Madeira Baked Ham

This and the Never Fail Roast Beef are two “cornerstone” recipes that are great on a buffet table or brunch. Serve on biscuits with drinks, or just sliced, as a buffet offering. This uses a cut of ham with a bone in, which is a fraction of the cost of a honey-baked ham. Sometimes you can get a bargain on a spiral-cut ham and proceed with this recipe. Shank ham can be found on sale for about a dollar a pound. The Madeira is a bit of an initial investment, but lasts through several hams.

Madeira Baked Ham

6 pounds precooked ham, shank in
whole cloves
2 1/2 cups Madeira wine, Rainwater or sweet
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon French's Mustard

With a sharp knife, peel rind off ham and score all over in crosshatch pattern. Stud diamonds with cloves. Place ham in roasting pan and pour all over with some Madeira. Add 1/2 cup water to prevent Madeira from burning on bottom of pan. Bake 350' for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes with Madeira and drippings. Meanwhile, mix brown sugar and mustard thinning with a little Madeira. This should be thick and not pourable. After the first hour, brush ham thoroughly with brown sugar mixture. Return to oven for one more hour.