An Easter ham is a tradition that dates to pre-Christian Europe, when the pig was considered a symbol of luck. But the Easter ham as we know it was more a creation of American marketing than a throwback to the old country.During the 1930s, Chicago meatpackers launched a campaign promoting hams as an Easter dish. According to news accounts from the era, the effort was advertised in more than 100 newspapers and women’s magazines.And thus was born the precooked ham industry, allowing Americans to heat, glaze and serve. That sort of ease makes it simple to forget just how good a fresh ham with a proper glaze can be.A fresh ham technically isn’t a ham; it’s a roast, says Scott Peacock, an expert on Southern cooking. The term “ham” refers to a hog leg that has been preserved using some combination of water, salt and cold smoke, giving the meat its pink color.A fresh ham is the raw leg of a hog, usually with skin and bone intact. Since this cut can be tough, and you don’t have the benefit of a brine to tenderize, cooking it at low temperature for a longer period is the best bet.But it’s worth the wait. Bone-in fresh hams can be wonderfully flavorful. And thanks to a brief initial roasting at 450 degrees, this recipe also produces a tasty outer crust (where the skin has been rubbed with salt, pepper and oil).It is important to score a cross hatch pattern into the skin. This allows the juices and glaze to sink into the meat as it cooks. But be sure not to cut all the way through the fat and into the meat, which can dry out the meat. You will need a strong arm and a sharp knife.While sweet glazes are traditional, fresh hams do well with a more balanced flavor combination. In this case, the glaze has a hint of sweetness from jarred chutney and a kick of spice from hot sauce.And to keep things easy, the dish is finished by adding halved new potatoes to the pan drippings during the final 45 minutes of roasting. An instant side dish with almost no extra effort.To carve the ham, start at the thick end and cut into thin slices working against the grain.

FRESH HAM WITH CHUTNEY GLAZE-Yield: 10 servings

1 (10-pound) bone-in fresh ham (shank or shoulder) with skin intactKosher salt and ground black pepper2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 cup mango chutney2 cups chicken broth1-2 tablespoons hot sauce1 head garlic, cloves skinned1 large yellow onion, quartered2 pounds new potatoes, halved

Procedure:1. About 30 minutes before cooking, remove ham from refrigerator. Cut away any excess fat, but leave the skin and the fat under it intact. While ham sits, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Use knife to cut diamond hatch pattern over surface of ham. To do this, cut multiple lines first in one direction, then in the other. You should cut just through the skin and into, but not through, the layer of fat beneath it.2. When oven is hot, place roasting pan in oven on middle rack. Liberally sprinkle ham with salt, pepper and oil. Remove roasting pan from oven and carefully place ham, cut side down, in it. Roast 20 minutes, or until skin turns golden brown.3. Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, combine chutney, broth and hot sauce. Puree until smooth.4. Reduce oven to 325 degrees. Remove ham from oven. Scatter garlic and onions into pan around the ham, then use a large spoon to liberally baste ham with a bit of glaze. Reserve remaining glaze. Cover ham with parchment paper, then with foil. Bake another 3 1/2-4 1/2 hours, basting with reserved glaze every 30 minutes. If you run out of glaze, baste using liquid in bottom of roasting pan.5. About 45 minutes before ham is done, fill roasting pan around it with potatoes. Toss gently to coat with drippings.6. The ham is done when an instant thermometer inserted at the thickest part of the meat (without touching bone) reads 160 degrees. Remove roast from pan and let it rest on cutting board 15-20 minutes. Strain any remaining juices in the pan into a gravy bowl and serve with ham roast.

This Easter try serving a fresh ham, which is the same cut as the usual spiral cut, fully cooked fare, but without the preserving process, and the usual pink color. The balanced glaze made from chutney and hot sauce goes nicely with the fresh meat. Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS