Sunday, November 28, 2010

Baked Ham Barefoot Contessa style

I hope everyone who celebrated Thanksgiving this week had a fabulous feast with family and friends and hopefully didn’t eat too much.

Thanksgiving for us this year was a bit unusual. For about as long as I can remember, it’s celebrated at our house and we do all of the cooking. As the big day approaches, we always make certain that everyone we know has a place to go on Thanksgiving. If not, they are always invited to join us. There’s just something about being alone on Thanksgiving that doesn’t seem right to us. I've actually seen tears in people's eyes that were almost strangers when we invited them to our home for Thanksgiving. When we lived in the islands, no one was near their family so everyone became everyone's family. It's a tradition we'll never change.


This year was different. We’re in Florida and Meakin’s brother Jarvis invited us to Thanksgiving dinner at his house, which is down the street from our tiny pied a terre.  If you know either of us, you know the first words out of our mouth after an invitation are, “What can we bring and how can we help?”


After much discussion we settled on a things we could make in advance – a baked ham, my cranberry sauce (which I posted earlier), and an appetizer.


That would free up time for Meakin to arrive early and make his famous gravy. My sister-in-law Carolyn said, “Meakin, I hope you’ll carve the turkeys, because Jarvis would rather clean out the garage than carve anything.” Consider it done Carolyn.


The baked ham recipe is from the Barefoot Contessa and the only changes I made were to cut the recipe in half (hers served 35), and substitute Grand Marnier and gold rum for the orange juice. The little specs you see in the picture are bits of orange marmalade and garlic. The ham was no trouble at all to make. Keep this recipe in mind if you’re looking for something classy for your Christmas buffet that can be served at room temperature.

Baked Ham with orange glaze Barefoot Contessa style
Adapted from the Food Network, courtesy of Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa

1 (8 to 10 pound) fully cooked, spiral-cut smoked ham on the bone

Orange glaze:
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 ¼ ounces of orange marmalade
¼ cup of Dijon mustard
½ cup brown sugar packed
Zest of half of an orange
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
1 tablespoon gold rum

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the ham in a heavy roasting pan or a heavy-duty disposable aluminum pan.

Put all of the glaze ingredients in a bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Pour the glaze over the ham. If the ham is spiral cut, carefully fan open some of the slices and let the glaze seep in between the slices. Bake for one hour until the ham is fully heated and the glaze is well browned.Garnish with slices of citrus. Serve hot or at room temperature.




This is a simple appetizer that can be put together in a matter of minutes. Bring a round of Saga blue cheese to room temperature. Remove the top rind and cover with pancake syrup, dried cranberries and toasted pecans. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve with assorted crackers.

I know, I know. You're shuttering at the mention of pancake syrup in this. I did too, but the first time I tasted this appetizer, all I could say was, "OMG. Get me away from this. It's much too good and it'll spoil my appetite for dinner."

It was served to us by Betsy, an old friend of ours. She's a very classy lady and really knows her stuff when it comes to food. A member of a prominant family, she's hosted many a fabulous party in her antebellum mansion and was once the mayor of her berg outside of Washington, DC in Virginia. We thought of substituting maple syrup, but decided that it would overpower the wonderful flavor of the blue cheese.

46 comments:

  1. Great food! That ham looks perfect and so moist

    I hope you had a wonderful Thaksgiving!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. You can bet that I am keeping that ham recipe ready for Christmas Eve when I am serving 30-40. Put out a buffet and let them have at it. I am also loving the blue cheese appetizer. Your food always entices and it looks like you all had a lot to be grateful for!

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  3. Those recipes, especially the ham, are going into my recipe folder. I usually buy a Honeybaked for Christmas but I think this year I'll try this one. Just in time for me to make the holiday shopping list. Don said to tell Meakin hi from him. Looks like you all had a great time.

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  4. For the past few years I have always been "adopted" during the holidays since my family lives far and wide. You can never go wrong with an Ina recipe and loive the cheese wheel too Sam.

