With a few — very few — exceptions, I really don’t care much for cranberries. Yes, they are almost always an integral part of every Thanksgiving dinner. Yes, they are a tradition.
And, yes, I liked them somewhat the way my little mother turned them into a spiced and orange-kissed sauce. A nice cold slice of cranberry jelly straight from the can is OK, too. And, then, there’s a wonderful onion, stew meat and whole-berry cranberry concoction shared by a Forum reader a few years ago that I just can’t get enough of.
So, I admit it. Cranberries — some ways — are A-OK.
And I’ll admit to being tempted right into trying the following recipe this year. It harks back to a January 1998 Forum, wherein Joann Hart of Everett told us, "My mother always insisted I make this glazed ham. She cooked for the Huskies for 20 years, so she knows good food."
Baked ham with cranberry honey glaze
18-pound smoked, fully cooked half-ham, well trimmed
3/4cup frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, thawed
2cups sparkling mineral water
Cranberry honey glaze (recipe follows)
Place ham in heavy-duty, self-sealing plastic bag. Pour undiluted cranberry juice and mineral water over ham and seal bag securely. Place bag in large bowl and refrigerate 8 hours, turning occasionally. Remove ham from marinade, reserving marinade. Place ham on rack coated with nonstick cooking spray, then place rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer, making sure it doesn’t touch fat or bone. Bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours, basting occasionally with reserved marinade.
Remove ham from oven and coat exposed portion with cranberry honey glaze. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, an additional 15 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 140 degrees.
Cranberry honey glaze
1package (12 ounces) whole cranberries
1/2cup honey
1/4cup water
2tablespoons grated orange rind
2teaspoons chopped crystallized ginger
In medium saucepan, combine cranberries, honey, water, orange rind and ginger; place over medium-high heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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