spiral sliced ham coating

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To allow for a more even coating, you might try this approach. First, use granulated sugar, and dont add it to the other spices.

Lightly sprinkle the sugar over the ham while applying the heat from the torch. Keep the torch moving to melt the sugar, but dont burn it. Frequently apply more sugar in an even layer (a sifter works nicely) and follow with the torch. After 7 or 8 applications of sugar followed by the torch, you should have a nice light-golden "sugar flow" running down the sides.

Then shake the other spices (already mixed) over the melted sugar while its still hot, and give it one shot of heat from the torch.
 
Lindsey,
Glad to see there is a Honey Ham guru in the bunch. I have never had one of these types of hams. But I did see on the news, probably around Christmas Eve last year, the local and state police had to set up special traffic barriers, surrounding one of these type of chain places that sell these Honey Hams. First I was shocked they were so popular, than when I found the website, and saw they sell these things for about 70 dollars a pop, I was astonished. Whatcha say you come up here next Christmas and we go into the honey ham business for a few days? /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif
 
Sounds good to me. I think these specialty stores actually lose money during most of the year, probably make a little profit around Easter, but really rake it in for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The one I was with did around $125K per day just before Christmas. Unbelievable.
 
Lindsey,
That's a pretty impressive number. What type of cookers did they use to heat the hams, since I am making an assumption that they were previously cured? Seems a bit labor intensive on the honey glaze part, was all this done by in house people?

Jim
 
We do something very similar, and most people tell us they will never buy another honey baked ham after eating one od these. Brian makes up a spice concoction ( I don't know the amounts or ingredients). Most likely very similar spices to the ones listed here. Makes a paste of the spices and puts all over the ham and puts in the frig for a day. It can be done in the smoker or the oven. The ham is all ready smoked, so if pushed for space in the smoker the oven will do. Then he lets it sit another day before serving.
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I gave this a try again today with another ham. I didn't separate the sugar from the spices, but I did sift it on in small quantities and used the torch on it. I also used the ultra-fine sugar instead of the regular granulated sugar.

It caramelized better, and after about 5 applications I began to get that crunchy glaze I was after. But I'm beginning to think my torch is the problem. It doesn't produce a very big diameter flame, so it's a pain in the butt to maneuver over the large surface of a ham, and it keeps blowing out each time I tip the torch to try to get a better angle with the flame.

What kind of torch are other folks using for this task?

Regards,
Chris
 
Chris,
Seems like Lindsey will have to come back, before we get the real scoop on this deal. But, this thing is getting more of my attention all the time. Like I said, never even had one of these types of hams. That being said, I have a variable temperature, electric heat gun, made by Wagoner. If I recall, the temperature spread is somewhere between 200? and 1000?. I bought the unit, when I needed to strip some paint off of some railing spindles, on the front porch. I think that this type of unit would work much better. Now that I have to try this recipe out, it will be what I am going to use. Seems like a two person job, no matter which way you approach this. I also think a lazy susan would be a perfect match, so you could slightly spin the ham with one hand, and hold the gun in the other. Person #2 could be doing the sugar sprinkling.

Jim
 
The place where I worked received the hams in from somewhere in South Dakota, I think. They were whole hams, already cured. We just spiral sliced them, then applied the coating. The hams stayed referigerated the whole time, up to the sale.

The torch was actually hooked up to a gas line, and was probably larger than most hand held propane torches. It takes a while to get the hang of it. Instead of trying to work the entire top surface of the ham, might I suggest working the very top-say 4 square inches. Try to get the sugar molten so it will flow. Keep from burning the sugar by frequently adding more. As you build a good base, you can add sugar faster, and it should flow down to the sides. Its hard to say how much to add, how much heat to apply, etc... Its kind of a feel thing.

By mixing the spice mix with the sugar, I think you would scorch the spice, but Ive never tried it. Good luck.
 
OK, I'm bringing an old topic back to life here...

I've struggled with this technique for a long time, and tonight I'm watching Unwrapped on the Food Network and, lo and behold, they do a segment on the Honeybaked Ham chain. They show the entire process from slicing to glazing, and the glazing is done exactly as Lindsey described.

The one thing they did that makes glazing so much easier is they placed the ham on its side, so they're glazing a flat surface. I've always placed the ham cut face down, so I'm trying to glaze a near vertical surface. Don't know why I never thought of laying the ham over. Also, they only glaze one side, not all sides.

As Lindsey said, the used a honkin' torch and sprinkled on several layers of plain white sugar using a sifter. Once that base was applied, they sifted two applications of a spice mixture that was lightly torched.

Got me wanting to try my hand at glazing a ham again!

Regards,
Chris
 
I saw that last night too. Seeing the whole process on video de-mystified it for me. I would recommend viewing the show it get a good idea on how to do it. I?m surprised that actually let them film it. Got this off the food-tv site on future showings.


Unwrapped
Episode CW1D11


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December 08, 2003 9:00 PM ET/PT
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Celebrations
Join host, Marc Summers, as he throws a party for the foods we celebrate with. Uncork the mysteries of Martinelli's Sparkling Cider, see how big turkeys get deep fried, and get a slice of how they cut it up at Honey Baked Ham company.
 
To effect a better spread of flame as you crisp up the glaze, one thing I have seen is different blow torch nozzles.

I can't remember where but I have seen a narrow flattened blow torch nozzle that spreads the flame out wide a couple of inches. If I can remember where I saw them I will update here.

Regards,
Preston
 
Yes, it's called a flame spreader. I've got one, here's a pic.

The one they used at the Honeybaked Ham store was a large, round nozzle, probably 2" in diameter. It created a really big flame the enveloped a large portion of the ham, making caramelization easier.

Regards,
Chris
 
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