The YEAR 1988 – Martha Stewart created a video series SECRETS FOR ENTERTAINING and I was mesmerized. The rest is history for Martha and for me!

One of the recipes in the series was this spectacular MERLOT GLAZED HAM.

I have made it over and over since then. Here is how you do it.

The first question when picking a ham is BUTT or SHANK? The short answer is it doesn’t really matter 🤓. Just NEVER buy spiral sliced. I have found that you will never get the same juicy and succulent meat if you buy the spiral sliced, no matter how well they may be marketed! I usually buy about a 12 pound ham to feed about 15 people. But the leftovers are great so just buy the one that looks PRETTIEST to you.

So grab that mixing bowl and let’s get started.

STEP 1 – Prepare the pan

Choose a large baking pan that is deep enough to hold the ham and keep all the juices from bubbling out in your oven (big mess 😳)

A pan with handles is ideal since it will be quite heavy and you have to get it in and out of the oven three times for the glazing.

Completely line the pan with tin foil unless you LOVE SCRUBBING.

Place the ham in the pan with about 1/4 cup water in the bottom. The ham goes into the pan with the smooth meat side DOWN.

STEP 2 – Cook Ham

Cook your ham in a pre-heated oven according to the directions on the package. For the last 30 minutes we will do the glazing process.

STEP 3 – Glaze It

Decant the Merlot wine. Always buy a wine you would enjoy drinking, NO TWO BUCK CHUCK PLEASE.

I always buy Organic Dark Brown sugar.

The glazing process starts during the last 30 minutes of baking. Your oven temperature should not be higher than 350.

Mix the brown sugar with the Merlot wine. You want it to be the consistency that will be spreadable on the ham but not too thin so it just runs off into the pan. Should look like this.

We will glaze the ham three times.

FIRST GLAZE

Remove the ham from the oven and cover the entire upright surface of the ham with the glaze.

Return the ham to the oven for 10 minutes

SECOND GLAZING

You may need to mix up some more glaze, so don’t drink all the Merlot 🍷. Remove from oven and repeat glazing process. Return to oven 10 minutes.

THIRD GLAZING

Remove from oven and repeat glazing process. For this final glazing I usually just pour the glaze over the ham. Return to oven for the final 10 minutes.

STEP 4 – Place on platter. LOOSLY tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. You can then slice the ham (we use an electric knife)

STEP 5 – ENJOY the glorious results!

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