A Ham Of A Tradition

 Every family has dishes and recipes that have been passed down between generations. Some of them are easily understood by others, and some don't make sense outside the family. But that's okay because if you love them, and they conjure up happy memories, that's all that matters. 

This is one of those things that I couldn't truly appreciate until I was an adult. I wasn't a picky eater as a kid, so I can't explain why I didn't enjoy it, but as I've gotten older, it's definitely something I can't imagine not serving with every ham I make. 

This comes to you via me of course, but like so many of my treasured recipes, it originated from my Grammy, my dad's mom. And when I say my daddy can NOT eat a beautiful holiday ham without it, I mean it. It's truly one of his favorite combinations in the world. 

If you try it, it won't take long before you realize well. The citrus flavor pairs so well with ham, the raisins turn into plump little bursts of flavor and the hint of cloves give it a true holiday essence. 

I don't mind making this any time I have a big glazed ham on the menu because one of the best things about it is you can make it ahead and simply rewarm it! I have made it up to 2 days before and it's still perfect. It does thicken as it sits, so sometimes it needs thinned back out, but see the note below on how I handle that.

The last time I made this for my dad he said we probably use way more on each piece of ham than what was intended. Oops. We slather our ham in it. I am pretty sure you're supposed to slightly dip, but oh well. We want ton enjoy it! 

If you're planning a Christmas ham, I would love if you included a family tradition of mine with your holiday meal. I would be honored, in fact!

Orange Raisin Sauce

1 c. water

1 c. orange juice

1 c. raisins

1/4 c. sugar

2 TBS flour

1/4 tsp. salt

Dash of cloves

In a small sauce pan, bring 1/2 cup water, juice and raisins to boil. Dissolve flour in other 1/2 cup water. Whisk into juice mixture. Add sugar, salt and cloves. Bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook until thick, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately or allow to cool and refrigerate. *NOTE* This is a great make ahead. It can be refrigerated up to 2 days before serving and reheated in microwave. It will become thicker as it sits, so simply add some water or juice to thin it back out.