Country Ham with Brown Sugar Coating

1 (10 to 12 pound) uncooked country ham
1 (64 ounce) bottle apple juice
2 teaspoons ground cloves
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons dry sherry, red wine, or cider vinegar

Place ham in a large container. Cover with water, and let soak 24 hours.

Drain. Scrub ham in warm water with a stiff brush; rinse well. Place ham in a large cooking container. Insert meat thermometer, making sure it does not touch fat or bone. Add apple juice. Add enough hot water to cover ham. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 2 hours or until meat thermometer registers 142 degrees F.

Let ham cool in drippings 3 hours. Remove from drippings. Cover and refrigerate ham at least 8 hours.

Trim skin from ham. Place ham, fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle fat with ground cloves. Combine brown sugar and sherry; brush over ham. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes or until coating is golden and crusty (ham will be cool). Slice thinly to serve.

Makes 30 servings.