Spicy Baked Ham And Sweet Potatoes

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Spicy Baked Ham with Sweet Potatoes

27 hours before serving make this marinade (it’s supposed to marinate 24 hours):

1 cup loosely packed dark brown sugar

¾ cup orange juice (Emeril says fresh but I just use the frozen mixed with water)

¾ cup Creole mustard or other spicy whole-grained mustard

½ cup dark molasses (I use ¾ cup dark Karo syrup instead sometimes)

3 tablespoons horseradish

½ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste; he calls for ½ tsp)

One cooked, bone-in, butt portion ham, 6 to 7 pounds

Rinse the ham and pat dry. Score the ham in a diamond pattern ¼ inch deep. Put the ham in a two-gallon plastic storage bag. Pour the marinade over ham in bag. Refrigerate for 24 hours, turning a couple times.

About 3 hours before you want to serve the ham, preheat the oven to 350 (about 10 to 15 minutes baking time per pound, and 170 degrees in the center of the ham)

For the potatoes:

7 small sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds) peeled

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

Cut the potatoes in quarters and toss with the oil and rest of ingredients. Arrange in bottom of large roasting pan. Remove the ham from marinade and place on potatoes and bake for 45 minutes.

Gently boil the marinade 20 minutes until it has thickened somewhat and will coat the back of the spoon.

Remove the ham from the oven and evenly baste all sides with the marinade. Bake 15 minutes and baste with more marinade every 15 minutes for about 1 ½ hours more. Turn over the potatoes around the edges in the meantime. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with the sweet potatoes and the sauce on the side.

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