Cider-Glazed Ham in Foil
Canned ham, spiced cider glaze, dried apples. The Christmas ham reduced to one foil packet on coals.
- calories
- 540
- weight
- 7.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 72
- protein
- 29 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 8 min
- cook
- 25 min
- total time
- 33 min
- water
- 120 ml cold
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Campfire coals
- Grill grate
- Dutch oven
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Winter / snow
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- Foil packet
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Canned ham | 12 oz | the block kind, drained |
|---|---|---|
| Instant apple cider drink mix | 2 packets | stands in for a jug of cider |
| Brown sugar | 3 tbsp | packed |
| Dijon mustard | 1 tbsp | single-serve packets travel best |
| Ground cloves | 1/4 tsp | |
| Dried apple rings | 1/2 cup | |
| Heavy-duty foil | 2 sheets |
Method
- Burn a fire down to coals, or set a grate over a low bed. Flames will scorch the sugar before the ham warms through.
- Stir the cider mix, brown sugar, mustard, and cloves into 120 ml of cold water in your cup. It should look like thin syrup, not a drink.
- Turn the ham out of the can and cut a shallow crosshatch into the top, about a quarter inch deep. That is where the glaze goes in.
- Double up the foil, set the ham in the middle, and scatter the apple rings around it. Pour half the glaze over the top.
- Fold the foil into a sealed packet and set it on the coals for about 15 minutes.
- Open the packet, pour on the rest of the glaze, and leave it open over the heat another 8 to 10 minutes until the surface goes sticky and dark.
- Let it sit two minutes before slicing, or the glaze runs off onto the ground.
A holiday ham is an oven project built on refrigeration, which is exactly what a campsite lacks. Canned ham solves both problems. It is already cooked and already cured, so the fire is only warming it and setting the glaze, not cooking meat to temperature.
The glaze is the part worth getting right. Instant cider mix carries the apple and the spice without a jug of liquid, and the brown sugar gives it something to caramelize with. Opening the packet for the last ten minutes matters: sealed foil steams, and steam will not build a crust. Dried apples rehydrate in the runoff and end up as the side dish.
Packing
Sugar, cider mix, and cloves get premixed into one bag at home. Mustard packets and dried apples ride with it. The canned ham is the heavy part, so this is a first-night meal.
Variations
- Swap the apple rings for dried cranberries if you want the glaze sharper.
- A cured shelf-stable ham steak works and cooks in half the time.
- No fire, only a stove: sear slices in a pan and reduce the glaze around them.
https://www.awesomecuisine.com/recipes/24910/festive-feast-10-must-try-christmas-recipes