Double-Smoked Orange-Bourbon Easter Ham & Potatoes Au Gratin

Ham, it’s not just for Easter!

One of the most common meals served on Easter Sunday is Baked Ham.  It is not the only meal associated with Easter, but it is definitely the most popular.   It is easy, delicious and is readily available in most supermarkets.  The nice part about ham is that it is really readily available year round, so it doesn’t just have to be for a holiday.. You know what I mean, how many times a year do you make a whole turkey?  Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Ham is so easy and versatile that it can be easily served year-round.  Heck, when you buy a spiral ham in the store, it is already cooked, we are simply reheating it!  They will normally come with a glaze packet to coat the ham with but for a relatively inexpensive investment, you can really elevate your holiday dinner by making your own glaze.  This Orange Bourbon Glaze that @cptnron302 made for this ham was absolutely out of this world.  It added so much flavor to an already tasty roast.  The sweet from the citrus and the kick from the bourbon really make for a taste bud tingling treat.

The Ham 

When you go to the store to pick out a ham, you will have a few choices.  There is always a fresh ham which has not been cooked yet, a boneless ham, a bone in smoked ham that is not sliced and the ham that we used, a pre smoked, spiral cut ham on the bone.  Of all of the hams, we feel that this gives the best final result without having to spend all day tending to the meal.  Plus, it is already sliced so all that you have to do is give a quick carve from the bone and it is ready to serve.  I know that I would rather spend more time sitting and eating with the family than spending the whole day cooking.  Well, they do both have their merits.  Shhh, don’t tell Aunt Mabel that I said that she’s very sensitive.  LOL

The Side Dish

As much as I love a good main course, my favorite part of the meal just may be all of the tasty side dishes.  I could easily make an entire meal out of just the sides and be plenty happy.  When it comes to holiday meals, there are so many different choices, some easy and some very complicated though.  Well this week we decided to give you a simple side dish that will wow your guests, Potatoes Au Gratin.    This potato bake that was invented by the French just may be one of my favorite side dishes of all time.  I mean potatoes, cream, cheese and garlic.  How can it be bad?  Easy, it can’t!

Potatoes Au Gratin vs Scalloped Potatoes

These two dishes are very similar in appearance, cooking times as well as flavor.  The real big difference is that Scalloped potatoes are traditionally made with a roux (flour and butter combined and cooked) and do not contain cheese.  Many newer recipes actually do call for the cheese, but Julia Child would be turning in her grave if she knew that.  

Au Gratin potatoes are generally sliced much thinner than those in Scalloped Potatoes.  I sliced these 1/8” thick using a mandolin for this recipe while Scalloped Potatoes are thicker and can easily be sliced with a Chef’s knife.  

Lastly, although I did not opt for them in this recipe, Potatoes Au Gratin can have a layer of breadcrumbs layered across the top while baking.  Although beautiful and delicious, I omitted them because I figured that between the cream and the cheese, these were already going to make my belt line mad and  I can use all of the help that I can get.  Lots of little changes can make a big difference.  I hope….

Fun Tools To Use

The last thing that I will cover about this holiday meal are the fun cooking toys that we got to use.  The Drip n Griddle pan is a must have item for any griller that loves to make more than just the everyday burger or steak.  The grate in the pan has so many uses that it would be hard to list them all here.  For this cook, it was especially useful because the sugars in the glaze tend to start to burn as the coo goes on and the grate in the pan keeps the meat out of that burnt stuff and prevents bitter flavors.

The next is the Bricknic.  The Bricknic is a rectangular natural clay cooking pot with a lid that, just like the Drip n Griddle pan, has a ton of uses.  It may as well have been made specifically for this cook.  The potatoes Au Gratin recipe comes together and cooks so evenly in it that I almost felt guilty….almost.

The Bricknic can be used in a grill, smoker, oven, stovetop or even in a fireplace.  You can steam, grill, or boil your favorite ingredients right inside this nifty little cooker and have fantastic results.

Happy Easter   

We hope that you will try out these simple yet delicious recipes this Easter or any other any of the year as they are easy as well as delicious.  When you do make something that we have shown you, please make sure to tag us if you post photo’s on social media.  We love to see what you create and just may even share it on our social media as well.  Have a very Happy Easter, remember to get out and grill and we look forward to seeing you again the next time on The FOGO Life.

Directions:

1. Fill your grill with FOGO Super Premium Charcoal and prepare it for indirect smoking at 350°.  Add 4 Smoke Your Bourbon Smoking Blocks just prior to putting the ham on the grill.
2. Place the garlic cloves on a food processor and mince.  Add the marmalade, mustard, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice and pulse until smooth.
3. Place the ham on the grate on Drip n Griddle pan and pour the glaze over the ham.  Use the basting brush to fully coat the entire ham.  You can even lift the slices and use the brush to get some glaze in between the slices for some great extra flavor.
4. Place a layer of potatoes in the bottom of the Bricknic.  
5. Combine the butter, cream and garlic in a measuring cup and stir.
6. Pour a thin layer of the cream sauce over the potatoes.  Sprinkle with a layer of cheese, salt and pepper and thyme.  Add another layer of potatoes and repeat.  Continue until the Bricknic is almost full but do not sprinkle cheese on the top layer.
7. Place the Bricknic on one side of the grate, leaving room for the ham on the pan.  Hey, that rhymes…. 
8. After 15 minutes of cooking, place the Meater Thermometer into the ham and place the ham on the pan on the grill.  Smoke until the ham has reached 140° F.  You can baste the ham with the sauce in the bottom of the pan during cooking.
9. Once the ham has reached temperature(about 1 hour), remove from the grill.  Uncover the Bricknic and add the last layer of cheese.  The potatoes should be soft and tender.  Continue to cook while the ham rests for 10-15 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melted.
10. Carve the ham and serve the potatoes for a happy and delicious Easter Dinner!