Does anything say “it’s the holiday season,” like a perfectly glazed ham? Ham dinners are more popular around Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, but are delicious year-round. Depending upon which part of the country you reside in, ham may play a leading role in your holiday tablescape/menu, and are a great solution for group gatherings and family dinners. With Southern California being in such close proximity to Mexico, SoCal overflows with the influences of Mexico and Mexican culture. This cultural influence most certainly extends to our favorite thing…FOOD!
The coastal state of Oaxaca, Mexico is known for producing some of the most flavorful chile peppers available in the market. Our chiles have been smoked-dried in a traditional slow cook process that produces a sharp, lingering heat with a powerful spicy flavor. In a delicious punch of intense flavor, Oaxaca chiles combine with pineapple preserves, bourbon and spices to create the perfect glaze. The bold, rich sweetness of the pineapple preserves and sweet smokiness of the bourbon help to offset the intense spiciness of the chiles, creating pure magic in your mouth.
With ham as the main star of your meal, side dishes should play a supporting role. The options are literally endless here and you can start with your favorite go-to’s for a meal that’s sure to knock your socks off. Some of our favorite side dishes for ham include mashed potatoes (see Baby Red or DYP Mashed Potatoes recipe,) green beans and a dinner roll to make sure we get all the leftover juices.
Oaxaca Chile-Pineapple Glazed Ham
- 2 dried oaxaca chiles (stems and seeds removed; finely ground)
- 2 vanilla beans
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 cups pineapple preserves
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 1 fully cooked spiral sliced smoked ham
- Split the vanilla beans in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a mixing bowl.
- Add the rest of the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix well to combine.
- In a saucepan, heat the preserves, bourbon, and dry mixture while stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Using a pastry brush, paint the entire ham with the preserve mixture.
- Heat the ham according to the package directions.
Note: Baste the ham every so often, if desired.
