Citrus and Brown Sugar-Glazed Ham and Carrots
1 smoked ham, bone-in, about 6-8 pounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons crystallized (candied) ginger, chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups orange juice
2 oranges, tangerines, minneolas, etc, thinly sliced
1 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 bunch organic carrots with leafy tops (7-8 carrots)
Several hours before you plan to start baking the ham, set it on the counter to let it come to room temperature - this will help it to warm through evenly. Take a sharp knife and score the fat and skin crosswise in a diamond pattern, all over the ham. Rub the ham with the olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper. Rub the ham with the crystallized ginger, working it into the cuts. Set aside in a roasting pan with a rack.
In a large saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, orange juice, sliced oranges, water, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer for about 30 minutes. Taste it - the citrus syrup is so delicious, you'll want to drink it straight from the pot!
Preheat the oven to 300. Pour the syrup and slices of fruit all over the ham. Insert a meat thermometer into the center of the ham, not touching the bone. Bake for about 3-4 hours (about 18-20 minutes per pound), basting with the syrup every 30 minutes, until the internal temperature is 150. The skin and fat will be crispy and browned, even blackened in some areas, and the ham inside will be extremely moist and flavorful.
While the ham is baking, trim the tops off the carrots, leaving a little green for a pretty effect. Peel the carrots, if you like. When the ham has about an hour left to bake, place the carrots in the roasting pan with the ham and baste them with the juices. If the carrots aren't tender enough by the time the ham is done, you can return them to the oven in a separate baking dish and roast until tender (I returned my carrots to the oven to finish up while I baked the hot cross buns, and roasting them at 400 gave them the nice charred, candied edges that everyone loved).
When the ham and carrots are done, remove from the oven and cover with foil to rest while you finish the rest of the meal. Use a bulb baster to remove the liquid from the roasting pan. Pour it into a saucepan and place on the stove over medium heat. Bring to a boil and boil over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until reduced and very flavorful. Drizzle the syrup over the ham and carrots before serving.
Ham Stock:
To make your own ham stock, slice as much ham off the bone as you can for leftovers. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stock pot. Add 1 diced sweet yellow onion with a pinch of salt, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the ham bone, 4 whole cloves of garlic, a handful of fresh sage, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, several teaspoons of salt, 1 tablespoon whole cloves and 1 thinly sliced orange. If I had them on hand, I would have also added some chopped celery and carrots. You could also add cinnamon and nutmeg, and any number of fresh or dried herbs that you like. Fill the pot with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low to simmer for 4-5 hours. Turn off the heat, strain the liquid and let cool. After it cools, skim off the fat, and you'll have a delicious homemade ham stock. I like to portion out my homemade stock in freezer bags or small Tupperware, and freeze for future use, so that I can just thaw out what I need for a particular recipe.
Recipe from Curly Girl Kitchen