Classic Baked Ham with Cranberry Compote Recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons peanut oil 2/3 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 1 cup red wine 1 cup honey 1/2 cup sugar 1 package (12 ounces) fresh cranberries 1 fully-cooked smoked ham (10 pounds) Whole cloves

PREPARATION:

1. For compote, heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until hot; add onion and celery. Cook and stir until tender. Stir in wine, honey and sugar; bring to a boil. Add cranberries; return to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Cool completely.
2. Reserve 1 cup clear syrup from cranberry mixture. Transfer remaining cranberry mixture to small serving bowl; cover and refrigerate.
3. Slice away skin from ham with sharp utility knife. (Omit step if meat retailer has already removed skin.)
4. Preheat oven to 325°F. Score fat on ham in diamond design with sharp utility knife; stud with whole cloves. Place ham, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan.
5. Bake, uncovered, 1-1/2 hours. Baste ham with reserved cranberry-wine syrup. Bake, basting with cranberry-wine syrup twice, 1 to 2 hours more or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of ham, not touching bone, registers 140°F, basting with cranberry-wine syrup two more times.*

   *Total cooking time for ham should be 18 to 24 minutes per pound.

6. Let ham stand 10 minutes. Transfer to warm serving platter. Slice ham and serve with chilled cranberry-wine compote.

This recipe appears in: Christmas