The 25 Days of Christmas Day 4: Old-Fashioned Christmas Complimented by Deep-Fried Ham Recipe

Merry Christmas Friends,

It's our pleasure to continue the 25 Days of Christmas feature for you, our good friends. December 1st through December 25th you can visit our blog for helpful, money-saving ideas to decorate your space for the holidays. It's just a little something to show our appreciation for your continued support of Interior Design eBlog.

There is truly nothing like an old-fashioned Christmas with family and friends. Incorporate your existing holiday decorations with new pieces. Muted colors bring in the Americana look. A subdued yellow wall color is a great backdrop for the gold and red fabric and decorations throughout the room; it's also a great color for year-round.

Exchange the sectional couches with a pair of deep burgundy couches and some chairs from another room in the house, Bring in the rich textures associated with the Victorian style. People get stuck on thinking that their furniture is meant for only one room in the house; switching furniture is an easy way to get a whole new look for the holidays. Also simplify the tree and the ornaments for a clean, classic presentation.

Enjoy and share this Deep-Fried Ham recipe courtesy of Paula Deen.

Ingredients:

Brine:
1 gallon water
1 gallon apple cider
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cloves
10 pound uncooked ham
Peanut oil, for frying, about 5 gallons

Glaze:
3 cups pineapple juice
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup honey

Directions
In a large plastic tub, place all of the brine ingredients and stir until dissolved. Place the ham in the brine and refrigerate overnight. The following day, take the ham out of the brine and dry well.

Fill your turkey fryer with the peanut oil. Heat the oil to 375 degrees F. *Cook’s Note: For a larger ham, use less oil as the larger the ham, the more liquid displacement there will be.

Place the ham carefully inside the fryer. There is a lot of moisture in the ham, the oil will bubble up intensely, so be careful and lower it very slowly. Cook for 7 1/2 minutes per pound. The ham will be cooked when it is 160 degrees F. inside. Check it with an instant-read thermometer to make sure it is cooked.

Remove the ham carefully letting it cool off and drain of excess oil for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Glaze:
Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan on low heat and let reduce until a syrupy consistency.

Let the glaze cool slightly and then pour it over the deep fried ham. Serve any extra glaze on the side at the table.

Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Cook Time: 1 hr 25 min
Difficulty: Moderate

Check back for more holiday ideas and share your old-fashioned family room with the people most important in your life year-around, family and friends.

Wishing you all the timeless treasures of the season; the warmth of home, the love of family and the company of good friends.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Live well,
Yvonne