Don’t make your family and friends survive on just Peeps and hard-boiled eggs this holiday! By following this easy six-step recipe, you too can create the perfect main course for this year's Easter dinner. While there are many methods for cooking ham, this article includes a simplified version of the recipe used to oven-cook the traditional honey-glazed ham:

According to recipes from AllRecipes.com and FoodNetwork.com, in order to make this Easter dinner specialty, you’re going to need:

INGREDIENTS

-1 fully-cooked, 5-lb., bone-in ham (smoked, if preferred), ¼ cup of dark corn syrup, two cups of honey and up to 20 whole cloves.

-Optional ingredients that can also be used, include: watercress and parsley (for garnishing), 1 small jar of Maraschino cherries and 1 can of pineapple slices.

RECIPE

  1. 1. Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

  2. 2. Begin preparing your ham by removing its wrapping and drying off any access drippings. Place your ham on a cutting board and, using a sharp knife, score your meat with long, diagonal strokes in both directions. Each score should be approximately one-inch apart and one-half-inch deep. (See a video demonstration here.)

  3. 3. After scoring is complete, insert whole cloves into the intersections of the cuts to give your ham a more aromatic flavor and place the meat on a large dish. (Make sure it is lined with tin foil!)

  4. 4. While your oven is warming, heat ¼ cup of dark corn syrup, two cups of honey, and 2/3 cup of butter in a pan. Don’t forget to frequently stir. Once the glaze ihas warmed, brush the liquid over the ham. (Pro-tip: Don’t forget to continue to baste your ham every 10 to 15 minutes during the cooking process.)

  1. 5. Place the ham in the oven. Allow it to fully cook for approximately one hour and 15 minutes. During the last 4 to 5 minutes, put your oven on “broil” to allow the glaze to caramelize.

  2. 6. Remove the ham from the oven and allow the meat to rest before carving/serving. And then, enjoy!

OPTIONAL STEPS

If you want to create a more elaborate version of the traditional Easter, honey-baked ham, follow these additional steps:

-Pineapples slices and Maraschino cherries can be added to the meat by removing it from the oven a few minutes before it is finished cooking. Using toothpicks or the cloves, the pineapples can be secured on top of the ham. A single cherry can also be placed in between the center of each pineapple slice.

  • -Watercress/or parsley can be used to garnish your ham after it is carved to add a more visually appealing meal.

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Easter