Easter Ham

Easter is a special day, so if you want to have a nice dinner, you can begin with a nice ham. If you can, buy a good smoky, bone-in ham from your nearby butcher. The ham is going to have more quality and improved feel. Otherwise, search for a ham labeled "with natural juices" instead of "water applied" in the store (for the better taste) and resist spiral-cut hams that can be rapidly dry during cooking.

There's expected to be a good layer of fat on the exterior of your ham; begin by scoring it. Take a small knife and carve a line of diamonds over the top layer. The lines should be about one to two inches apart (depending on the thickness of the ham) and the cuts do not penetrate the ham.

For a stunning (and traditional) appearance, place a whole clove in the middle of each of the diamonds you've generated on the surface of the fat. This is going to add a subtle taste to the finished ham.

Make sure to add the liquid — whether it's water, stock or wine — to the bottom of the your pan and then cover the ham with foil. You don't need a lot of liquid; just enough to softly steam the ham while it warms up. That would keep the ham from drying out.

Because most of the hams are pre-cooked, you're basically only warming them. Keeping the oven temperature down (300 to 325 degrees F works well) and let the ham cook gradually so that it remains moist and juicy.

Be sure you have an eye on the internal temperature of your ham; there is no need to surpass the acceptable 145 degrees F. If you let the ham get hotter than that, you run the risk of serving a dry, overcooked roast. Being careful to check the temperature around the bone and remove the ham from the oven as it hits 140 degrees F (because it continues cooking for a few minutes as it rests).

When your ham arrives with a box of glaze, throw it away; you can quickly and easily create your own tasty version from scratch. Just mix a large scoop of brown sugar with a drizzle of honey and a tiny spoonful of Dijon mustard and fruit juice. Heat the four ingredients in a medium saucepan until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is blended. Take the pan from the heat and set aside and once you are able use it.

Once the ham is almost finished, remove the foil and spoon the glass over it. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F (so you'll have a good crust on the exterior of the ham) and let the glaze thicken and caramelize for around 15 minutes. Do not keep the glazed ham in the oven for longer than 30 minutes or the surface will start to burn.

As with any other roast, be sure to let the ham sit for a few minutes before carving; this will enable the juices to be spread across the meat. Offer your Easter ham 15 to 20 minutes of rest before you eat.