Ingredients

For the roast:
1 bone-in fresh half ham with skin, 6 to 8 pounds, preferably shank end, rinsed

For the brine:
4 cups kosher salt or 2 cups table salt
3 cups packed dark or light brown sugar
2 heads garlic, cloves separated, lightly crushed and peeled
10 bay leaves
1/2 cup black peppercorns, crushed

For garlic and herb rub:
1 cup lightly packed sage leaves from 1 large bunch
1/2 cup parsley leaves from 1 bunch
8 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon kosher salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Glaze (recipes follow)

For the roast: Carefully slice through skin and fat with serrated knife, making 1-inch diamond pattern. Be careful not to cut into meat.

For the brine: In large (about 16-quart) bucket or stockpot, dissolve salt and brown sugar in 1 gallon hot tap water. Add garlic, bay leaves, crushed pepper, and 1 gallon cold water. Submerge ham in brine and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours.
Set large disposable roasting pan on baking sheet for extra support; place flat wire rack in roasting pan. Remove ham from brine; rinse under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Place ham, wide cut-side down, on rack. (If using sirloin end, place ham skin-side up.) Let ham stand, uncovered, at room temperature 1 hour.

For the rub:
Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 500 F. In workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, process sage, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and oil until mixture forms smooth paste, about 30 seconds. Rub all sides of ham with paste.
Roast ham at 500 F for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F and continue to roast, brushing ham with glaze every 45 minutes, until center of ham registers 145 F to 150 F on instant-read thermometer, about 2 1/2 hours longer. Tent ham loosely with foil and let stand until center of ham registers 155 F to 160 F on thermometer, 30 to 40 minutes. Carve and serve. Serves 8 to 10.

Variation: Coca-Cola Ham.
Follow the recipe for Roast Fresh Ham, substituting 6 liters Coke Classic for both hot and cold water in brine, omitting sugar, and reducing salt to 3 cups kosher salt or 1 1/2 cups table salt. Proceed as directed, rubbing ham with garlic and herb mixture and using Coca-Cola Glaze with Lime and Jalapeno (recipe follows).

Cider and Brown Sugar Glaze

1 cup apple cider
2 cups packed dark or light brown sugar
5 whole cloves

Bring cider, brown sugar and cloves to boil in small nonreactive saucepan over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until syrupy and reduced to about 1 and 1/3 cups, 5 to 7 minutes. (Glaze will thicken as it cools between bastings; cook over medium heat about 1 minute, stirring one or twice, before using.) Makes 1 and 1/3 cups, enough to glaze ham.

Coca-Cola Glaze with Lime and Jalapeño

1 cup Coke Classic
1/4 cup juice from 2 limes
2 cups packed dark or light brown sugar
2 medium jalapeño chilies, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Directions

Bring Coke Classic, lime juice, brown sugar and jalape?os to boil in small nonreactive saucepan over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until syrupy and reduced to about 1 and 1/3 cups, 5 to 7 minutes. (Glaze will thicken as it cools between bastings; heat over medium heat about 1 minute, stirring once or twice, before using.) Makes between 1 and 1/3 cups, enough to glaze ham.