Diet Soda-Baked Ham with Cherry-Orange Glaze

Okay wow, this recipe looks fantastic. I mean, how can you go wrong with Emeril? Oh yeah babe.

Diet Soda-Baked Ham with Cherry-Orange Glaze
Adapted from Food Network's "Emeril Live"
Ingredients:
1 12 to15 pound fully cooked bone-in ham
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 2 liter bottle diet soda
¾ cup cherry preserves or jelly
¼ cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons orange flavored liqueur (Grand Marnier recommended)
Biscuits or dinner rolls, accompaniment
Creole mustard, accompaniment

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Trim rind and excess fat from ham, leaving a ¼ inch thick layer of fat. With a sharp knife, score the fat in a diamond pattern. Place the ham in a large roasting pan and sprinkle with allspice. Pour the cola into the pan and bake uncovered 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting every 15 minutes with the pan juices.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the cherry preserves, orange juice and liqueur over medium heat. Cook, stirring until melted, for about 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove the ham from the oven and brush the top and sides with the cherry glaze. Return the ham to the oven and bake, brushing with pan juices and glaze every 15 minutes and tenting the ham with foil if browning too quickly, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham, without touching the bone, registers 140 degrees Fahrenheit (about 15 to 30 minutes).

Remove the ham from the oven. Let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature, thinly sliced, with biscuits or dinner rolls and mustard to make sandwiches.

BAM!!! Enjoy!