Here’s a classic and delicious glazed ham recipe—perfect for holidays, family dinners, or any special occasion. The glaze is sweet, slightly tangy, and caramelizes beautifully on the ham.
Ingredients:
- 1 fully cooked ham (bone-in or boneless, 6–8 lbs)
- Whole cloves (optional, for studding)
For the glaze:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (or yellow mustard)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or orange juice
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven:
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). - Prepare the ham:
- If your ham has a rind, remove it, leaving a thin layer of fat.
- Score the surface in a diamond pattern about ½ inch deep.
- Optional: Stud each diamond with a whole clove.
- Place ham in a roasting pan:
Put the ham cut-side down on a rack in a roasting pan. - Make the glaze:
In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, honey, mustard, vinegar (or juice), and cinnamon. - Bake the ham:
- Tent the ham with foil and bake for 1 ½–2 hours (about 15–18 minutes per pound).
- Every 20–30 minutes, brush the ham with glaze.
- Caramelize the glaze:
- In the last 20–30 minutes, remove the foil and brush with remaining glaze.
- Increase oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) for the last 10–15 minutes to get a caramelized, golden finish.
- Rest and serve:
- Let the ham rest 10–15 minutes before slicing.
- Serve warm with extra glaze drizzled on top if desired.
Tips:
- For a smoky flavor: Add a few drops of liquid smoke to the glaze.
- For a fruitier glaze: Substitute orange juice or pineapple juice for apple cider vinegar.
- Storage: Leftover ham can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
If you want, I can also give a slow cooker glazed ham version that’s even easier and comes out super tender with minimal effort. Do you want that version too?
