Recipe: Beer-Glazed Ham

A perfectly glazed ham emerging from the oven is the quintessential Holiday feast for friends and family. The only thing that could possibly make it better is working delicious local beer into the menu. Here's a recipe from Lift Bridge Brewery.

Ingredients

• 7-8 pound smoked ham
• 12 ounces Lift Bridge Mango Blonde Ale 
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 2 teaspoons allspice
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a large-rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place an oven-safe oven rack on top if you wish.
• Place the ham on the rack and score a grid-like pattern, cutting down about 1/2 inch.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the beer, brown sugar, maple syrup, mustard, cornstarch, salt, allspice, cayenne pepper, five-spice powder and black pepper. Taking about 1/3 of the mixture, brush the entire ham generously.
• Place the ham in the oven, uncovered and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and brush another 1/3 of the glaze on top and place back in the oven. Bake for an additional hour or until the top is brown and crisp. Remove from heat.
• In a small saucepan, add the remaining 1/3 of the glaze. Heat over medium-low heat until the alcohol has cooked out and the glaze is thick. Remove from heat and pour into a serving bowl.