Ham for a Sunday

Ham always seems like a good choice for Sunday dinner, and leftovers are handy for quick meals during the week.  This recipe calls for a large smoked ham and it will feed ten people.  An easy raisin sauce is made with the cooking juices, and the meal is rounded out with baked sweet potatoes.

Maple Syrup Ham with Raisin Sauce

1 smoked ham (6 to 7 pounds)
1 quart apple juice
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 cup golden raisins
Baked sweet potatoes, halved

1.  Heat ham, apple juice, and maple syrup in an 8-quart iron pot or Dutch oven over medium heat to boiling.  Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 2-1/2 hours.  Remove ham from Dutch oven; trim outer skin from ham.  Place ham on a serving platter; cover and keep warm.
2.  Measure the cooking liquid.  Return 1 cup of the cooking liquid to the pan.  Reserve 3 cups of the remaining liquid.  Whisk flour and mustard into the 1 cup liquid in Dutch oven.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth.  Add raisins and 3 cups reserved liquid to the flour mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly, about 10 minutes.  Serve ham with baked sweet potatoes and pass the raisin sauce.   Serves ten.