Baked Ham with Spiced Apples and Pears

This hickory smoked ham is baked in a spiced, sugarcane glaze with an accompaniment of tart green apples and pears.

Recipe Ingredients:

Ham:
1 hickory smoked ham, spiral sliced, 8 to 10 pounds (no bone, water added, cooked)
4 tart green apples
4 pears

Spiced Glaze:
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup sugar cane syrup*
1/2 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 water

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. For Ham: Place ham on a wire rack in a shallow baking pan. Brush the entire ham with the glaze, coating it evenly.
3. Wash, core, and halve the fruit. Place all around the ham.
4. Baste the ham a second time and baste the fruit with the glaze. Bake for 45 minutes.
5. Baste the ham and fruit again. Bake another 45 minutes.
6. Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.
7. Serve the apples and pears on a platter with the ham. Serve everything warm or at room temperature.
8. For Spiced Glaze: Combine the sugar, cane syrup, molasses, corn syrup, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon in a medium-size bowl and mix well.
9. In another bowl, dissolve the mustard in the water, then add to the spice mixture. Blend well.
10. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Will keep for 2 weeks. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

*If unavailabe, bring 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water to boil and cook for 2 minutes. Allow to cool thoroughly before using.