With the holiday season rapidly approaching, it is important to stock up on all of your favorite recipes to impress your family and friends, or restaurant guests, with your creative cooking. Having some ham recipe ideas in your arsenal will prepare you for the challenges of cooking this delectable meat and enjoying it throughout the holiday.
Every great ham recipe idea starts with an inspiration, and here we have assembled some of the best ham recipes for you to try out during the upcoming holiday season. When preparing any delicious dish, it is always a good idea to start with quality ingredients. Knowing where to buy ham for restaurants or where the best wholesale restaurant meat suppliers are will give you a head start.
With that, let’s jump right in and look at five of the most mouth-watering ham recipe ideas you need to try this Holiday season.
Beer Glazed Ham
If you love beer and you love ham, then combining the two is a great way to satisfy both of your cravings. While much of the alcohol is actually burnt off in the cooking process, the remaining taste elevates the natural flavors of ham to the next level. You can use virtually any beer you like, so make sure to stock up on your favorites.
To make this ham recipe idea alcohol-free, you can also substitute the beer for cola and still enjoy a delicious meal. Ginger ale can also work if you do not fancy pouring your last beer or cola on your ham.
Maple-Glazed Ham
One of the classic ham recipe ideas is maple-glazed ham. The added sweetness of the maple syrup will truly bring a new quality to your ham that cannot be experienced in any other way. Combined with cloves, mustard, cola, ginger, and cinnamon, each bite will be more flavorful than the last. Make sure to use the best quality maple syrup that you can, ideally, from Canada.
Classic Honey Glazed Ham
For those who enjoy the classics, ham is also great with a traditional honey glaze. A glaze with honey, orange and pineapple juice, and Dijon mustard makes this old favorite a must for every holiday feast. You can even add pineapple rings on top for a professional touch.
Due to its familiarity within the culinary world, this recipe idea is sure to please just about everyone.
Balsamic And Mustard Ham
For those who like robust flavors that pack a punch, you need to try out a balsamic and Dijon mustard ham recipe. While the recipes are usually simple, they are extremely delicious. There is something truly unique about this intriguing pairing and if you enjoy these flavors on other meats, then you are sure to enjoy them with ham.
While some may be dissuaded from trying this due to the boldness of balsamic and the tang of mustard, you will likely enjoy it so much that you will not be able to save any for leftovers.
Spiral Sliced Ham
If you are interested in showing off your technical skills, then try this ham recipe idea on for size. Rather than putting the ham into the oven whole, you can try using your favorite glaze and then slicing the meat halfway through before cooking it.
While this technique can add more flavor to the ham, it is also possible that your ham will become too dry if you do not keep a proper eye on it. If you can pull this off, then you are sure to please any crowd.
To make the best possible impression, serve this meal with similarly sliced scalloped potatoes for a full-spectrum sensory experience.
Explore More Ham Recipe Ideas
With many more ham recipe ideas out there, you are sure to keep finding new ways to enjoy this traditional dietary delight. Make sure that you read up on how to properly glaze a ham before getting started. It is also important to consider some appropriate sides to make each meal complete. Starting with creamed corn, mashed potatoes or mixed vegetables should be enough to provide some inspiration, but the options are endless.
To find the best cuts of ham to make all of your culinary creations turn out just right, explore your local restaurant meat suppliers. Do not forget about the wholesale turkey suppliers to pair with your ham or to simply enjoy alone if you don’t like or do not eat ham.