Perfect Honey Glazed Coles Hams

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). While experience has proved that most ovens heat unevenly, it's recommendable to position the racks in the lower third of your oven. This placement allows the ham to bake evenly.

Cut off the skin of the ham, and score the fat in a diamond pattern. Make sure not to cut into the meat. Scoring improves the aesthetic of the ham, and just as crucial, it allows for the flavorful glaze to sink in and permeate the ham during baking.

Place the ham, fatty side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.

Mix the honey, cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, rosemary, pepper, and cloves in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, continually stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is well combined. From years of making this, I have learned that simmering the glaze before application enhances the taste significantly, giving us a potent, aromatic mixture that pairs impeccably with the ham.

Brush the ham with the honey glaze. Then, heat in the preheated oven for approximately 2 hours or until the internal temperature of the ham reaches 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Regularly brush the ham with the glaze every 30 minutes. Keeping a vigilant eye on your ham and ensuring it’s glazed often contributes to the amazingly glossy and flavorful exterior we're aiming to achieve.

Allow the ham to rest for 20 minutes before slicing to let the juices redistribute. The cut would be much juicier rather than it being dried out.