Maple Cognac Glazed Ham with Winter Vegetables

A briny cured ham compliments sweet winter vegetables nicely, making this a great choice for a holiday meal. So we decided to say so long to the aughts with a festive ham.

Maple is a cured ham’s natural best friend and cognac adds another layer of mellow sweetness to the glaze. We topped off the meal with baked yams and a simple salad of spinach with olive oil, cider vinegar and grated smoked cheddar.

Happy New Year from Yankee Cook!

Maple Cognac Glazed Ham with Winter Vegetables – serves 10 – 12

1 10 lb cured bone-in skinless ham
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces
Maple Cognac Glaze (recipe below)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse the ham and place it cut side down on a rack in a roasting pan. Score ham using a sharp knife. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast in the middle of the oven for 2 1/2 hours.

Remove ham from oven. Take the rack holding the ham out of the roasting pan and set aside. Add chopped veggies and toss with the juices at the bottom of the roasting pan. Place rack with ham back in roasting pan over veggies. Cover again with aluminum foil and roast 30 minutes.

Make the glaze (recipe below).

Remove ham from oven. Take the rack with the ham out of the roasting pan again and flip the vegetables. Return the ham to pan and brush with half of the glaze. Return to the oven and continue to cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Brush the ham again with the rest of the glaze. Roast for another 15 minutes until the ham’s internal temperature reaches 160 by this point degrees. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Serve with a small salad or additional veggie sides and a nice chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

Maple Cognac Glaze – makes about 1 cup

1/2 C maple syrup
1/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C cognac
4 t water
1/4 t sea salt
5 cloves
10 allspice berries

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a light boil, stirring over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the salt has dissolved and the alcohol has evaporated off.

Ingredient origins: Ham – Massachusetts; Potatoes – Idaho; Carrots – New Jersey; Parsnips – Massachusetts; Maple Syrup – Massachusetts; Brown sugar – Florida; Cognac – ; Sea salt – France; Cloves – Unknown; Allspice – Jamaica