Tangerine-Glazed Easter Ham with Baby Carrots
AMAZING! By far the best ham I ever made or had. It really is more easy than intermediate. This recipe is very forgiving for substitution.
AMAZING! By far the best ham I ever made or had. It really is more easy than intermediate. This recipe is very forgiving for substitution.
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 smoked ham bone-in, skin on
- 1 bunch fresh sage leaves
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut in chunks
- 2 tangerines, sliced thin seeds removed
- 2 cups tangerine juice
- 2 cups light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 11 /2pounds carrots peeled
- Carbohydrate 41.9436312787408 g
- Cholesterol 151.573333333333 mg
- Fat 26.2872390362743 g
- Fiber 0.331038531301894 g
- Protein 58.548146633945 g
- Saturated Fat 7.9028177940661 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (355g)
- Sodium 2737.51012270876 mg
- Sugar 41.6125927474389 g
- Trans Fat 1.48536112825544 g
- Calories 650 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Put the ham in a large roasting pan, fat-side up. Using a sharp knife, score the ham with cuts across the skin, about 2-inches apart and 1/2-inch deep. Cut diagonally down the slashes to form a diamond pattern; season the meat generously with salt and pepper.
- Chop about 8 of the sage leaves and put it in a bowl; mix with the oil to make a paste. Rub the sage-oil all over the ham, being sure to get the flavor into all the slits.
- Bake the ham for 2 hours. Now there is plenty of time to bang-out the tangerine glaze.
- For the glaze: Place a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chunks of butter, tangerines, tangerine juice, brown sugar, water, and spices.
- Slowly cook the liquid down to a syrupy glaze; this should take about 30 to 40 minutes.
- After the ham has being going for a couple of hours, pour the tangerine glaze all over it, with the pieces of fruit and all.
- Scatter the remaining sage leaves on top and stick the ham back in the oven and continue to cook for 11/2 hours, basting with the juices every 30 minutes.
- Scatter the carrots around the ham and coat in the tangerine glaze.
- Stick the ham once again back in the oven and cook for a final 30 minutes, until the carrots are tender, the ham is dark and crispy, and the whole thing is glistening with a sugary glaze.
- Set the ham on a cutting board to rest before carving.
- Serve the carrots and tangerine glaze on the side.
Traditional spiral-cut glazed hams rely on heavy doses of pineapple or honey, but a bone-in cut finished with fresh tangerine juice offers a brighter, sharper citrus note that cuts through rich pork fat. Roasting this cut low at 300 degrees F allows the collagen to break down slowly over hours without scorching the exterior sugar coating.
Complementary Accompaniments
Citrus-glazed pork pairs naturally with starch-heavy sides that absorb excess pan drippings. Starchy roots like parsnips or celery root make robust alternatives to carrots. Creamy polenta or plain boiled potatoes provide a neutral base to balance the intense sweetness of the brown sugar reduction. Avoid sweet side dishes, because the glaze already contains two cups of sugar plus whole spices.Scaling Considerations
Adjusting this preparation for different group sizes requires careful attention to cooking time rather than proportions. Smaller bone-in cuts around six pounds will finish significantly faster than a full fifteen-pound roast. Monitor internal temperatures with a digital thermometer rather than relying purely on the clock.Glaze Reduction Technique
Simmering the butter, citrus juice, brown sugar, and spices over medium heat takes roughly thirty to forty minutes. Watch for large, sluggish bubbles that signal the water content has evaporated and the syrup is thickening. Basting the meat every thirty minutes during the final stages builds a dark, glossy crust.
