RAISIN SAUCE FOR HAM
Thanksgiving and Christmas are times for ham, though for some it also may be served at Super Bowl parties and for Easter. For ham, I like it pre-sliced to avoid the necessity of carving, and it makes it easy for left-over sandwiches. That said, I have always liked a sauce to complement the meat.
With that in mind, many years ago I dreamed up a recipe for raisin sauce to complement the ham. Over the years, including after Debbie and I were married, many people have asked for the recipe. Somebody besides me likes it!
Regarding the Raisin Sauce let’s set the stage. This a very Low-Fat recipe but the recipe has sugar and most of the ingredients also contain sugar. This is a splurge, particularly with the ham, but Holidays are a time to splurge! Just not too often to keep your heart-healthy regime going.
Also, this recipe is good for a pretty large crowd, so if you are a smaller group with a smaller ham you might want to halve the recipe. So here goes, you need:
- 16 OZ DARK RAISINS
- 8 OZ GOLDEN RAISINS
- 6 OZ CRANBERRIES
- 4-5 BOTTLED MARASCHINO CHERRIES – crushed or sliced into tiny pieces with some juice from the bottle
- 20 OZ APPLE JUICE to cover fruit
- ¼ CUP WHITE SUGAR
- ¼ CUP DARK BROWN SUGAR (LT BROWN SUGAR CAN BE SUBSTITUTED – if you do this you can just skip the white sugar and double the light brown sugar)
- 1 TSP CINNAMON
- ½ TSP GROUND CLOVES
- ½ TSP ALL SPICE (YOU CAN USE ALL CLOVES AND NO ALL SPICE- THEN DOUBLE-UP ON THE CLOVES)
Place all ingredients in a large pot being sure that the apple juice covers all the fruit. Bring to boil for about 5-10 minutes and then lower the heat. You want the cranberries to soften and pop. This should take 15-20 minutes in all. If the cranberries are cranky and don’t pop, then raise the heat for an extra 5-10 minutes.
It is necessary for all the fruit to soften but all the cranberries do not have to pop. It’s a nice consistency if some of the cranberries retain their shape as will the raisins. If the sauce seems too thick you may need a few more ounces of juice.
Stir every few minutes during cooking. I taste test to adjust the sugar and spices during the cooking process. WHILE STILL HOT ADJUST SEASONING TO TASTE. If needed– ADD MORE SUGAR OR SPICES and thoroughly stir to be sure any additions blend well.
Hint– if you don’t like too much spice go easy on the All Spice, Cloves and Cinnamon and then add as you taste test.
Let the sauce cool and refrigerate. It will thicken as it cools.
Hint: The sauce is best made a day or two ahead of time so that the flavors blend thoroughly. When serving, if it seems to thick just mix in one or two ounces of apple juice, stirring as you go. Go slow, adding the extra juice so that it does not become too runny.
The raisin sauce is best served at room temperature or very slightly warmed.
NOTE: The raisin sauce is also very good over vanilla ice cream.
Also, if there are any leftovers, be aware that as it ages it becomes more like the fruit in a Mince Pie.
Prep Time – 35-40 minutes but active time – 15-20 minutes
Bob Mandell – 239-249-9575 Bobm@StrokeRF.org
