Ways to elevate your smoked Christmas ham this holiday season

Are you looking for a way to amp up the flavours of the usual dishes you serve for a Christmas meal for your upcoming post-Christmas holiday party?

With the holiday season being stressful even after Christmas, from the numerous gatherings to attend or host, you’d want to prepare dishes that don’t take up too much of your time for prepping and cooking.

Smoked Christmas ham is one such traditional dish that’s easy to prepare as most store-bought ham is already cooked.

Here are a few ideas for you to follow to elevate your smoked Christmas ham this festive season.

1. Add a glaze

A good glaze can instantly enhance the flavour of smoked ham. A sweet and savoury glaze that’s seasoned with a smoky sauce can complement the flavour of the ham without being too overpowering.

You can also opt for a brown sugar glaze made from a sauce that’s both sweet and tart, and also spiced with a blend of spices.

2. Put together a flavourful stuffing

Stuffing doesn’t have to be reserved for just your Christmas turkey. You can stuff your smoked Christmas ham with diced apples, cranberries, cinnamon, and spicy seasoning with a hint of citrus to tie together the flavours of the fruits.

If you’d like to add texture to complement the juicy ham, you can opt for dried nuts for some crunch.

3. Use a rub

Combining the right type of spices and herbs into a rub can further elevate the smoky flavour of the ham and will have your guests reaching for more.

Try incorporating seasoning that has the perfect blend of sugar and spice or a rub that has the dominant flavours of black pepper and seasoned garlic salt. If you used flavoured wood to smoke the ham, a spicy rub is an ideal choice.

4. Baste the ham

Basting smoked ham with butter or oil can help keep the meat moist and add to its diverse flavour profile.

Apart from basting the ham with oil, make sure to use a marinade that’s made of a spicy and herby seasoning to give the meat an extra punch of flavour that can shine through once it has been basted.

Prepare the best smoked Christmas ham for your holiday party

These are just a few ideas to get you started on elevating your smoked ham this year. With a little creativity and some experimentation, you can create a truly delicious holiday meal!

Make sure to stock up on some aromatic seasonings and marinades to give your smoked Christmas ham a unique flavour profile.