Holiday Ham

Holiday Ham

1 12-pound bone-in smoked ham
30 cloves
½ cup beer
10 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
15 pearl onions, peeled
9 miniature pears
9 miniature apples
1 bunch fresh sage
1 bunch fresh thyme
Fruity extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons bourbon
Salt.

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Pierce the bottom of the ham with the cloves. Place the ham in a deep pan with the beer, garlic, onions, pears, apples, sage, thyme and 1 1/2 cups water. Drizzle the meat and fruit generously with olive oil, cover with foil and roast for 2 3/4 hours, brushing the ham with cooking juices every hour.

2. Remove the ham from the oven and raise the oven temperature to 425. Score the ham’s fat with a knife, season with black pepper and spread the brown sugar over the top. Pour 1 tablespoon of bourbon over the fruit and the remaining 2 tablespoons over the ham. Brown in the oven, uncovered, until caramelized, about 15 minutes. To thicken sauce, strain the cooking juices into a small saucepan. Simmer until it coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 12 to 16