Easter celebrations often bring families together around a table laden with delicious food, and at the heart of many Easter feasts is a beautifully cooked ham. If you’ve ever felt intimidated by the prospect of preparing a holiday ham, especially one worthy of being the centerpiece, you’re not alone. But fear not! Inspired by the queen of home cooking herself, The Pioneer Woman, this guide will walk you through creating a stunning and flavorful Pioneer Woman Easter Ham that’s surprisingly simple to make. Get ready to impress your guests with a glazed ham that’s both visually appealing and utterly delicious.
Close-up of glazed ham with cloves
Choosing and Preparing Your Ham for Easter
The foundation of any great Pioneer Woman Easter Ham is, of course, the ham itself. Let’s start by selecting the right ham and preparing it for maximum flavor infusion.
Raw ham before scoring
When you head to the grocery store, you have a couple of options. You can choose one large bone-in ham, weighing between 8 to 12 pounds, or opt for two boneless half hams. The choice often depends on availability and your family size. For a larger gathering, a bone-in ham makes a dramatic presentation. If you have a smaller group, or prefer easier carving, half hams are a great alternative. Regardless of your choice, ensure you select an uncut ham. This is crucial because we’ll be creating a decorative pattern that also helps the glaze penetrate deeply.
Ham with initial diagonal cuts
Now for the fun part: scoring the ham. Using a chef’s knife or a long serrated knife (a bread knife works wonders), make diagonal cuts across the surface of the ham. Aim for a depth of about ½ inch. These cuts not only look beautiful but also create pockets for the glaze to seep into, keeping the ham moist and flavorful throughout.
Ham with diagonal cuts in both directions forming diamonds
Rotate the ham and make another set of diagonal cuts in the opposite direction, creating a diamond pattern across the entire surface. This diamond pattern is a classic touch for a holiday ham and enhances both the look and the taste.
Whole cloves in a small pile
To add another layer of visual appeal and a hint of aromatic spice, grab some whole cloves.
Ham decorated with cloves in diamond pattern
Insert a whole clove into the center of each diamond. While the cloves impart a subtle flavor, their primary purpose here is decorative, adding a traditional and festive look to your Pioneer Woman Easter Ham.
Ham fully scored and studded with cloves
Place the prepared ham in a roasting pan or a large glass pan. Using a roasting pan is ideal as it often comes with a rack, which can help circulate heat. However, a glass pan will also work perfectly well. The important thing is to contain the ham and its juices during cooking to prevent dryness.
Ham in roasting pan covered with foil
Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 300-325°F (150-160°C). A general guideline is to cook the ham for 15 minutes per pound. For a 10-pound ham, this would be approximately 2.5 hours. However, always refer to the cooking instructions on your ham package for the most accurate time and temperature, as these can vary. The key is to cook the ham “low and slow” to ensure it remains moist and tender.
Crafting the Coca-Cola Glaze: The Secret to Pioneer Woman Ham Flavor
While your ham is baking, it’s time to prepare the star of the show – the Coca-Cola glaze. This glaze is what truly elevates a simple ham into a spectacular Pioneer Woman Easter Ham, imparting a beautiful glossy finish and a delectable sweet and tangy flavor.
Ingredients for Coca-Cola glaze in saucepan
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine 1.5 cups of brown sugar, 1.5 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, and 1/3 cup of Dijon mustard. If you are using a ham larger than 12 pounds, you might want to double the glaze recipe to ensure you have enough to generously coat the ham.
Coca-Cola being poured into glaze mixture
Pour in half a can of Coca-Cola. The original Pioneer Woman recipe sometimes calls for Dr. Pepper, and you can also use other dark sodas as long as they are not diet versions. The sugar in the soda is essential for creating the glaze’s characteristic sticky and shiny texture.
Glaze simmering in saucepan on stove
Place the saucepan over medium heat and whisk the mixture continuously until it becomes foamy. Once it foams, immediately reduce the heat to low and let the glaze simmer for about 20-25 minutes. As it simmers, you’ll notice the glaze thickening. It will continue to thicken further as it cools slightly after being removed from the heat.
Glazing and Finishing Your Easter Ham
Now comes the exciting part – glazing the ham to create that signature glossy finish of a Pioneer Woman Easter Ham.
Glazing the ham in the oven
After the ham has been baking for about an hour, it’s time to start glazing. Remove the ham from the oven and brush a generous amount of the Coca-Cola glaze all over the surface, making sure to get the glaze into the cuts you made earlier. Return the ham to the oven.
Close-up of glazed ham with parsley and lemon
Repeat this glazing process every 20 minutes for the remaining baking time, usually 4-6 times in total. While this might seem like a bit of effort, these multiple layers of glaze are what create a truly exceptional depth of flavor and that beautiful, glossy sheen.
Finished glazed ham on platter with lemon and parsley
Reserve a little of the glaze to brush over the ham just before serving. This final touch will enhance the shine and make your Pioneer Woman Easter Ham look absolutely stunning. For an extra touch of elegance, garnish the platter with fresh parsley sprigs and lemon wedges.
Sliced glazed ham on platter
You can serve the ham whole for a dramatic presentation or pre-slice it for easier serving. Brushing a little extra glaze between the slices if you pre-cut it will keep it moist and visually appealing.
Serving Suggestions for Your Pioneer Woman Easter Ham
A delicious Pioneer Woman Easter Ham deserves equally delightful side dishes. Consider serving it with classic comfort foods like 3 Cheese Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts, or a refreshing Apple Broccoli Slaw. For dessert, perhaps a Creamy Pistachio & Coconut Pudding Cake or Carrot and Raisin Cream Cheese Cupcakes would be the perfect sweet ending to your Easter meal.
Holiday ham tag
This Easter, take the leap and create your own Pioneer Woman Easter Ham. With this easy-to-follow recipe, you’ll be amazed at how simple it is to prepare a show-stopping centerpiece that will impress your family and friends. Enjoy the process and the delicious results!
Finished glazed ham close-up square
Coca-Cola Glazed Holiday Ham Recipe
Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Yields: 10-15 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 whole bone-in ham, uncut (8-12 lbs) or 2 half hams, uncut
- Whole cloves for decoration
- 1.5 cups brown sugar
- 1.5 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/2 can Coca-Cola
- Optional: parsley and lemon for garnish
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) or according to package instructions.
- Score ham diagonally to make diamond shapes, about ½ inch deep.
- Insert whole cloves into the center of each diamond until the ham is covered.
- Place ham in a roasting pan or glass pan and cover with foil.
- Cook ham for 1 hour.
- While ham cooks, combine brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and Coca-Cola in a medium saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat until foamy, then reduce to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until thickened.
- After the first hour of cooking, remove ham from oven and brush generously with glaze.
- Return ham to oven and continue to bake, brushing with glaze every 20 minutes for the remaining cook time.
- Reserve some glaze for serving.
- Once ham is fully cooked, let it rest for a few minutes before carving.
- Garnish with parsley and lemon, if desired, and serve with reserved glaze.
Recipe Notes:
- For hams larger than 12 lbs, double the glaze recipe.
- Adjust cooking time based on ham package instructions.
- For best results, use a dark soda like Coca-Cola or Dr. Pepper (not diet).
