Glazed Holiday Ham

Beautiful Jolie, our bread baker. This picture captures how happy we were to be together that night! 

For our Christmas dinner test run, we used a Kirkland Signature Applewood Smoked Master Carve Ham from Costco. This is my favorite ham because it's boneless, fully cooked and can be sliced for sandwiches or quickly heated up, just 10 per minutes per pound at 350 - much quicker than a bone in ham, and stays so moist and delicious.

The rich, naturally sweet, smoky flavor of this ham will win everyone over. It comes with a really good red currant glaze, but Rachel treated us to her famous mustard glaze we've all come to love. The next day I made my mother-in-law's raisin sauce to go with our leftovers (glaze and sauce recipes below).

RACHEL'S HAM GLAZE 

Recipe modified from Epicurious

Ingredients:

1/2 cup apple cider

1 jar whole grain Dijon mustard

2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and warm over low heat until smooth.  It should be a fairly thick consistency, like honey.  Spread about half the sauce over ham during the last 30 minutes of cook time.  Thin the remaining sauce with a little more cider and serve on the side for those who want a little for dipping.



RAISIN SAUCE FOR HAM
Recipe from my awesome mother-in-law, Molly

Combine in a saucepan:

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 tsp salt (this is optional)

Stir in: 

1 cup fresh apple cider

a handful of raisins

Sprinkle in: 

Ground cloves

Cinnamon 

Cook and stir for about 10 minutes. 

Add: 

1 Tablespoon butter

Serve the sauce very hot over ham.