Saveur

Photo: Andre Baranowski

SERVES ABOUT 30

"People are constantly asking me about my ham," says author Monte Mathews, "and they are always astonished when I tell them what it is." Ann Mathews, his sister, held out for years, content with buying honey-baked hams (in Atlanta) and driving them home (to Waterloo, Ontario). Now, however, she makes her own, Monte's way.

15-lb. smoked ham on the bone
1 1/2 cups orange marmalade
1 cup dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp. whole cloves

1. Preheat oven to 300°. Trim tough outer skin and excess fat from ham. Place ham, meat side down, in a large roasting pan and score, making crosshatch incisions with a sharp knife. Roast for 2 hours.

2. Remove ham from oven and increase heat to 350°. For glaze, combine orange marmalade, mustard, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Stud ham with whole cloves (stick one clove at the intersection of each crosshatch), then brush with glaze and return to oven.

3. Cook ham another 1 1/2  hours, brushing with glaze at least 3 times. Transfer to a cutting board or platter and allow to rest for about 30 minutes. Carve and serve warm or at room temperature.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #18