Baked Ham With A Brown Sugar, Rum And Cayenne Glaze - cooking recipe

Ingredients

12 lbs ham, bone in
1/4 cup whole cloves, for studding
2 cups apple cider
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup dark rum
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F (175\u00b0C).
Using a large knife, cut off the skin and all but 1/4 inch of the fat from the ham, leaving the surface as smooth as possible.
Score the top and sides of the ham diagonally in two opposite directions about 1 1/2 inches apart, creating a diamond pattern.
Stick a clove into the corners of each diamond.
Place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan.
Add the apple cider and 2 cups water to the pan; bake for 2 hours, adding more water after an hour if needed.
While ham bakes, combine the brown sugar, rum, salt and cayenne pepper to taste in a bowl; stir until smooth; let stand for 10 minutes to allow sugar to dissolve partially.
Remove ham from the oven and brush the glaze evenly over the ham; reserve the leftover glaze.
Return the ham to the oven and bake for 1 hour longer, brushing with the glaze every 15 minutes.
Transfer ham to a large platter and cover loosely with foil; allow to rest for 15 to 30 minutes.
While ham rests, pour the liquid from the roasting pan into a fat separator or a large glass measuring pitcher; let the fat rise to the surface, then pour or spoon off as much fat as possible; float a piece of paper towel on the surface to absorb the remaining fat.
Pour the degreased liquid into a small saucepan and add the remaining glaze to make a sauce; rewarm and pour in a sauceboat.
Serve ham warm with the sauce.