Vincent Price Stuffed Smoked Ham

Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 11 ounces mixed dried fruit
• boiling water
• 1 3/4 lbs canned pineapple chunks, drained and liquid reserved
• 1 cup golden raisin
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 8 lbs pre-cooked boneless ham
• 30 whole cloves
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup sherry wine
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup pineapple juice (use the juice from the canned chunks)
• 1 cup water
• 8 slices pineapple rings (canned is fine)
• 8 canned apricot halves
• 8 candied cherries
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup red currant jelly
• 1/2 cup port wine

Recipe

• 1 in a saucepan, combine the mixed dried fruit and boiling water to cover; simmer for 10 minutes then let cool, drain, and chop.
• 2 preheat oven to 400 degrees f.
• 3 in a bowl mix the reconstituted fruit with the pineapple chunks (don't throw that juice away), raisins, and chopped pecans.
• 4 with a long, sharp, thin knife, cut an "x" about 1 1/2 to 2 inches across into the ham lengthwise so that it goes all the way through both ends of the meat.
• 5 stuff the fruit mixture into the cavity you've created in the ham, then fasten the ham tight with skewers or twine.
• 6 stud the ham with the whole cloves (make a small slice in the meat for each clove) then rub with the brown sugar, patting it onto the ham to adhere.
• 7 place the ham in a roasting pan, then carefully pour over (try not to dislodge the brown sugar too much): the sherry, orange juice, the reserved pineapple juice, and the 1 cup water.
• 8 cover the roaster with the lid or foil and bake at 400 degrees f for 45 minutes.
• 9 remove the ham from the oven, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees f., and decorate the ham with the pineapple slices, canned apricot halves, and candied cherries, fastening them with wooden picks, then spread or drizzle ham with the honey and return to oven.
• 10 bake for an additional 75 minutes, basting frequently.
• 11 transfer the ham to a serving platter.
• 12 skim the fat from the liquid in the roasting pan, then place pan on stove burner on medium low and stir in the currant jelly and the port.
• 13 bring to a boil then strain the mixture into a sauce dish.
• 14 serve ham and sauce, and enjoy!
• 15 note: the ham can be refrigerated after it has been prepared and garnished and then reheated later or the next day if necessary - bring it to serving temperature by baking it at 350 degrees f for 1 1/4 hour (but don't forget to prepare the sauce from the roasting pan juices ahead, too).