A beautiful baked ham can be a hit at holiday dinners

While turkey is the traditional centerpiece of a Thanksgiving dinner, the work of preparing it has resulted in some hostesses offering a turkey breast roast instead. Most people like the white meat, but some adults and children do not. What’s more, when guests attend more than one Thanksgiving dinner, they appreciate being offered something else.

A colorful ham can be the hit of any holiday dinner, either as the main course or in addition to turkey.

For more than 7,000 years, people have enjoyed fresh and smoked pork. It was first used extensively in China about 4,900 B.C. Later its popularity spread throughout Europe.

Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto is credited with founding the pork industry in America. His 13 porkers became the breeding stock for the American industry.

The long shelf life of salt pork and smoked bacon made them staples in early American kitchens.

Protein and fat levels in ham compare favorably with other types of lean meat. As with other meats, most of the fat should be trimmed before baking.

You’ll like the convenience of this ham recipe, and your guests will rave about its flavor.

Baked ham with bourbon brown-sugar glaze

Preheat the oven to 325. Trim fat and skin from a fully-cooked shank-portion of an 8 to 12 pound smoked ham. Score the remaining fat and stud with about 40 whole cloves.

Place the ham cut-side-down in a pan and cover with several layers of aluminum foil. Insert a meat thermometer in the center. Bake two hours or until it reaches 135 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup light brown sugar with 1/4 cup bourbon or stock, and 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh pepper. Remove ham. Brush on one-third of the mixture. Set the oven at 375.

Return ham to the oven. Apply one-third of glaze every 10 minutes until used. Heat to 140 degrees. Serves 16.