Glazed Ham Cuba Libre

Ever have a Cuba Libre? It is a rum and Coca-Cola with lime, and they make a great taste combination. So, why not use those flavors in cooking? Okay here we go, I have a Bacardi and Coke glaze that I think tastes great.  I've used Coke in cooking brisket and that turns out a really tasty dish.  So, I'm not too surprised to find that cola as a base for this glaze is an awesome flavoring ingredient.

Ham is a holiday treat for us. We usually serve ham about 3 times a year,  At least once during the Christmas season, again at Easter, and occasionally as non-holiday party fare.  I sometimes cook lamb at Easter, but more often than not, on Easter Sunday, it's ham.  I love ham, I think we will start having it more often.

I start with a large butt end 1/2 ham, or a whole ham and it should say something on the package like, "cured ham with water added," do not get a ham with "ham product added," that's like the nefarious "cheese food product" or "milk solids" that you see in some ingredient labels.  I prefer a whole ham rather than the spiral cut hams, because the pre-cut hams that I have made tend to be dry by the time they get heated through.  But YOU could use a spiral ham if that is your preference, just adjust the cooking time according to the directions on the package and use this glaze instead.

Ingredients:

2 cans Coca-Cola (regular, not diet)

1/4 cup dark rum (I like Bacardi)

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup yellow mustard

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

10 -15 whole cloves

Score the ham in cross hatches and stud each intersection with cloves.















Cook the ham, on a rack, covered, in a 350° oven for an hour. You can pour 2 cans of coke into the bottom of the pan or you can use water or stock.

Meanwhile, bring 2 cans of Coke to a simmer in a saucepan and reduce to 1/2 cup.

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring until smooth, remove from heat.

Remove ham from oven, uncover and begin to glaze the ham.  Return to the oven and cook for another hour or until the proper internal temperature is reached.

Glaze the ham every 15 minutes until the ham has reached the proper temp. If you are using a "cured ham" 160º, if you are using a "fully cooked" or smoked ham 120º.

Let the ham rest for 10 - 15 minute before carving. Brush slices with remaining glaze and serve with whatever sides float your boat. That's Glazed Ham Cuba Libre!