Glazed Holiday Ham

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Safeway. All opinions are 100% mine.

This deliciously glazed holiday ham has flavors of apple, maple, brown sugar and warm spices. It’s easy to make and will be the star of your table!

taste & texture

Each slice of holiday ham has a juicy, flavorful interior with a crispy, sticky edge. The glaze has a subtle warmth, both in temperature and flavor, with spices cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice, and the sticky sweetness of maple syrup, brown sugar and apple cider.

shopping at safeway

For this recipe, I headed to my local Safeway. First stop was produce, where I picked up some fresh apple cider, the potatoes and carrots pictured and fresh herbs. The meat department had a nice selection of ham, as well as turkeys and different cuts of roast (not sure what to buy? Ask the butcher). Then, in the bakery I found some fresh baked rolls and a delicious pumpkin pie to round out the meal.

Pro-tip: Shop early or during business hours when stores tend to be quieter. Or for an even more stress-free experience, order your entire holiday meal online at order ahead, then pick it up and reheat when ready to serve.

I shopped at Safeway in my local area, but you can also find quality Thanksgiving essentials at the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Albertsons, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Randalls, Shaw’s Supermarket, Star Market, Tom Thumb and Vons.

Safeway also offers Grocery Delivery and DriveUp & Go™ for convenient ways to shop!

tips for preparing a holiday ham

If it’s your first time preparing a holiday meal, you might have a few questions.

• How much ham should I buy? You’ll want to aim between one half and three quarters of a pound per person for bone-in hams and about a half pound for boneless.
• What type of ham should I buy? Bone-in and boneless are totally up to personal taste. Most folks prefer the bone-in variety, suggesting that the bone adds more flavor (or perhaps more flavor is retained during processing bone-in vs boneless). However boneless hams are also appreciated for their convenience and easy slicing.
• What does “water added” mean? Water content varies in ham – those with higher amounts of added water generally have less flavor and a spongier mouthfeel. Here’s what each label means.
  • “Ham” means cured pork that’s at least 20.5% protein with no added water.
  • “Ham with natural juices” indicates 18.5% protein and around 7-8% added water.
  • “Ham, water added” has 17% protein and can have up to 10% added water.
  • “Ham and water product” means it can contain any amount of water. Check the label to be sure.
• What should I look out for during cooking? Ham can easily get overcooked, as it usually comes pre-cooked and just needs to be reheated. You can literally eat it straight out of the package if you want to! Heating low and slow is the way to go, until we turn up the temp during the last bit of cooking to glaze. Aim for an internal temperature of 120°F (49°C).
• What can I do with leftovers? So many things! The classic ham sandwich is a given, but you can take it a step further by making monte cristos. Dice it for omelets or a yummy ham & cheese quiche, or save some to add to your black eyed peas. Chicken Cordon Bleu can use up a slice or two, and it’s easy to throw into chowder.

ways to serve

I served this ham with fondant potatoes (pictured) and maple and citrus glazed carrots (pictured). This ham also pairs well with mashed potatoes and bourbon sweet potatoes, and yummy veggies like roasted broccolini and sweet n’ spicy roasted carrots.

Until next time. x

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