Ingredients
Brine:
- 8 quarts water
- 2 cups kosher salt
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 (8 to 10-pound) shank end fresh ham, bone-in and skin-on
Rub and Glaze:
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup whole-grain mustard
- 1 heaping cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 12 fresh sage leaves, chopped
- 9 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large Spanish onions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch wedges
- 1 gallon apple cider
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Directions
One day before roasting: In a plastic container large enough to hold the ham, stir the water with the salt and brown sugar until dissolved. Add the spices. Score ham in a diamond pattern through the skin and fat, taking care not to cut into the meat. Add ham to brine, weight it with a plate to keep it submerged, and refrigerate for at least 4 but no more than 8 hours. Drain, rinse, pat the ham dry, and refrigerate.
One hour before roasting, remove the ham from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. For the rub: Pulse the olive oil, mustard, parsley, sage, garlic, red pepper, salt, and black pepper in a food processor to make a paste. Rub it all over ham. In a large roasting pan, toss the onion wedges with 1 cup of the apple cider, and set the ham on top. Roast the ham for 30 minutes, reduce the oven temperature 325 degrees F, and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165 degrees F, about 4 hours. After the first hour, loosely wrap aluminum foil around the bone to keep it from burning.
Meanwhile, for the glaze: Boil, then simmer, the remaining apple cider in a saucepan, skimming as needed, until syrupy and reduced to about 2 cups, about 1 1/2 hours.
During the last 1 1/2 hours of cooking the ham, brush it with the glaze every 30 minutes. Transfer the cooked ham to an ovenproof platter and let it rest in the turned-off oven for 30 minutes. Loosely cover the onions in a bowl, and put them in the oven as well. Strain the pan juices into a saucepan, skim off any excess fat, and bring to a boil. Make a paste with the flour and butter and whisk a bit at a time into the juices. Boil until thick. Carve the ham and serve with the onions and sauce.
Copyright © 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved
Photo: Roasted Fresh Ham with Cider Glaze Recipe

















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By pamelacurtis_11...
Timnath, CO
on December 10, 2012
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I had a group of 40 for Christmas. Everyone loved it. Well worth the work. I would recommend it for any holiday gathering.
By Flasunlover
Florida
on November 23, 2012
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This was my first attempt at a fresh ham and the results were spectacular. I cut back on most of the apple cider, except for the one cup added to the roasting pan, along with one can of chicken broth.
By DeeDee521
on April 24, 2012
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I prepared this recipe for Easter. It was absolutely the best fresh ham. I was very nervous about this recipe because I have never prepared anything like this before and the roast was almost 14 lbs. SUCCESS! I DID IT. Followed the recipe according to the directions. I did reduce the amount of mustard as I'm not a fan of mustard. Additionally, I did take the roast at 150. Let is sit for a good amount of time and it was perfect. Lots of flavor and tender. Loved the gravy too. Served it with scalloped potatoes, homemade apple sauce, roasted vegetables and a side salad. YUM!
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