A two-time "Top Chef" winner has not only shared the significance of ham during the holidays — he's also provided helpful tips to avoid common cooking mistakes and revealed a recipe inspired by his childhood traditions.
Chef Kah-wai "Buddha" Lo won consecutive seasons of "Top Chef" in 2022 and 2023, becoming the show's first two-time winner.
"Ham has a history of being a preserved food, a tradition especially strong in Chinese culture," Lo told Fox News Digital. "Because the holidays fall in winter, when it's too cold to access fresh meat, pigs were typically slaughtered in the fall, then cured to preserve the meat, making it a great meal for the winter season."
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Born in Australia to a father from Hong Kong and a Malaysian mother, Lo grew up around a kitchen. He first learned to cook at his family's Chinese restaurant, where he started working at the age of 12.
That's also where Lo, who now lives in New York, learned to perfect the holiday ham.
Ham, Lo said, is a great holiday meat because it's "accessible for most families, feeds a large group and serves as a beautiful centerpiece to share at the table."
But cooking a ham, he said, can be complicated.
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"One of the main challenges of cooking ham, compared to other meats, is that it isn't something people cook year-round," Lo said.
"Hams are typically associated with the holidays, like pumpkin pie, so many people only cook it once or twice a year and don't get enough practice to master it," he said.
"Additionally, hams often require a larger oven than other meats, which can be a challenge."
Lo said there's a common misconception about how long a ham should be left in an oven.
"Unlike steak, where you can aim for medium-rare, or turkey, which must be fully cooked, ham is already fully cooked," he said. "The real goal is to warm the center of the ham to a specific temperature."
Also complicating matters can be a ham's glaze.
"People often struggle with achieving the right consistency for the glaze," Lo said. "Since this technique isn't used regularly, it can be tricky to manage oven temperatures and ensure the glaze doesn't burn."
Lo shared five common mistakes when it comes to cooking ham and offered some pointers to prevent them.
"Make sure to remove the skin from the ham before scoring it and adding cloves," he said.
"Scoring allows the glaze to absorb directly into the meat, enhancing both its flavor and presentation. Don't toss the skin; it makes a tasty addition to stuffing."
"Caramelizing and burning are two very different things, yet people often end up doing the latter," said Lo.
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"To avoid this common mistake, I recommend using a sugar thermometer to monitor the sugar's temperature," he added. "These thermometers are especially useful as they're designed to read higher temperatures than meat thermometers and are ideal for sugar and caramel."
"Sugar cooks differently from meat," he said.
"If you apply the glaze at the start, it will burn before the center of the ham reaches the desired temperature. Instead, cook the ham on its own for about 20 minutes, then apply the glaze and return it to the oven."
"Most hams sold in the U.S. are already cooked, so you don't need to leave them in the oven as long as you might think," said Lo.
"Nobody likes dry meat. Cook the ham until the internal temperature reaches about 140 degrees Fahrenheit, then take it out and let it rest. The residual heat will continue cooking the ham. This also helps the glaze set, creating a beautiful, hardened coat."
"Bake the ham at a moderate temperature. Low and slow ensures the internal temperature reaches your goal without drying out the meat," he said.
"If needed, you can always add more heat at the very end to finish caramelizing the glaze."
Lo said the secret ingredient in this "stunning, delicious dish" inspired by the flavors he grew up with is the Lee Kum Kee Chili Crisp Oil used to make the glaze.
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"Unlike other chili crisps, this one packs a lot of heat and umami flavor," he said. "Combined with honey, sugar and premium soy sauce, it creates a sweet and spicy glaze that perfectly complements the richness of the ham, giving it a deliciously glazed finish."
4-5 pounds spiral-cut boneless ham (or bone-in, if preferred)
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1 cup chicken stock (or water, to keep the ham moist during baking)
1 cup honey
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Lee Kum Kee Chili Crisp Oil
1 tablespoon Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce
30-40 whole cloves for studding the ham
Prepare the ham
1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the ham cut-side down in a roasting pan.
Bake the ham
3. Insert cloves into the ham, spacing them 1 inch apart.
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4. Add 1 cup of chicken stock (or water) to the pan to keep the ham moist.
5. Bake the ham, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Prepare the glaze
6. Once the ham is done baking, transfer the stock into a bowl to prepare the glaze.
7. In a medium saucepan, combine honey and brown sugar. Heat the mixture to 240 degrees Fahrenheit until it reaches a dark caramel color.
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8. Carefully stir in the reserved stock, soy sauce, and chili crisp oil to lower the temperature. Let the glaze simmer for 5 minutes until it slightly thickens.
Glaze the ham
9. Pour the glaze generously over the ham.
10. Place the ham back in the oven and bake for another 30 minutes, basting with additional glaze every 10 minutes. The ham is ready when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Serve the ham
11. Let the ham rest for a few minutes after removing it from the oven.
12. Carve the ham and drizzle any remaining glaze over the slices before serving. Enjoy!
This recipe is owned by Buddha Lo and was shared with Fox News Digital.
