My culinary bible, “The Joy of Cooking,” defines eternity as “two people and a ham.” That may have been true years ago before freezing leftovers became so popular, making a ham stretch over a few months. The trick is to bake a really good ham in the first place. Jim doesn’t want the heated up, pre-packaged variety. He wants old-fashioned baked ham with brown sugar and honey-type flavoring, “the real thing” baked from scratch. I finally found a really good – and fast – and simple – way to achieve excellent flavor with as healthy and as economic a result as possible.
Although there are loads of good recipes in loads of good cookbooks, I often get my best recipes from word of mouth. I’m blessed to have a cosmetologist, Terri Killiri with Attitudes, who is not only great with hair but is a wonderful cook as well. She has made my mouth water on plenty of occasions with her descriptions of dishes she’s cooked for her sons and grandchildren. But what really caught my attention recently was the way she does her ham.
Terri told me she made up this recipe, initially inspired by a family member who basted her ham with Coke. “This was about the time those commercial hams with honey flavor came out and I thought I’d just experiment and see if I could get that same taste myself.” And oh my, did she ever succeed.
I tried it and got glowing raves from said husband. It fits my good, fast and simple criteria with only three ingredients, including the entrée star itself. Preparation includes turning two bottle caps and plunking the ham on a rack in a pan. I tested many varieties but like the butt end of a smoked Southern Home brand at Bi-Lo the best. It’s a lean cut, and baking it on a rack removes much of the remaining fat. Follow the directions for the oven temperature and baking time for the total weight on the package. Prick the ham with a fork all around the top, ends and sides. Baste it every half hour with Coke. During the last 45 minutes or so, glaze the top well with pancake syrup. If the top gets too dark cover it lightly with foil.
Using Diet Coke and Smuckers Sugar Free Pancake Syrup saves calories but doesn’t cut flavor. Be prepared to accept compliments for a culinary eternity. I often make it for the two of us and we have it for a couple of dinners and then make sandwiches for lunch. I usually freeze four cups of chopped ham for a favorite casserole with fresh asparagus and fettuccine. The bone goes into the freezer as well, waiting for a cold spell to make a hearty bean soup.
Consider cooking this recipe for the upcoming – and bound to be hot – Independence Day weekend. Declare your freedom from the kitchen and bake this ham for your crowd. Chill a potato salad; assemble a bean casserole and chill a watermelon ahead of time and you too can loll in the sun or around the pool or maybe even read a book or take a nap to make your personal holiday even better.
Here’s wishing you a Happy and carefree Fourth.