Mrs. Adam's Baked Ham

Pin It

The Adams family (not the ones from the tv show!) used to be our next door neighbors and my parents' closest friends while we lived in Fairfield, Connecticut in the 1960's. So close, that Mr. Adams is my daughter's godfather.

In those days, we had a lot of respect for our elders and didn't dare call adults anything but Mr. & Mrs. until told otherwise. I was never told otherwise. This was Helene Adam's recipe and the one I make on most Easters. It is simple and delicious, a typical Yankee ham! I usually get a 14-16 lbs. ham when I'm entertaining 12 people, so I can have enough leftovers for sandwiches and green pea soup.

Most hams, although fully cooked, still need a gentle baking for maximum tenderness and flavor, so plan ahead.

1 fully baked ham 14-16 lbs.
About 25 cloves
1 1/2 to 2 C brown sugar
2 TB bread crumbs
1-2 TB orange juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Dash of Bourbon (this is my contribution)

Wrap ham in tinfoil and cook at 325 degrees for 2 hours.(for a smaller ham cook less time depending on weight) Take out, remove foil and crisscross ham. Make sure you crisscross through fat only. Place cloves where diamonds meet. Mix the rest of the ingredients and spread over the ham. If you are using a "dash" of Bourbon, cut back on the orange juice. You don't want it too runny. Return to the oven without the foil and with the fat side up and bake at 325 for 1/2 to 3/4 hour. With a spoon, baste the ham frequently. Let rest for at least 30minutes.

If you are serving the next day, spread glace all around and wrap in tin foil.  Remove from refrigerator a couple of hours before serving..