We can thank innovative
Southern cooks for incorporating a popular soft drink into traditional
holiday fare. Unusual combination of ingredients or not, the
end result of this
recipe is one of the tastiest hams ever.
Holiday Cola
Baked Ham
1 (10 to 12 pound) bone-in
ham
Whole cloves
1 (1-pound) box dark brown
sugar
1 (12-ounce) can cola-flavored
carbonated beverage (not diet)
1 (14-ounce) can pineapple
rings, drained and the juice reserved
1 cup sweet concord grape
wine
10 to 12 maraschino cherries
Preheat oven to 325*F
(160*C).
Using a sharp knife, remove
the rind from ham. Score
surface of ham crosswise and lengthwise, forming a crisscross pattern about 1/4-inch deep
and 1-inch apart. Place 1
clove in the center of each
square.
Place ham, fat side up,
in a roasting pan. Press brown
sugar onto the surface of the ham. Expect some sugar to fall into the roasting pan.
Place in oven and bake until brown sugar
just begins to melt,
about 30 minutes.
Pour the cola over ham,
mixing with melted sugar
in bottom of roasting pan. Baste ham with the cola mixture and
bake an additional 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine reserved
pineapple juice and the
wine in a small bowl. Baste ham with pineapple mixture every 20 minutes.
Bake ham for a total of
16 minutes per pound. During
the last 20 minutes of baking time, remove ham from oven and decorate with the pineapple
rings. Use 2 to 3 wooden picks
to hold each ring in
place. Place a cherry in the center of each ring, also using a wooden pick. Return
to oven and continue
to bake the final 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow
to stand for at least 15
minutes before transferring to serving platter.
Skim excess fat from pan
juices and serve with the ham.
