Glazed Ham — The Anchor at the Center of the Table

Happy new year. 2024. I went into midnight at Tyler's house with his brothers loud around us and Debbie with a champagne glass and Roy with a beer watching the TV and all of them counting down together and I counted down with them, which I have been doing for two years now and it is mine.

We made the traditional start-of-year food on Sunday at Gloria's: black-eyed peas and collard greens and cornbread for the ninth year since I first sat at this table and learned that this was how you start a year correctly. The ninth year. I made the cornbread without looking at anything, from the knowledge in my hands, and it was exactly right. I have been making it exactly right for three years now. The ninth year is not the same as the first but it is not less. It is richer. It has weight.

Tyler was at the table this year for the new year's food, which I have been thinking about since December. I said before we ate: this is what you do at the start of the year. You eat this and you start right. He said: I believe you. He ate the black-eyed peas with the attention he gives to things that matter and said: these are good. I said: Gloria's recipe. He said: of course. He said: what does it mean, the black-eyed peas and the greens? I told him. He said: I want to do this every year. I said yes. We will do this every year.

Gloria’s table has always had a ham at its center—something substantial to anchor the black-eyed peas and greens, something that holds the whole meal together the way a good year holds its people. This glazed ham is the one I’ve watched her make, the one I’ve learned to make myself, and the one I want on that table every January first for the rest of my life—including the ones with Tyler across from me, eating with the attention he gives to things that matter.

Glazed Ham

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes | Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in fully cooked ham (7–9 lbs)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Whole cloves for studding (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 325°F. Place a rack in a large roasting pan and set aside.
2. Score the ham. Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern, cutting about 1/4 inch deep. If using whole cloves, press one into the center of each diamond.
3. Start the bake. Place the ham cut-side down on the rack in the roasting pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 15 minutes per pound, until an internal thermometer reads 130°F.
4. Make the glaze. While the ham bakes, combine the brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, ground cloves, cinnamon, and black pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir and cook for 3–4 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the glaze is smooth. Remove from heat.
5. Glaze and finish. Remove the ham from the oven and increase the temperature to 425°F. Uncover the ham and brush generously with the glaze. Return to the oven uncovered and bake for 15–20 minutes more, brushing with additional glaze every 5 minutes, until the surface is deeply caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 140°F.
6. Rest before carving. Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes before slicing. This keeps the juices where they belong.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 390 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 1420mg