple syrup, brown sugar, bourbon, ginger and cinnamon; bring to boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover to keep warm and set aside.

Remove ham from oven and discard foil. Increase oven temperature to 400 F. Using pastry brush, glaze ham with 1/3 cup maple-bourbon mixture.

Bake ham about 30 minutes until top is lightly caramelized and meat registers 145 F at thickest portion, brushing with remaining glaze every 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and transfer ham to serving platter. Let rest 15 minutes and garnish with orange slices, orange wedges and rosemary sprigs.