This Easter Ham Is Moist and Juicy

The flavors and the beautiful mahogany sheen of the glaze will make this an unforgettable Easter ham.

Every bite benefits from the flavors of the glaze. Carl Tremblay/TCA

Many recipes for spiral ham produce meat that’s parched and leathery on the exterior with a glaze that flavors only the outermost edge. For moist meat throughout, we placed our ham in an oven bag, which traps juices and creates a moist environment that cooks it in less time than the dry air of the oven would, and reheated it in a 250-degree F oven. We then brushed the ham with a sweet-tart caramel glaze.

Since the sugar in the mixture was already caramelized, the glaze needed only a few minutes in a hot oven to acquire a deep mahogany sheen. Finally, we thinned some of the remaining caramel with ham juices to create a sauce to accompany the smoky, salty ham.

Spiral-Sliced Ham Glazed With Cider-Vinegar Caramel

Serves 12 to 14

• 1 (7- to 10-pound) spiral-sliced, bone-in half ham, preferably shank end
• 1 large oven bag
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 1/4 cups cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack in the sheet. Unwrap ham and, if necessary, discard plastic disk covering bone. Place ham cut side down in an oven bag. Insert temperature probe (if using) through top of ham into center. Tie bag shut and place ham cut side down on the prepared wire rack. Bake until the center registers 110 degrees F, 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours.