HONEY BAKED HAM (THE REAL THING!)

Honey Baked Ham (The Real Thing!) image

I got this recipe from "Top Secret Recipes" and it is the HoneyBaked Store recipe (or duplicate) that they use at the store. The hams are delivered at the stores already smoked and cooked; they are then sliced with the signature cut and then this recipe is used to caramelize them using a blow-torch. "Top Secret Recipes" only keeps this recipe up for two weeks on their site a year. The spices are ordinary pumpkin pie spices and you may substitute that for the first three spices. To get the coating just right, you must use a blowtorch. If you don't have one, you can find a small one in the hardware stores for around $15. Oh, Eleventhletter - I loved your suggestion to put it in a can of cola and baste it with that! Wonderful! THEN, when it's done - put on the sugar crust!

Provided by Shepardess

Categories Ham

Time 2h30m

Yield 20 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

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Ingredients

1 fully-cooked shank half ham, bone in (pre-sliced is best)
1 cup sugar (I like to use 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 white)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 dash ground ginger
1 dash ground allspice

Steps:

First you must slice your ham, if it is not already sliced.
Use a very sharp knife to cut the ham into very thin slices around the bone.
Do not cut all the way to the bone or the meat may not hold together properly as it is being glazed.
You want the slices to be quite thin, but not so thin that they begin to fall apart of off the bone.
You may wish to turn the ham onto its flat end and cut around it starting at the bottom.
You can then spin the ham as you slice around and work your way up.
Mix the ingredients together in a small bowl.
(I like to make double this recipe for a nice large ham).
Lay down a couple sheets of wax paper onto a flat surface, such as your kitchen counter.
Pour the sugar mixture onto the wax paper and spread it around evenly.
Pick up the ham and roll it over the sugar mixture so that it is well coated.
Do not coat the flat end of the ham, just the outer surface which you have sliced through.
Again, I like to stuff some of the sugar mixture INSIDE the slices.
Turn the ham onto its flat end on a plate.
Use a blow torch with a medium-size flame to caramelize the sugar.
Wave the torch over the sugar with rapid movements, so that the sugar bubbles and browns, but does not burn.
Spin the plate so that you can torch the entire surface of the ham.
Repeat the coating and caramelizing process until the ham has been well-glazed (don't expect to use all of the sugar mixture).
Serve the ham cold (don't put the sugar between the slices if you plan on doing this) or re-heat (THEN put the sugar between the slices BEFORE you caramelize it) just like the real thing!
Don't be frightened to use the torch!
You can to it outside, if you wish.
Just set it on something fire proof and have fun blazing away!