Apricot-Peach and Gingersnap-Crusted Baked Ham

By á-58

With honey-baked, spiral-cut hams so easy, many cooks just heat and eat, saving culinary creativity for the rest of the meal. But this exotic treatment doesn’t take much more work. The simple and versatile crusting technique comes from meat expert Bruce Aidells.

Ingredients

• 8 - to 10-pound bone-in or boneless ham
• 1 1/2 cups apricot-peach jam (or apricot or peach jam)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 15 cookies pulsed in a food processor)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons of water
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

Step 1

HEAT the oven to 325 degrees. Place an oven rack low enough in the oven so the ham won’t touch the roof of the oven. TRIM any skin from the ham, then trim the external fat to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place the ham, fat-side up, in a roasting pan and place in the oven. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees at the center, about 10 minutes per pound. Remove from the oven and increase the heat to 425 degrees.

WHISK together the jam, brown sugar and mustard in a bowl. Score the surface of the ham in a crisscross diamond pattern using the tip of a sharp knife. Spoon about two-thirds of the jam mixture generously over the entire surface of the ham. Apply the gingersnap crumbs, pressing them on with your hands to form a thick layer. Return the ham to the oven and bake until the surface begins to brown and become crusty, about 15 minutes.

REMOVE the ham from the oven and transfer to a cutting board to rest for 20 minutes.

POUR the liquid from the roasting pan, including any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, into a medium saucepan. Stir in the chicken broth and remaining jam mixture. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and boil, stirring, until the sauce just thickens. Strain the sauce, if desired.

Serve the carved ham with the sauce on the side.