Ingredients
- 2.5 kg fully cooked bone-in ham
- 180 ml Québec maple syrup
- 60 ml Dijon mustard
- 30 ml apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 250 ml water
Method
- Heat the oven to 165°C and place the ham cut-side down in a roasting pan with the water.
- Whisk the maple syrup, mustard, vinegar, and cloves.
- Cover and roast for 90 minutes, basting twice with pan juices.
- Uncover, brush generously with the maple glaze, and roast 30–40 minutes more, basting every 10 minutes.
- Rest 15 minutes before slicing.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 150 g brown sugar, often combined with molasses
Conversion used: Use 180 ml maple syrup for 150 g brown sugar; omit molasses and reduce the added water by 60 ml. Roast at 15°C below the usual 180°C glaze temperature to prevent scorching.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple gives the classic ham glaze a clean woodsy aroma and balances mustard and smoke. It replaces refined sugar with a distinctly local Québec ingredient and a smaller processed-sugar footprint.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →