Posted By Kimberly Turner on Nov 16, 2014 in American Food Recipes, Berries, Blackberries, Canadian Food Recipes, Cooking How-To Videos, Cooking Shows, Cooking with Kimberly, Ethnic Foods, Featured, Ginger, Ham, Herbs, How To Cook, Main Dishes, Wine Country Kitchens with Kimberly | 0 comments

When you use this recipe for How to Cook Napa Valley Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Ham, you will be accepting compliments from guests and family.

When we have had about all the turkey we can eat during the Holidays, nothing hits the spot better than a delicious ham. This fabulous 9 1/2 pound hickory smoked ham shank portion is gorgeous and I can hardly wait to taste it.

Tender & juicy with a delectable flavor of blackberry & ginger combined with balsamic in a glaze that’s out of this world, and gives that je ne sais quoi to a traditional recipe and put a delicious spin on things.

Napa Valley Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Ham:

Even though this ham is hickory smoked, I like to boil it before treating it with flavorings and spices. I know it says on the wrapper that the ham is cooked, but my mom always cooked her hams first, and her hams were always cooked to perfection, and delicious.

After I cook the ham, I like to coat it with wonderful, tasty ingredients such as Napa Valley Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Vinegar, brown sugar and spices, so that they form a tasty, caramelized, crunchy crust over the entire outside surface of the ham.

The Napa Valley Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Vinegar is thick, and pleasantly sweet with the consistency of a balsamic cream, and the flavor it imparts is amazing. This sweetness helps to caramelize the sugar and spice coating on the outside of the ham.

Type: Entrée Recipe

Prep Time: about 15 min
Cook Time: 1 1/2 hrs
Roast Time: about 30 min
Yield: about 12 servings

The ingredients & instructions are listed below the video for measurements & directions. Please enjoy this webisode of Cooking with Kimberly:

Ingredients:

one 9 1/2 lb hickory smoked ham shank portion
2 – 3 tbsp Napa Valley Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Vinegar
2 – 3 whole cloves
1 – 2 bay leaves
~ 1 dozen peppercorns
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 – 3/4 cup brown sugar
1 heaping tsp of dry ground mustard
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp hot smoked paprika powder – I used La Chinata Hot Smoked Paprika.
1/2 tsp ground ginger – is an optional ingredient that could be added to the rub

Instructions:

Have available a large stock pot, filled with water up to the halfway point – and the water should cover the ham. So, you might have to add more water after you place the ham in it.

Carefully, place the ham shank portion into a large pot containing enough water to cover the ham.
Season the water in the pot with: bay leaves, whole cloves, chili flakes, black peppercorns, mustard seeds and coriander seeds.
Bring the water up to a boil, and then allow the water to simmer until the ham is tender – about 1 1/2 – 2 hrs.
Prepare a large roasting pan with oil or cooking spray.
Using 2 large forks to carefully transfer the ham from the pot to the roasting pan.
Trim the excess skin and fat off, if necessary.
To create the rub to press on to the outside surfaces of the ham, use a bowl, mix together, and combine evenly: brown sugar, dry mustard, freshly ground pepper, and hot smoked paprika.
Preheat oven to 330 degrees F.
Using a basting brush, baste the entire outside surface of the ham with the Napa Valley Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Vinegar. Then, using your hands, coat the ham with the rub you prepared, getting it into all the nooks and crevices. You might even want to coat it twice with the rub.
Roast the ham in the oven at 330 degrees F for about 20 min, or until caramelized and browned.
Check the ham after 20 min, and re-baste the ham with the pan juices, if desired.
Return the ham to the oven for 5 – 10 min, and it should come out browned and smelling amazingly fantastic. The ham will now be all sticky and gorgeous with the exterior crust being caramelized and mouthwatering.
Allow the ham to rest for a few min under a loose aluminum foil tent, before slicing.