Ham is a bit of a no-brainer. A good smoked ham is ready for the oven—all you need are some cloves and a roasting pan. The ginger beurre blanc in this recipe is an indulgence, and completely unnecessary, which makes it much more enjoyable.
Baked Ham with Ginger Beurre Blanc
recipe adapted from Cooking Meat
Serves 10 to 12
1 (about 10 pounds) smoked ham, skin-on and bone-in
2 tbsp vegetable oil
20 whole cloves
2 cans (355 mL) ginger ale (divided)
1 cup water
1 cup white wine
3 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger
4 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
to taste salt and pepper
½ cup butter, cold, diced
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Have a roasting pan with an elevated roasting rack ready.
2. Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the ham, over the curved top side, in a crosshatch pattern at 2-inch intervals. Rub the scored skin with vegetable oil, then press a clove into every second “X” of the crosshatch.
3. Set the ham on the baking rack and pour 1 can of ginger ale and the water into the roasting pan. Cover the ham with aluminum foil and bake until it is hot all the way through, about 2 hours. A meat thermometer inserted in the ham should read 160°F.
4. Remove the foil and bake until the skin is dry and dark golden, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool on the rack.
5. While the ham is roasting, make the beurre blanc. Pour the remaining can of ginger ale into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the wine, ginger, thyme, and bay leaves, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the liquid to 1 cup, about 5 minutes, then turn down the heat to very low. Gradually add the butter, whisking until the sauce is emulsified. Strain the beurre blanc through a fine-mesh sieve into a gravy boat.
6. To serve, slice the ham around the bone and arrange it on a platter. Set the beurre blanc alongside.
Pro-tip: save the bone to make a delicious soup!