"This ham is delicious served hot or warm, as well as cold in sandwiches. It is a great dish to make ahead for company. Although this type of ham comes “fully cooked and ready to eat,” it improves considerably when poached in water, which removes some of the salt and makes the meat moist, tender, and succulent. It is best if you poach the ham a day ahead, then bake it before serving." --Jacques Pépin

Recipe: Smoked Ham Glazed with Maple Syrup

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 bone-in cured smoked ham from the shank end (about 6 pounds), with rind
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons hot chili sauce, such as Sriracha
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

Put the ham in a large pot, cover with hot water, and bring the water to 170 to 180 degrees (which will take about 40 minutes). Then cook, uncovered, for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature is about 140 degrees. Let the ham rest in the water until the water is lukewarm, then remove it from the water and refrigerate. (This is best done the day before.)
When ready to finish the dish, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Trim off the leathery skin from around and underneath the ham with a sharp knife, but leave the rind on. Put the trimmed ham in a roasting pan. Mix together the maple syrup, ketchup, chili sauce, and vinegar in a bowl and brush the ham generously with the sauce.
Bake for 45 minutes. Brush again with the sauce and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes longer. Brush the ham with any remaining sauce, slice, and serve.

Jacques slicing the Smoked Ham Glazed with Maple Syrup on the set of Heart & Soul. (Wendy Goodfriend)

Recipes from Heart & Soul in the Kitchen by Jacques Pépin. Copyright © 2015 by Jacques Pépin. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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