Maggies Coca-Cola Basted Ham

This ham gets basted with Coca-Cola every 15-20 minutes as it roasts low and slow, then finished with a dark brown sugar and double-mustard paste that melts into a crackling, caramelized glaze. The cola’s sugar and acidity do double duty: tenderizing the meat while building layers of sticky, mahogany-colored flavor on the surface.

Start with a standard bone-in precooked ham from the meat counter. Not a canned ham, not a specialty cure. Just a straightforward bone-in that can handle hours of slow roasting and repeated basting without drying out.

The glaze paste is where the magic happens. Dark brown sugar, both dry and prepared mustard, and fine bread crumbs mixed with just enough cola to form a thick paste get patted over the trimmed ham. As the oven temperature bumps up for the final 45 minutes, that crust transforms into something dark, sticky, and intensely savory-sweet.

Chef Tips

• Baste religiously every 15-20 minutes. Each layer of cola caramelizes on the surface, building depth. Set a timer so you don’t forget.
• Trim the rind and fat AFTER the first roast, not before. That fat layer bastes the meat from the inside during the long, slow cook.
• Let it rest a full 30 minutes before slicing. A hot ham shreds instead of slicing cleanly, and the juices need time to settle back into the meat.
• Use a meat thermometer. You’re looking for 140°F (60°C) at the center after the first roast.

Variations

• Use Dr. Pepper or cherry cola for a slightly different sweetness profile.
• Add ground cloves and cinnamon to the glaze paste for a more traditional holiday spice crust.
• Score the ham in a diamond pattern before applying the paste so the glaze sinks into the grooves.