Baked Champagne Ham Recipe

Baked Champagne Ham is sure to be a show-stopper for any special occasion or holiday meal. The ham basting sauce is made with champagne, brown sugar, honey, ginger, and dry mustard. They are simple ingredients, but really enhance the flavor of the ham.

Scoring the ham means to cut slits in the fat in a cross-hatch pattern, as the image shows. This allows the glaze to permeate down into the meat.

The original recipe does not call for cloves, but I like to add them. It’s traditional for me. The choice is up to you.

This dish couldn’t be easier to make and makes any party or celebration extra-special.

1 (9-pound) boneless ham
Whole cloves, optional
1 (1-pound) box light brown sugar
2 (4/5 quart) bottles extra dry champagne
3 Tablespoons honey
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard

Score ham and place ham on rack in baking pan. (If using, place whole cloves in the center of each cross-hatched diamond of the fat.) Cover top with 1 cup brown sugar and sprinkle 1 bottle of champagne over ham. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 2 hours.

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Combine remaining bottle champagne, remaining brown sugar, honey, ginger, and mustard and bring to rolling boil in saucepan. Lower heat and simmer while basting ham every 15 minutes until done.

Garnish with pineapple slices and spiced apples, if desired.

Yield: 15 to 20 servings
Recipe Source: “Los Angeles Times California Cookbook” Edited by Betsy Balsley (New American Library)
Reprinted with express permission.