Traditional Ham Dinner Quick, Easy Meal

Ham for Easter is a traditional holiday dinner that’s easy to prepare. A fully-cooked boneless ham only needs heating prior to serving, and carving is simple since there is no bone.

Plan on about four to five 3-ounce cooked, trimmed servings per pound from a boneless, fully-cooked, smoked ham half.

If you have leftovers for the next day, ham sandwiches are always a quick favorite. Add cut-up ham to egg dishes or pasta salads, or mix it with cheese and leftover vegetables to make a topping for baked potatoes.

A variety of glazes complement the flavor of ham:

Add Southwestern flair with jalapeno ham glaze, a combination of jalapeno jelly, fresh cilantro and lime juice.

Orange marmalade, honey mustard and seasonings highlight the hot-sweet finish of orange-spiced ham glaze.

Gingery pineapple glaze and sauce features pineapple preserves paired with fresh ginger, garlic and rice-wine vinegar.

Glaze ham during last 20 minutes of cooking. Glazes that contain sugar or other sweeteners will darken or may burn if cooked the entire time.

Easy Glazed Ham

Recipe from the Meat Board Test Kitchens

3-to 4-pound boneless, fully-cooked, smoked ham half

1/2 cup water

Jalapeno, Orange-Spiced or Gingery Pineapple Glaze (recipes below)

Do not preheat oven. Place ham (straight from the refrigerator) on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of ham. Add water. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil, leaving thermometer dial exposed.

Roast in a 325-degree oven for 19 to 23 minutes per pound, or until meat thermometer registers 135 degrees.

Meanwhile, prepare desired glaze. Remove aluminum foil and spread glaze over ham 20 minutes before the end of cooking time.

Remove ham when meat thermometer registers 135 degrees. Let ham stand 10 minutes or until thermometer registers 140 degrees (ham will be easier to carve.) Carve into slices.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Jalapeno Ham Glaze: In a 1-cup glass measure, combine 1/2 cup jalapeno jelly, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice. Cook on high (100 percent power) in microwave oven for 45 seconds to 1 minute or until jelly is almost completely melted, stirring halfway. Cool to thicken slightly. Brush glaze over ham several times during the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Yield: 1/2 cup.

Orange-Spiced Ham Glaze: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup orange marmalade, 2 tablespoons honey mustard, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice and 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper; mix until well blended. Spoon glaze over ham 20 minutes before end of cooking time.

Yield: 2/3 cup.

Gingery Pineapple Glaze and Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, crushed, and 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger. Cook 3 minutes over low heat. Add 12-ounce jar pineapple preserves and 1 tablespoon dry mustard; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. For glaze, spoon 1/4 cup pineapple mixture over ham 20 minutes before end of cooking time. For sauce, dissolve 1 teaspoon cornstarch into 1/4 cup water; add to remaining pineapple mixture. Cook and stir 1 minute or until thick and bubbly. Serve with ham.

Yield: 1/4 cup glaze and 1 cup sauce.