Canadian Ham Recipe

Preheat and prepare ham

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Remove ham from refrigerator 30–60 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Remove any plastic packaging and discard any netting if present. Place the ham, cut-side down, in a large roasting pan fitted with a rack. If your ham has a thick fat cap, trim it to about 1/4 inch thickness.

Score the surface

Using a sharp knife, score the fat in a diamond pattern about 1/4 inch deep across the surface of the ham. This helps the glaze penetrate and creates pockets for whole cloves if using. If you like, stud the intersections with whole cloves (push them in gently).

Make the maple-mustard glaze

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Add brown sugar, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and orange juice. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the glaze thickens slightly, about 6–8 minutes. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Tent and roast

Cover the roasting pan loosely with aluminum foil and place ham in the preheated oven. For a fully cooked ham, heat approximately 10–12 minutes per pound (about 22–26 minutes per kg). For a 5 kg ham this is roughly 110–130 minutes (1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes). Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part (not touching bone) registers 130°F (54°C) for best, moist reheating. If your ham label recommends a different target temperature, follow the package instructions.

Glazing step

About 25–30 minutes before the end of the cooking time (when the internal temperature is about 115–120°F / 46–49°C), remove the ham from the oven and increase oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Spoon or brush a generous layer of the warm maple-mustard glaze over the surface, making sure it gets into the scored lines. Return the ham to the oven, uncovered, and roast for the final 20–30 minutes, basting once or twice more with remaining glaze, until the surface is glossy and caramelized. Watch carefully to prevent burning.

Rest and finish

Remove the ham from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 15–20 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. While resting, pour any pan juices into a small saucepan, skim fat if desired, and simmer with a few tablespoons of the reserved glaze to reduce slightly for serving.

Carve and serve

Slice the ham against the grain into thin slices. Arrange on a warmed platter, spoon reduced pan juices or extra glaze over the slices, garnish with chopped parsley if using, and serve with hot mustard or extra glaze on the side.

Sprinkle chopped parsley over the carved ham and offer hot mustard or additional glaze for guests to add to their slices.