Baked Ham With Apricot Glaze - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (15 lb) fully cooked bone-in smoked ham (15 lb. average)
35 -40 whole cloves
1 cup apricot nectar
1 cup water
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/2 cup Bourbon
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup light brown sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Trim the rind from the ham and pare the fat layer to 1/4-inch thick.
Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil (helps with cleanup later).
Place a roasting rack in the roasting pan and place the ham on the rack.
Cut lines at an angle across the ham about 1/4-inch deep, then turn the ham and repeat with the other side, so that it forms a diamond pattern.
Push the pointed ends of the cloves into the intersections of these lines, but do not push it in totally.
Mix the apricot nectar with the water and pour over the ham, and then sprinkle with the thyme leaves.
Place the ham in the lower third of the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes (or about 3 minutes per pound), basting with the pan juices every 10-15 minutes.
To prepare the glaze, mix the preserves, bourbon, and mustard in a small saucepan and whisk until smooth.
Cook over medium heat until the preserves melt, then remove from heat and set aside.
When the ham is warmed through (at the 45 minute point), remove it from the oven and increase the oven temp to 450F.
Spread all the glaze evenly over the ham, then sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top of the glaze.
When the oven is heated to 450F, return the ham to the oven, and bake for about 25-30 more minutes or until the ham becomes nicely caramelized from the glaze, but do not let it burn.
Remove the ham from the oven and allow it to sit for about 15-20 minutes before carving.