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  5. How nice to see people get together..to make sure no one is left out..the abundance of good food and cheer.
    Very nice.

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  6. The Bleu Cheese presentation looks out of this world.....that will be on my next cocktail party menut! Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving to you and Meakin.

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  7. What a beautiful ham. I think i've only baked a smoked ham twice(?) in my life. My daughter loves ham and so do I..have no idea why I don't make ham more often. I'm going to give this a try for Christmas

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  8. Having the opportunity to come together as a family and with friends is what meals are all about! I like the changes you made to the ham recipe. Ham appears on our table during the season so this is perfect.

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  9. These looks awesome!!! Beautiful dinner!

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  10. Where do I start with my comments. First, the spread looks fabulous and I envy the space they have in their kitchen. Second, the turkey looks like it was carved by an expert. Third, that ham looks to die for and I can almost taste it. Finally, if I just read the appetizer ingredients, I'd prpbaly pass on it, but after eating and loving the salad you brought to the blogger get together, whose ingredients I'd also have passed on, I know if you made it, I'll like it. Glad you had a good get together.

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  11. Oh my, what a beautiful dinner and sharing it with family is the best part. I'm saving your ham recipe for Christmas along with your appetizer. I envy all that counter space when there's a large dinner to serve.

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  12. I bet some great conversation went on around the table! The food looks good, and I am sad- I grew up with ham like that, but hubby's family only eats turkey this time of year...I will have to make one for my own pleasure, and soon!

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  13. The ham looks scrumptious! What a clever appetizer--will give it a try!

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  14. Everything looks lovely -- and I like your kind of substituting in the ham recipe! :)

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  15. This is more than jus a feast , a spread of delicious delite and love!!
    what a wonderful thanksgiving and a collection of recipes galore!

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  16. Looks like you had a great Thanksgiving, Sam - what a spread of pies! It's funny - I had just the reaction you predicted on the pancake syrup - but then read your next line! With that kind of endorsement, I'll have to give it a try. And, Christmas is at my house, and I've already bought the ham, so I think this glaze and preparation is at the top of the list!

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  17. Making a note of that ham recipe for our Christmas party!

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  18. Sam - Wow does that baked ham look terrific! It's actually making my mouth water. Definitely going to have to keep that recipe in mind for the holidays. I'd love to have those ham leftovers.

    So glad to hear that you had a great and bountiful Thanksgiving.

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  19. Looks like you had a delicious Thanksgiving & so glad to hear you are in Florida! Are you on the east or west coast? I love anything Barefoot Contessa and will have to try this fabulous looking ham - once I am off crutches. I have been on crutches for the past 5 weeks & am REALLY looking forward to getting off of them this week - YAY!

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  20. Both your ham and appetizer look delicious! I'm saving both.

    How wonderful to have a big, extended family like that to share a holiday!

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  21. What a lovely holiday feast that is! Ina's recipes are always wonderful...love the sound of that orange glaze!

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  22. What a beautiful Thanksgiving buffet! It looks like a fun time was had by all! I think that ham will be making a Christmas appearance at our family holiday gathering this year!

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  23. Looks like you had a great Thanksgiving feast there! The baked ham sounds terrific, I like your substitutions of Grand Marnier and gold rum!

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  24. What a wonderful feast! This was the first years in a long time I didn't cook Thanksgiving dinner all by myself. It's nice to split up the dishes!

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  25. Sam...ham is always my favorite and yours looks great...plus I have never tried a Barefoot Contessa recipe that I didn't love...the pancake syrup does worry me..lol just kidding I could drink the stuff out of the bottle.

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  26. It's so odd to see everyone on shorts and sleveless tops. We're all bundled up in our sweaters here in Colorado. That ham sure looks good since I'm turkey-d out. Looks like a perfect Christmas Eve dish. And love that cheese appetizer. Definitely going to give that a try. Happy Holidays to you Sam.

