Lunch: Glazed Ham with Peach-Ginger Sauce

Recipe by Jeannette A unique tangy and spicy chunky peach sauce perfectly complements traditional glazed ham for an outstanding holiday meal. Vary the amount of ginger and hot pepper to satisfy your own tastes. The Peach-Ginger sauce can be made ahead of

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Apple Cider Vinegar

Health benefits of Glazed Ham with Peach-Ginger Sauce

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Apple cider vinegar will improve your body's sensitivity to insulin (Reference: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281.full)

Ingredients

1 (10 pound) fully-cooked, bone-in ham
2 teaspoons whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown mustard
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup peach nectar
1 cup peach preserves
5 cups frozen peach slices
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1 hot cherry pepper, seeded and minced
1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Use a serrated knife to score the top of the ham in a diamond pattern. Press whole cloves into the ham and place on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours in the preheated oven, or until the internal temperature of the ham has reached 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Cover with aluminum foil if the ham starts to look dry.
While the ham is baking, mix together the cinnamon, mustard and 1/2 cup of brown sugar in a cup or small bowl. Set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, mix together the remaining brown sugar, cider vinegar, peach nectar and peach preserves. Bring to a boil and then stir in the sliced peaches, ginger, cherry pepper and the cinnamon stick. Simmer until the peaches are tender and the sauce has thickened, 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove the ham from the oven and brush liberally with the mustard glaze. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and return the ham to the oven, uncovered.
Bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until glaze is bubbly. Allow the ham to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Serve with hot Peach-Ginger sauce.