Cherry Coke-Glazed Country Ham Recipe

This ham strikes a balance of sweet and savory thanks to its Cherry Coke glaze.

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated March 27, 2019
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J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

This ham is cooked low and slow and then coated in a sticky-sweet Cherry Coke glaze. For best results, get a good quality ham like Benton's.

Note: Before roasting your ham, you'll need to clean it and soak it. Rub it with a scrubby sponge under cool running water to remove any surface mold or salty deposits, then transfer it to a cooler and fill the cooler with cold water. Let the ham rest at room temperature in the water for at least a day, changing the water every six to eight hours. If your ham is especially well-aged, let it soak for up to two days. Country hams must be sliced very thin!

Recipe Details

Cherry Coke-Glazed Country Ham Recipe

Active 30 mins
Total 3 hrs 30 mins
Serves 20 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 country ham, 10 to 15 pounds, soaked (see note)

  • 1 liter Cherry Coke (or Dr. Pepper)

  • 1/2 cup honey

  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower position and preheat oven to 250°F. Place ham fat-side up on rack set over roasting pan. Pour 2 cups water and 2 cups Coke into bottom of pan and seal tightly with aluminum foil (you may need 2 or 3 pieces). Transfer to oven and cook until ham reaches 125°F in center when tested with an instant-read thermometer, 3 to 4 hours, depending on size and shape.

  2. Meanwhile, combine remaining Coke, honey, brown sugar, black pepper, ground cloves, and cinnamon in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally until thick and syrupy, about 15 minutes.

  3. When ham has reached 125°F, remove from oven, uncover, and score fat cap in crosshatch pattern, making slices about 1-inch apart. Paint with 1/3 of glaze, increase oven temperature to 400 degrees, and bake 5 minutes. Paint with 1/3 more glaze and bake until crisp and shiny, 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and paint with remaining glaze. Tent with foil and allow to rest 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
380Calories
12gFat
20gCarbs
50gProtein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories380
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g15%
Saturated Fat 2g11%
Cholesterol 144mg48%
Sodium 2201mg96%
Total Carbohydrate 20g7%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 50g
Vitamin C 0mg1%
Calcium 15mg1%
Iron 2mg11%
Potassium 794mg17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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