Ingredients
Aretha Franklin’s Queen of Soul Ham
Aretha Franklin once said to an interviewer that soul “could be many things
to many people, because it is a feeling. Painters and artists have soul.
Even a chef has soul.” This recipe for glazed ham is a longtime favorite of
the Franklin family, prepared for holidays, celebrations, or whenever the
urge to cook it strikes. Aretha makes her ham the centerpiece of almost all
her family gatherings, which are usually served as a buffet with each
relative and friend contributing a dish.
Serves 12.
1 (12 to 14 pound) fully cooked, bone-in ham
Cloves
1 (16 ounce) box light brown sugar
3 tablespoons French’s mustard
1 (8 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained
1 (12 ounce) ginger-ale (preferably Vernor’s)
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple rings
Baker’s coconut for garnish, optional
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Using a paring knife, score the ham, creating a diamond pattern. Insert
cloves into the corners of each diamond. Place the ham on a rack set in a 12
x 15-inch roasting pan. Cover loosely with foil, and bake until ham appears
juicy, about 30 minutes.
Place brown sugar and mustard in a medium bowl, and stir to combine.
Gradually add ginger ale to brown sugar mixture until a pourable consistency
is achieved; you may not need the whole can. Remove ham from oven and remove
foil. Pour brown sugar mixture over ham, and, using a pastry brush, coat the
sides. Cover ham with foil, return to oven, and cook for 1 hour, basting
every 20 minutes. Remove foil for last 20 minutes. __.
