Home >Recipes >Spiced and Honey Glazed Ham

Serves: 8

• 1 boneless country ham
• 2 cups honey, for glazing ham
• 2 tbsp Toasted Spice Rub, recipe follows
• 1 tbsp thyme, chopped fine
• 6 celery stalks

• Toasted Spice Rub:
• 1/4 cup fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp peppercorns
• 1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 oz sweet chili powder
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon

Preparation Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Place ham on an open brown paper bag for easy clean up. With the tip of a paring knife carefully score a 1-inch grid pattern around the outside of the ham. Brush the entire surface of the meat on all sides with some of the honey.

Season the entire surface of the meat on all sides with the toasted spice rub and thyme. Add about a half cup of water to the base of the roaster. Place ham on several celery sticks in the roasting pan.

Cook for 1 hour. Every 15 minutes, baste ham with juices that collect in the base of the roaster and the honey. Let rest for 15 minutes before carving as desired.

Toasted Spice Rub

Toast the fennel seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns in a small, heavy pan over medium heat. (Toasting freshens spices, releases their oils and makes them more fragrant, as well as adding a new dimension of flavor.) When the fennel turns light brown, work quickly. Turn on the exhaust fan, add the red pepper flakes and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool. Put in a blender with the sweet chili powder, salt and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground.

If you have a small spice mill blender or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients. Keep the spice mix in a glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.