Dijon mustard is the element that keeps the glaze from tipping too far into sweetness. Its clean, slightly sharp tang cuts through the richness of the sugar, honey, and cola and adds a savory complexity that’s not identifiable as mustard in the finished dish — just as a well-balanced flavor. Two tablespoons is the right amount. Yellow mustard can substitute for a milder result.
Ground cloves are optional but genuinely excellent here. Cloves and ham are a traditional pairing with deep historical roots in American and European holiday cooking, and for good reason — the warm, slightly pungent spice of cloves complements the sweetness of the glaze and the saltiness of the ham with a precision that’s difficult to achieve with any other single spice. One teaspoon ground cloves in the glaze is the right quantity: present, aromatic, but not dominant.
Ingredients
1 fully cooked spiral-cut ham, 6–8 lbs
2 cups (approximately one 12 oz can) regular cola
¾ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
¼ cup honey
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp ground cloves (optional but recommended)
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