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Don’t skimp on flavor for your next holiday meal by baking this stunning centerpiece Easy Honey Glazed Ham. This ham recipe is so simple to make and will leave you with a happy family.
An easy Honey Glazed Ham recipe is great because of its simplicity, versatility, and it produces a moist holiday dish in no time. There is no need to spend all day over a stove with this simple but custom recipe for your next Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas meal.
If you are looking for some good side dishes or desserts to go with this ham, look at this German Potato Salad Recipe, these Dill Pickle Deviled Eggs, or this Jello Mandarin Orange Salad. Whatever you make, make sure to treat yourself!
🍯 Ingredients
Ham is the star of this recipe, but you need a few other things to make it great. Here is a list!
See the recipe card for quantities.
🍖 How To Buy A Ham
Choosing the right ham is key to our “Easy Honey Glazed Ham” recipe. Opt for a bone-in, spiral-cut ham to infuse deep flavor and ensure the glaze deliciously coats every slice. Aim for ¾ to 1 lb per person to guarantee enough for everyone. Seek out a ham with a firm texture, a rosy color, and minimal added water, indicators of quality that promise a tasty, moist end result. Remember, a good choice here sets the stage for a memorable meal.
🍲 Instructions
Start by preheating your oven to 325° Fahrenheit. Take your ham out of its packaging, wrap it in foil, and set it cut-side down in a roasting pan.
A neat trick to keep the ham moist is adding a bit of water to the pan’s bottom. Just a tad… maybe 1/2 a cup. Place it on the middle rack of your oven.
Since we’re dealing with a spiral-cut ham that’s already cooked, your goal here is merely to reheat it to an internal temperature of 140° Fahrenheit. This should take roughly 15 minutes per pound, so a 10-pound ham would need about 150 minutes in the oven. Remember, the cooking time may vary based on the ham’s weight, so adjust accordingly. Use a meat thermometer if you have one.
About 45 minutes before your ham is done, grab a saucepan and mix together the honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, orange juice, ground cloves, thyme, butter, and soy sauce to create your glaze. Heat this mixture over medium-low, stirring until the sugar dissolves and thickens slightly.
Start the glazing process about 30 minutes before completion. Remove the foil. Brush your ham with the glaze several times. Baste it with the pan juices every 10 minutes to keep it flavorful and moist.
After the ham reaches the internal temperature of 140° Fahrenheit, remove it from the oven. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving. This brief pause allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring your ham is succulent and ready to impress.
🤷 Substitutions and variations
Don’t want the bone? Go boneless. I love keeping the bones for soups, but not everybody does. Also, I think it adds just a tad of tenderness to the final product. If you want to make things a bit easier to cut, go boneless.
If honey isn’t your jam, feel free to swap it out for maple syrup for a different kind of sweetness. Brown sugar can be replaced with white sugar if that’s what you have on hand, affecting the glaze’s flavor subtly.
Not a fan of orange juice? Apple cider vinegar can step in, offering a tangy twist that still complements the ham beautifully. And for those watching their salt intake, low-sodium soy sauce is a perfect substitute, ensuring the dish remains flavorful without the extra sodium kick.
Lastly, either fresh or dried thyme works— remember, for dried spices a little goes a long way. These simple swaps ensure your ham is not just a meal but a wonderful dinner for you and your guests.
📦 Storage
If you find yourself with too much ham, the good news is that ham stores beautifully. Wrap the leftover ham tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place it in the fridge. Properly stored, it will keep for up to 5 days, making it a gift that keeps on giving.
If you’re looking ahead and want to save some for even later, freezing is your friend. Wrap the ham in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil, or place it in a freezer bag, squeezing out as much air as possible.
Frozen ham maintains its quality for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator when you’re ready for to eat it. These storage tips ensure that not a single slice of your delicious ham goes to waste, making your culinary efforts last and providing tasty options for future meals.
🎓 History tidbit
The history of ham in cooking is as rich and diverse as the flavors it brings to the table. Dating back to ancient times, ham has been a staple in cultures worldwide, cherished for its ability to be preserved through salting, smoking, or curing. This made it an invaluable resource for sailors and explorers, providing a source of protein on long journeys.
