Holiday Glazed Ham

Serves 16 to 20

Cooking Time 5 to 6 hours on Low

Slow Cooker Size 6½ to 7 Quarts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Every time a big holiday dinner rolls around, we find ourselves facing the eternal dilemma of how to pull off an abundance of dishes with just one oven. What if we could free up some oven space by cooking a beautifully bronzed glazed ham in the slow cooker? We lacquered hams with every thick, sticky, sugary coating we could think of, but every glaze slid right off in the moist environment of the slow cooker. What we needed was a glaze that wouldn’t need to be cooked. It would need to come together easily and have a consistency thick enough to cling to the ham without needing to be reduced on the stovetop. We tested countless glazes in the microwave with results that ranged from hard and brittle to tough and chewy. Ultimately we found that equal parts dark brown sugar and apple jelly thickened with a tablespoon of cornstarch gave us the ideal consistency. Along with some Dijon mustard and pepper for balancing zest, our glaze had a sweet, fruity flavor that perfectly complemented the ham. Do not substitute spiral-cut ham, as it dries out during slow cooking. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe. See the sidebars that follow the recipe.

1	(6- to 7½-pound) cured bone-in ham
½	cup apple jelly
½	cup packed dark brown sugar
2	tablespoons Dijon mustard
1	tablespoon cornstarch
1	teaspoon pepper

1. Remove skin from exterior of ham and trim fat to ¼-inch thickness. Score remaining fat at 1-inch intervals in crosshatch pattern. Place ham, cut side down, in slow cooker. Add 1 cup water, cover, and cook until fat is rendered and ham registers 100 degrees, 5 to 6 hours on low.

2. Transfer ham to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. Microwave jelly, sugar, mustard, cornstarch, and pepper in bowl, stirring occasionally, until glaze is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes; let cool slightly. Brush ham evenly with glaze and let sit for 5 minutes. Carve and serve.