Ham with Maple Pomegranate Glaze

Created by our partner Cocoa & Salt

Cooking a whole ham for family gatherings is an easy way to impress your guests. The great thing about ham is you can buy it fully cooked, which means all you need to do is heat it up and create a yummy glaze. 

I scored the outside of the ham in a diamond pattern, cutting to a depth of about 1/4 of an inch. I also inserted whole cloves into the diamond intersections. I messed up my diamond pattern a bit, but everyone was still impressed with the look. Scoring is optional, but fun to do.  It also gives the exterior of the ham a crispy texture and makes room for the glaze to settle in.

I served the ham with mashed potatoes, a pomegranate kale salad and maple bacon squash.

What You'll Need 

1 whole ham  1/2 cup maple syrup  1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup pomegranate juice  1/4 teaspoon ground ginger  whole cloves (optional)

The Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. 

2. Place the ham in a roasting pan. If desired, score the outside all over in a diamond pattern, cutting to a depth of about 1/4 of an inch. Insert a whole clove into each intersection of the diamond pattern.  

3. Bake the ham for about 20 minutes per pound. 

4. When ham is about 30 minutes from done, prepare the glaze. In a medium saucepan combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, pomegranate juice, and ground ginger. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil the mixture until it starts to thicken, about 2-5 minutes.

5. About 20 minutes before the ham is done, brush about half of the glaze over it and return to the oven. After 10 minutes, brush the remaining glaze mixture over the ham.

6. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. You can cover loosely with foil if desired.