In Europe, particularly in countries like Italy, Spain, and France, the art of curing ham evolved into a culinary tradition, giving birth to delicacies like Prosciutto, Serrano, and Bayonne ham. Each region developed its unique methods, influencing local cuisines and becoming integral to their identity.
Today, ham continues to be a centerpiece in festive celebrations and everyday meals alike, from the Easter hams of North America to the Christmas hams of Europe. Its versatility allows it to be enjoyed in countless ways, transcending cultures and bringing people together over shared meals. The legacy of ham in cooking is not just about preservation but about the celebration of community and tradition across the globe.
❓ FAQ
Absolutely! While Dijon mustard is recommended for its smooth flavor and slight tang, feel free to experiment with other types of mustard. Whole grain mustard can add a delightful texture, and yellow mustard offers a milder taste. The choice of mustard can subtly change the flavor profile of your glaze, so don’t hesitate to try what suits your palate.
Since most hams come pre-cooked, your goal is to reheat it thoroughly without drying it out. The ideal internal temperature is 140°F. Using a meat thermometer is the best way to ensure it’s heated through properly. Remember, overcooking can lead to a less juicy ham, so keep an eye on the temperature.
For larger gatherings, a spiral-cut ham is your best bet for ease and convenience. It slices beautifully and serves a crowd without much hassle. Presenting it on a large platter with the glaze applied generously allows guests to admire and serve themselves easily, making your hosting duties a little lighter.
📝 Tips and tricks
- Adjust baking time based on weight. It should be about 13 minutes at 325° F for every pound until it reaches an internal temp of 140° F.
- I use brown sugar, but white sugar would work well.
- Instead of orange juice, you can use apple cider vinegar.
- I estimate the bone being about 1.5 lbs of a 10 lb ham for caloric purposes
- Make sure to follow USDA rules for handling pork.
🛠 Products used in this recipe
😋 Did you make this recipe?
That is awesome, and thank you so much for giving this Honey Glazed Ham recipe a try. If you could leave a rating in the comment area below, it would be greatly appreciated. This lets me know how I am doing and also helps others decide if they want to make this recipe. Most of all, thanks for visiting Ramshackle Pantry.
Easy Honey Glazed Ham
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Try this Easy Honey Glazed Ham, where simplicity meets extraordinary flavor. This recipe combines honey, brown sugar, and a dash of citrus to create a perfectly glazed ham that’s as delightful to look at as it is to eat. Ideal for any gathering, it’s a foolproof path to a juicy, flavor-packed centerpiece that will leave everyone asking for seconds. Ready to make your mealtime memorable? Let’s get started!
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in spiral-cut ham, about 6 pounds and up to 10 pounds (about 3/4 to 1 lb per person)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons Orange Juice
- 1 1/2 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter
- 1 teaspoon Soy sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325° Fahrenheit
- Remove the ham from its packaging. Then, wrap in aluminum foil.
- Bake. Put the ham cut-side down in a roasting pan . Adding a little water to the bottom of the pan can help keep the ham moist during cooking.
- Heat the ham to an internal temperature of 140° Fahrenheit. Aim for about 15 minutes per pound, which means a 10 pound ham should take approximately 150 minutes. Since a spiraled ham is already cooked, we are just reheating it. Adjust time based on weight.
- About 45 minutes before done, prepare the glaze by mixing all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is well combined and slightly thickened. Once liquified, turn down just enough to keep it warm.
- At about the 30-minute mark (before completion), remove foil, and brush the glaze over your spiral ham during the last 30 minutes of baking. Glaze several times with brush. Dump the rest over and try and get between the slices of ham.
- Every 10 minutes after, baste the ham with the juices.
- Rest and Serve. Once the internal temperature reaches 140° Fahrenheit, remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes after removing it from the oven, then it’s ready to serve.
Notes
- Adjust baking time based on weight. It should be about 15 minutes at 325° F for every pound until it reaches an internal temp of 140° F.
- I use brown sugar, but white sugar would work well.
- Instead of orange juice, you can use apple cider vinegar.
- I estimate the bone being about 1.5 lbs of a 10 lb ham for caloric purposes
Excellent used this recipe for my easter 11.5lb ham – very easy recipe to follow and the ham turned out great. Big fan of the flavor provided by the glaze – I did sub about a quarter of the honey with hot honey that I have been using on everything.
Highly recommend and big shout out to ramshackle.
Thanks for giving it a try, Nick!