If you’re looking to defy expectations at your next holiday feast, boy do we have a recipe for you. Check out our recipe for an apple cider and balsamic glazed spiral ham! This mouthwatering recipe is perfect for special occasions or holiday gatherings, where you can impress your guests with its succulent flavors and impressive presentation.  

The star of this dish is a juicy Appleton Farms spiral sliced half ham, cooked to perfection in the oven. But that's not all! The ham is nestled on a bed of fresh apples and onions, such as the sweet and crisp fuji apples, which add a burst of flavor and a touch of natural sweetness to balance out the savory ham. The onions provide a subtle tang and depth of flavor, making the dish even more aromatic and inviting.  

To elevate the dish to new heights, we have a delectable glaze made with apple cider and balsamic vinegar. As the cider and vinegar reduce, their flavors intensify, resulting in a rich and tangy glaze that is simply irresistible. The addition of brown sugar adds a hint of sweetness and depth to the glaze, creating a perfect balance of flavors.  

The glaze is thickened with corn starch, which helps to create a luscious and glossy coating for the ham and the apples and onions. It’s important for the corn starch to be dissolved in cold water before being added to the glaze, ensuring a smooth and even consistency.  

As the ham bakes in the oven, the glaze caramelizes and coats the ham, creating a beautiful golden crust that is both sweet and tangy. The apples and onions also absorb the flavors of the glaze, becoming tender and caramelized, complementing the ham perfectly.  

One of the best features of this process? The aroma of the apple cider and balsamic glazed spiral ham wafts through your kitchen, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The sweet and tangy flavors of the glaze, combined with the savory ham and the caramelized apples and onions, produce a harmonious symphony of tastes that will leave your taste buds dancing with delight.  

It can be served as the main course, accompanied by your favorite sides or sliced and used in sandwiches or salads. With its incredible flavors, beautiful presentation and easy-to-follow directions, the apple cider and balsamic glazed spiral ham is a show-stopping dish that will impress your guests and become a favorite recipe for special occasions. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven and get ready to indulge in this irresistible and flavorful ham dish that will leave everyone craving for more!  

Prep Time:  20 minutes   |    Cook Time:  2 hours, 20  minutes   |    Total Time:  2 hours, 40  minutes   |    Servings:  12

Ingredients:

• 5 fresh apples such as Fuji, sliced into 8-10 wedges each
• 2 large onions, halved and sliced
• 1 teaspoon  Stonemill  Iodized Salt, plus additional to taste
• Stonemill  Ground Black Pepper, to taste
• 4 tablespoons  Baker's Corner  Brown Sugar, divided
• 3 tablespoons  Baker's Corner  Corn Starch, divided*
• 1/4 cup  Countryside Creamery  Unsalted Butter, cut into cubes
• 1  Appleton Farms  Spiral Sliced 1/2 Ham*
• 4 cups  Nature's Nectar  Apple Cider*
• 2 cups  Priano  Balsamic Vinegar*
• 2 tablespoons water

*These are ALDI Find or Seasonal items that are only in stores for a limited time and may no longer be available.

Directions:  

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Place apples and onions in the bottom of a roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 tablespoon corn starch and toss to coat evenly. Scatter butter cubes evenly over top. Place ham on top of apple and onion mixture and bake for 1 hour. Stir apples and onions and continue baking for about 30 minutes or until ham has about 15 minutes remaining to bake.
2. To make the glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine apple cider and balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. Cook until liquid has reduced by about half. Turn off heat, add 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt and whisk to dissolve. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of cold water with 2 tablespoons corn starch. Bring sauce to a boil again and add corn starch mixture, whisking constantly until sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
3. When the ham has 10-15 minutes remaining to bake, remove from oven and adjust oven temperature to 375°. Apply glaze evenly over entire ham and drizzle over apple and onion mixture. Return the ham to the oven until ham is heated through and glaze is beginning to caramelize.
4. Serve each slice of ham with the glazed apples and onions.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Kates, ALDI Test Kitchen