Coca-Cola Glazed Christmas Ham
Coca-Cola glazed Christmas ham is simmered until tender, then roasted with a sticky molasses and mustard glaze. Serves 8 in about 3 hours, mostly hands-off.
This Coca-Cola glazed Christmas ham is simmered slowly so it stays juicy, then finished in a hot oven with a sticky molasses and mustard glaze. It feeds 8 and takes about 3 hours, almost all of it hands-off. It also slices beautifully for leftover sandwiches.
Tips for Success
- Choose a mild-cure ham. A heavily salted one may need a pre-boil to remove some salt.
- Keep the simmer gentle. Hard boiling toughens the meat.
- Leave a thin layer of fat on the ham. It carries the glaze.
- Watch the oven closely at the end, because the sugar can burn fast.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Simmer, cool, score and glaze the ham a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature, then bake at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes. Leftover ham keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Variations
- Replace the mustard powder with Dijon mustard for a gluten-free version.
- Stir a spoonful of bourbon into the molasses for extra depth.
- Press a thin orange slice between the cloves for a festive look.
Coca-Cola Glazed Christmas Ham
Ingredients
Instructions
- Take the ham out of the fridge. If it is very salty (check the package), put it in a large pot, cover it with cold water, bring it to a boil, then drain it.
- Put the ham and the halved onion in a large pot. Pour the Coca-Cola over them so the ham is mostly covered.
- Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer (small, lazy bubbles) and set the lid on slightly crooked so steam can escape.
- Simmer for just under 2½ hours. Add about 15 minutes if the ham came straight from the fridge. Check now and then that the liquid is still bubbling gently.
- Near the end of cooking, heat the oven to 450°F. Line a roasting pan with foil.
- Lift the ham out of the pot onto a cutting board or the roasting pan. Let it cool for about 15 minutes, until you can touch it.
- Cut off the skin with a sharp knife, leaving a thin layer of fat on the meat.
- Score the fat: cut shallow lines about ¼ inch deep in a diamond pattern. Press a whole clove into the middle of each diamond.
- Spread the molasses over the fat.
- In a small bowl, mix the mustard powder, turbinado sugar and orange zest. Pat the mixture onto the fat.
- Roast on the middle rack for about 10 minutes, until the glaze bubbles and turns deep brown. Watch it closely, since sugar burns fast.
- Let the ham rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes before slicing, so the juices stay in the meat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the ham taste like cola?
It has a faint sweetness and a deep caramel color, but it does not taste like soda. The cola mostly helps the meat stay moist and gives the glaze its shine.
Can I use a bone-in ham?
Yes. Use a raw, cured ham of similar weight and simmer it by weight, about 1 hour for every 2.2 lb. Check that the meat is cooked through before glazing.
How do I make this ham ahead of time?
Simmer the ham, cool it, then score, stud and glaze it. Bake it from room temperature at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes, raising the heat near the end if the glaze needs more color.