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  27. what a spread!

    isn't thanksgiving the best, no gift giving, just family and dinner

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  28. That cheese appetizer is definitely going to be part of our Christmas Eve buffet this year. Oh, it looks fantastic!

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  29. Everything looks delicious! What a wonderful spread. :) The ham looks wonderful; I think I may try that recipe for our Christmas ham. Hope your holiday weekend was wonderful!

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  30. Wow, what a nice Thanksgiving dinner...sure plenty of yummie food. The baked ham sounds delicious with the orange glaze...

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  31. This post was filled with all kinds of goodness! The ham is incredible, the cheese is calling to me!!

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  32. That looks like such an amazing spread! The ham is delectable and the cheese...ohhhhhh....the cheese!! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Sam :)

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  33. That ham looks amazing! I will certainly use your recipe when I decide to make a ham, I don't think it can be topped, flavor wise!
    Also I love that cheese appetizer: I am actually working on a cheese dish along these lines, mixing pungent and sweet and I hope when I finally am done experimenting it will be fine; love that cranberry sauce too, I will try this soon!

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  34. Sam I love a holiday buffet meal as it is so much easier when everyone can help themselves and then everyone sits down together to eat and enjoy each other's company. Your husband's carving skills are perfect and your ham sounds so delicious! When I used to host for 25+ people for Thanksgiving I always made a ham in addition to a large turkey. Your recipe looks so good I think I'll make it for Christmas--thanks!

    I hope you saw my photos from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in my weekend post! We hadn't attended it years and it was so much fun!

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  35. The ham sure looks yummy! After this celebration comes next, Christmas! Truelly, this season is full of gatherings and recipes such as this one could be a great help to distressed menu. Great blog!

    aion account

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  36. Wow, Sam. You can bring food to my house anytime. That ham looks picture perfect and the appetizer is so intriguing. I am catching up here. We are in Charleston on our way home and I have little time to blog. Looks like you had a great Thanksgiving.

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  37. Ham is going to be on our Christmas brunch menu. I have been looking at a recipe in Cooks Illustrated but you've sold me on Ina's.

    Would it be possible for me to send my husband to train with Meakin before time to make next year's gravy and carve the turkey? Kudos to him for that perfect platter!

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  38. Sam you have it made - this looks like such a great time - while I am not the biggest ham fan in the whole wide world and I think the reason why is I like it only the first day, ham isnt something I like as a leftover and I cant even tell you why...I would certainly load up on this juicy specimen.

    (I think because my comment is so rambling I have such a complicated word verification -zoidemim all twisty and confusing - LOL)

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  39. Oh, Sam. I am just delighted I stopped in for a visit today.

    I was trying to come up with something different to bring to a party at work, and this is perfect.

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  40. vat a great ham recipe!! sure gonna prepare this soon!! m soo in love with ye blog!! beautiful work and tooo goood!!

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  41. Sam, your contributions to the feast are wonderful. I'll have to give the ham and the appetizer a try. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  42. I ate a lot and loved every moment. I love the color of the cranberries in the sauce. It's too bad more people don't enjoy them though most everyone I know does. Thank goodness!

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  43. Sam - I am officially doing your ham for Christmas Eve - it looks so wonderful!!! Thank you! Your Thanksgiving looked amazing - Happy Holidays & Happy December!!! Lara

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  44. Sam...what to envy more???
    The great company...the fab spread...the incredible counter space or the fact that the Barefoot countessa thought of putting Grand Marnier in her ham before I did. LOL

    I'm glad that you can enjoy feasting in such great surroundings ;O)

    Ciao for now,
    Claudia

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  45. Guess who brought a small ham back from the store last night!?!?!

    You have just given me inspiration, Sam!

    And I totally get your syrup deal. Sometimes "better" is not better. I think that is the sign of a TRUE gourmet. Knowing what is good & appropriate vs. just "upgrading" an ingredient because it's trendy.

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  46. NOw that's a great Thanksgiving dinner! :)

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