Using cola-flavored soda pop in cooking is a southern innovation that is the root of flavoring for a variety delicious dishes, including this one...and it's no secret that southerners are great cooks!

Maggie's Cola Basted Ham

10 pounds ham
6 cups cola-flavored soda (do NOT use diet/sugar free cola)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 cups dry bread crumbs

1. Place ham, fat side down, in a shallow baking pan. Pour soda into pan, or until about 1/2-inch deep.
2. Bake in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 2 to 3 hours, or until the ham is tender, basting with cola every 15 to 20 minutes The internal temperature should read 140°F (60°C) on a meat thermometer. Remove ham from the pan and cool.
3. Cut away the rind and fat with a sharp knife. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, dry mustard, prepared mustard, dry bread crumbs, and enough of the juice to form a thick paste.
4. Place the ham on a roasting rack in the pan and pat the paste on evenly. Add the remaining juices to the bottom of the pan.
5. Increase oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake the ham 45 minutes longer, basting every 15 to 20 minutes until the brown sugar/mustard paste has melted to a dark glaze. Let stand for 30 minutes before slicing.

Makes 25 servings.

Note: Directions are for a bone-in, fully cooked ham. Also called “ready-to-eat’” or “heat-and-serve” ham. A “cook-before-eating” ham must be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C), approximately 18 to 20 minutes per pound.