Tyent USA’s Thursday Recipe

                                             Hammin’ it up at Tyent USA       I enjoy cooking and I enjoy food.  I especially enjoy foods that you can nosh on for a day or two after the initial meal is over.   Ham is one of those foods.  We don’t fix ham all that often but when we do, it’s a real treat.  You can have a great meal and then for the next few days its maybe ham and eggs for breakfast, a ham sandwich for lunch and so on.   While I really like the taste of ham, what I don’t like about it is the fact that often times ham can be a bit tough.  I don’t like tough ham so I use a recipe that guarantees your ham will be not only delicious, but fork tender as well.   Here is how we cook it at my house, and if you follow this simple recipe, it’s how you will make it your house too.   We get nothing but rave reviews from anyone that is lucky enough to be around when we have this.   Maple-Glazed Country Baked Ham   Ingredients:   1-Four pound boneless smoked ham (fully cooked)   2-Quarts of apple cider   1-Cup maple syrup   1-Teaspoon of dried mustard   ½-Teaspoon of ground cloves   ½ -Cup of water   Directions:   Place the ham in a deep covered pot (we use a stockpot with a lid) and cover with the cider.  If the cider doesn’t cover the ham completely, use the water to ensure it does.    Simmer the ham (on low heat) for two hours.   After 2 hours, drain the pot, reserving the cider.   Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.   Place the ham in a shallow baking dish and set aside.  It usually falls apart so don’t worry.   In a large bowl, combine the few remaining ingredients.  Take ½ cup of the reserved cider and whisk that into the mixture.  Pour the mixture over the ham.   Bake the ham for about 45 minutes, basting occasionally.   Remove the ham from the oven and serve it with the caramelized gravy from the roasting pan.   Note: If the gravy is not caramelized, reduce the liquid by stirring over high-heat. As an option, you can also (during the basting process) brush the ham with your favorite marmalade such as orange or apricot and bake the ham with that on it for extra flavor (as if it needs any more), but it’s up to you.  Experiment with different marmalades.   And there you have it, an excellent way to prepare the most tender and delicious ham you could ever hope to make.  Foolproof.   Enjoy!         Image credit 123rf.com