Root Beer Glazed Ham

My family was never really one for making a big to-do about Easter, but we always had a ham. The rest of my family always slathered theirs with a raisin sauce, the recipe for which had been handed down through a few generations on my dad’s side. It was always far too sweet for me, so I abstained.

I appreciate the interplay of sweet and salt much more now, but that raisin sauce is still too much for my liking. The syrupy root beer for this glaze though, adds complexity and spice to the ham while imparting just enough sweetness to balance the saltiness.

As you can see above, it also works well on a sandwich with whole grain mustard and watercress.

Root Beer Glazed Ham

24 oz root beer

1 cinnamon stick

6 whole cloves

1 Niman Ranch petite ham

Bring  first 3 ingredients to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer until reduced to 2/3 cup. Spoon 1/3 of glaze over ham. Cook ham in 300⁰ oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes per lb. until internal temperature registers 135⁰F, spooning a tablespoon or two of glaze over ham every ½ hour until gone. Let ham rest 10 minutes, slice, serve.