The Ree Drummond-Approved Way To Serve Easter Ham

Easter Sunday is coming up, and if you're still looking for a way to serve your ham, look no further. The Pioneer Woman (whose ranch has some shady history), Ree Drummond, released a video detailing her Easter Sunday meal, which included useful tips for your ham in order to gain her approval. Her tips include the type of ham to buy, how to prep it for baking, and how to make Drummond's sweet, tangy glaze.

Unless you have a crowd, a whole ham is too much food. Drummond recommends a bone-in half ham, which is typically 6 to 9 pounds. She suggests serving around ¾ of a pound of ham per person. Look for fully-cooked, non-spiral-cut ham. She then scores a crosshatch pattern over the surface of the ham with a knife, cutting just into the skin and fat. This allows the fat to render and gives the glaze little canyons to accumulate and stick to. Drummond puts cloves in each intersection of cuts to give it a pleasing look and add a hint of clove flavor.

The glaze is where most of the flavor lives, and Drummond doesn't skimp. Her recipe includes lots of brown sugar, a generous amount of mustard, and then a can of Dr. Pepper. Drummond suggests Coke as an alternative if that's what you have on hand. After the ham bakes for about two and a half hours under a tent of aluminum foil, remove the foil and add the glaze. Glaze the ham multiple times, roughly every 20 minutes.

The rest of Ree Drummond's Easter Sunday menu includes carrot cake, creamy potatoes, asparagus, whiskey carrots, deviled eggs, and rolls. The foods are all very comforting, with soda as the only surprising, nontraditional ingredient. Eggs have a long association with Easter, dating back to spring festivals where they served as a symbol of potential wealth and good luck. Add all of these items together, and the end result is a classic-looking Easter meal.

Drummond dresses her table with flowers to celebrate the return of Spring. Decorating your table and serving your ham with fresh flowers brings the season into the home. Keep in mind the scent of the flowers. You will want to ensure the smell won't overpower your ham!

The number one part of serving the ham is the guests. After all the food is ready, enjoy it with friends and family and your finest dishware. Easter is a time to celebrate the return of the sun and warm weather with your loved ones.