This twist on a Coca-Cola glaze ham is glazed with ginger ale—plus honey, crystallized ginger, fresh rosemary, and orange zest. The gorgeous results are crispy-skinned, sweet, and bright with a subtle spicy kick. The ham serves 12, so it’s ideal for entertaining or special-occasion meals. The recipe calls for skin-on picnic shoulder ham, an affordable cut that can also be labeled as pork shoulder or picnic roast. It’s rich in fat and connective tissue, meaning it becomes super tender when it’s roasted. Be sure to slice it carefully, so every piece gets a delicious layer of skin, and serve extra glaze in a small bowl for drizzling.
How to Make It
Rinse ham, and pat dry. Using a sharp knife, make shallow cuts in fat 1 inch apart in a diamond pattern. Rub ham with salt, making sure to get it in all the cuts. Let ham stand at room temperature 1 hour. Place on a rack in a roasting pan.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Roast ham in preheated oven until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 135°F, about 3 hours. Increase oven temperature to 425°F.
Whisk together honey, ginger ale, ginger, rosemary, orange zest, pepper, and cloves.
Baste ham with ¼ cup honey mixture, and return ham to oven. Roast at 425°F until thermometer registers 145°F, about 15 minutes, basting with glaze and any accumulated pan juices every 5 minutes. (You will use about half of glaze.)