Espresso Chile Glazed Ham Recipes

ESPRESSO CHILE GLAZED HAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Cut the thick layer of fat and the skin from the ham and discard. Place the ham in a roasting pan. For easier cleanup, line the pan with aluminum foil, because the glaze will drip off and burn on the bottom of the pan. Roast the ham for 1 hour.
• While the ham is roasting, make the glaze. Combine the orange juice and zest, brown sugar, liqueur, chile paste, and pepper in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer the mixture until is reduced by about half and is as thick as maple syrup, about 35 minutes. Whisk in the espresso or espresso powder. You should have almost 2 cups of glaze. You are going to use half of this glaze to brush the ham while it is roasting and reserve the other half for brushing on the ham after it is sliced.
• After the first hour of cooking, brush the ham with the glaze. Roast for another hour, brushing with the glaze every 15 minutes. Since the ham is already cooked, you just need to warm it all the way through. Check for an internal temperature of 130 to 140 degrees using an instant-read thermometer. Remove the ham from the oven when it is nicely browned and warmed through.
• To serve: We like to serve this with warm cornbread. For a lovely presentation, slice half the ham and arrange the slices up against the unsliced part on a big platter. Brush the slices with the remaining glaze.
• Cook's Note: The glaze can be made a few days ahead and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.
• Serving Suggestion: Etta's Cornbread, recipe follows.
• To make the cornbread, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.
• Combine the flour, cornmeal, cheese, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and honey. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Add the melted butter and stir into the mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Cook's Note: You can make the cornbread and store it in the freezer, covered tightly in plastic wrap, for a few weeks.

GINGER CHILE GLAZED HAM WITH FLAMBE FINISH

Steps:

• Temper the ham by bringing it out of the fridge 90 minutes before cooking. (This will allow it to heat more evenly and not dry out.)
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Place the ham in a shallow roasting pan fitted with a rack. Using a paring knife, score the fatty side of the ham by gently slicing lines 1/2-inch apart, crisscrossing on an angle to create a diamond pattern. This will allow the glaze to soak into the ham. Add the chicken stock to the bottom of the pan, then cover the pan in foil. Cook for 40 minutes, basting every 10 to 15 minutes.
• To make the glaze, warm the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and chile flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar, honey, lime juice and Dijon mustard. Bring to a simmer, then cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Set aside the glaze in a bowl, leaving about 1/4 cup behind in the pan for finishing.
• Remove the ham from the oven and raise the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove the foil from the ham and discard the drippings from the pan. Brush the ham liberally with half of the glaze. Return to the oven and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes, then brush again. Bake again until dark and caramelized, another 15 minutes. Remove the ham to a rimmed platter.
• Heat the remaining 1/4 cup glaze to a simmer over medium-low heat. If using the bourbon, remove the glaze from heat and add the bourbon. Using a lighter, flambe the alcohol in the pan and very carefully pour over the ham. (The alcohol can be omitted and you can just put the warm glaze over the ham.)