I like to do a ham for Christmas, however I've never been real thrilled with the way it turns out, usually too dry and not overly flavorful. You could say I'm ham-challenged.

Have you ever marinated/soaked a ham prior to cooking it? What did you marinate it in? Do you make a glaze or dry rub for yours? I'm looking for some ideas of cooking the best ham for dinner. 

Edey

I've always gotten the ones that are cooked and come with a packet of honey-glaze sauce.  You just thaw the ham and then follow the directions on the packages, adding the glaze about 30 minutes or so before your done heating it back up.

I've never attempted the kind of ham where you have to soak for a day or two, changing the water every few hours to help get the salt out of the ham -- but those are delish!!!

Orange Glaze
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier (optional)

Baked Ham Maple Glaze
1 tablespoon mustard
2/3 cup real maple syrup

Brown Sugar Glaze
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
3/4 teaspoons ground cloves

Marmalade Glaze
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
add enough pineapple juice to create a thick paste

Pineapple Glaze
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup well drained crushed pineapple

Ginger Glaze
1 teaspoon dry ginger
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
canned pear or peach syrup to make a thick paste
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Chili Glaze
1/2 cup thick chili sauce
1/4 cup corn syrup

My mother taught me to cook ham using 1 can of pineapple rings and 1/2 cup of brown sugar  - drain the pineapple juice into a bowl, mix with the brown sugar, and set aside.  Using toothpicks, attach the pineapple rings to the surface of the ham; pour juice/brown sugar mixture over the top, and bake according to package directions, covered with foil, basting periodically.  Since the development of the poultry baking bags, I've changed the foil to the bag - use according to package directions - it's much easier to keep the ham moist, it cooks more evenly, and clean-up is considerably easier.  The bags don't cost any more than the heavy-duty foil I'd been using.

And yes, for those who are wondering, I am Jewish - but my family has never been observant enough to keep kosher, and yes, we eat ham (and shellfish, and meat and dairy at the same meal, and all sorts of other things that are forbidden by kashrut).  It's a personal choice - so before this heads off this thread, I just wanted to stick this in here.

I learned this from my mother, and I think she learned it from hers...no idea where it came from before that.

Brew some super-strong coffee... too strong to drink even, the strongest you can make it. Mix it with some dark rum, and baste the ham with that while it's baking. Make a gravy out of the drippings once it's done. It's very rich, and very good. 

 I score mine with a knife, smear it with spicy brown mustard, cake on some brown sugar, and toothpick in some pineapple slices and marschino (sp?) cherries.  Probably the most boring ham prep ever LOL!  But its the way it was done in my family, and I just stuck with the traditional.  DB devours it, so I don't think I need to change anything.

I wasn't covering it while it baked so that is probably why it was coming out dry.  I also may have had the heat too high.  I like the idea of an orange glaze; for myself I like pineapple but Dh doesn't. 

Thanks Everyone.  Edey

Edey:

I wasn't covering it while it baked so that is probably why it was coming out dry.  I also may have had the heat too high.

That might be part of your problem... I always cover my ham really well with foil, and take it off for the last half hour or hour of baking to reduce the liquid and get a nice caramelized outside.I also cook it slowly at a low heat (250 or so), because it's already been cooked, so all we're really doing at home is seasoning it and reheating it. 

I wonder how ham would come out cooked in a crock pot... has anyone tried that? 

Mine will have to be in the turkey roaster as it won't fit in the little stove top oven I have, so that might be similar to making it in the crock pot. I'll put a layer of foil over it to maybe hold in the heat better. Or I could just slice it all first and then layer it in the crock, maybe with a little broth or juice poured over it.  This is what I do with turkey that gets cooked a day ahead, and it turns out pretty good. Edey

I bake it with pineapple glaze on it with pineapples on it and the cherries cut criss cross so the glaze and the friut juice drips down to the inside ham part now I am getting hungry....