My Grandfather's Christmas Ham

Christmas was a wonderful time for my family, growing up. My grandfather, Justin Hamblin, had done his service in the U.S. Army during WWII. Although he saw little action, he was responsible for feeding the countless number of troops so that they could focus during battle and training. He may not be a war hero, but he was our hero. The fact he cooked for us, as well, made him all the more interesting. He was a die hard fisherman, and I have fond memories of him bringing home his catch and frying the best fish I have ever tasted complete with hush puppies and homemade cole slaw. What I remember most, however, is his sweet Christmas ham; a cooking marvel that I strive to prepare every year in his honor.

Making the glaze:

Mix together one large can of pineapple juice, one cup of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of honey and 2 cups of Coca Cola. Yes, you heard me right, Coca Cola. Mix well and set to the side. Place your uncooked ham into a deep roaster lined with foil. Pour half of the mixture over your ham and place into a preheated 350-degree oven. Baking times will vary based on the weight of your ham, so be sure to check overall weight in pounds and recommended cooking time on the packaging. Since I am accustomed to knowing the ham is finished just by looks, I am not a good source of timing information. Old southern cooks such as myself are notorious for this. Halfway through your baking time, affix pineapple slices and cherries to your ham with toothpicks and pour the rest of your mixture onto the ham. Allow to bake for the remainder of the time based on weight. Once finished, remove your ham and transfer to a serving platter. You may remove pineapple and cherries to create an easier slicing method, however some leave them on the ham, allowing diners to remove them as they obtain their servings. This, again is a matter of preference.

You may be asking why put Coca Cola on a ham. Well, Coca Cola contains mild acid that keeps the ham moist and tender as it cooks. During cooking, ham loses a lot of its natural juices due to the intense heat of the oven, while the soda replaces these juices. Once your ham is finished, you can't taste the Coca Cola, only the sweetness of the brown sugar and honey mixed with the wonderful, saltiness of the ham. Its a dish worth making part of Christmas tradition.