Have you ever wondered why the traditional way of presenting hams is a diamond pattern?
If you have, you’re probably under 40 and from a family of fewer than six people. Traditionally, hams were cured the way lots of other things, like sausages, were cured: hanging up and drying. In the case of hams, they’d hang in nets. Then the ham would be soaked, and the skin would be scored to help rinse out some of the cure; since the skin was already scored partway from the net, it was fancy-looking to score the rest of the way along those lines. (Or think of it this way: even if the hostess didn’t want a diamond pattern, the ham was going to have one anyway from the net.)
From a box sold in Warren, Michigan. Click here to see the front in full size.
This box was a birthday gift to AdGo from Julie at Covetpaper.com. Thanks Be!
Score top into diamonds with whole cloves. Bake in a slow oven (325 deg.) for
| 3 lbs. = | 1 to 1-1/2 hours |
| 1 lb. = | 20 to 30 minutes |
| or until thermometer reads 130 deg. | |
- Combine equal amounts of brown sugar and orange or apricot marmalade. Spread over ham and bake another 15 minutes.
- During last half hour (for 3 lbs.) or 10-15 minutes (1 lb.) baste oven with mixture of 1 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup pineapple syrup. During last few minutes arrange pineapple slices or chunks and pecans over top; glaze and return to oven.
Also okay to use brown sugar, honey, and orange juice.