Ham in Coca-Cola

Another recipe that would have been delicious I imagine. When I purchase my supposed "Ham" I realized, after tearing the 1st round packaging off that, the commissary had labeled it wrong and infact it was a Smoked Pork Shoulder. At any rate, I was unable to try this recipe first hand. However, I was able to make the broth for the South Beach Black Bean Soup by taking out the shoulder bone and letting that boil in the Coca-Cola. If anyone has a chance, let me know how this turns out!

• 4 1/4-4 1/2-pound bone-in ham
• 1 onion, peeled and cut in half
• 2-liter bottle of Coca-Cola (or a six pack)

for the glaze:

• hand full of cloves
• 1 heaping tablespoon molasses
• 1 teaspoons English mustard powder
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

If you know that you are dealing with a salty ham, put it in a pan covered with cold water, bring to a boil, then tip into a colander in the sink and start from here; otherwise, put the ham in a pan, skin-side down if it fits like that, add the onion, then pour over the coke. Bring to a boil, redure to a good simmer, put the lid on, though not tightly, and cook for just under 2 1/2 hours. If your joint is larger or smaller, work out timing by reckoning on an hour for every 2 lbs. rememberbing that it's going to get a quick blast in the oven later. But do take into account that if the ham's been in the refrigerator right up to the moment you cook it, you will have to give it a good 15 minutes of so extra so that the interior is porperly cooked.

Meanwhile, preheat the over to 500 degrees F

When the ham's had it's time, take it out of the pan (but do not throw away the cooking liquid) and let cool a little for ease of handling. (Indeed, you can let it cool completley then finish off the cooking at some later stage if you want.) Then remove the skin, leaving a thin layer of fat. Score the fat with a sharp knife to make fairly large diamond shapes, and stud each deamond with a clove. Then carefully spread the molases over the bark-budded skin, taking care not to dislodge the cloves. Gently pat the mustard and sugar onto the sticky fat. Cook in a foil-lined roasting pan for approximatley 10 minutes or until the glaze is burnished and bubbly.

Should you want to do the braizing stge in advance and then let the ham cool, clove and glaze it and give it 30-40 minutes, from room temperature, at 350 F, turning up the heat toward the end if you think it needs it.

This is seriously fabulous with anything, but the eggily golden Sweet Corn pudding is perfect.
Serves 8