Honey Glazed Baked Ham
This beautiful baked ham is the centerpiece that makes Sunday dinner feel like a real celebration. The honey glaze gets all sticky and caramelized on the outside while the meat stays juicy and tender inside. Folks will be coming back for second and third helpings, trust me on that.
Cooking tutorial
Ingredients
- 1 fully cooked bone-in ham (8 to 10 lbs)
- 1 cup honey
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Whole cloves for studding (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Take the ham out of the package, rinse it under cold water, and pat it dry with paper towels. Place it cut-side down in a large roasting pan and cover the whole thing tightly with aluminum foil.
- 2
Bake the ham covered for about 1 hour and 30 minutes (figure about 10 to 12 minutes per pound). This gets it heated through nice and even.
- 3
While the ham is baking, make your glaze. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the honey, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, orange juice, melted butter, cinnamon, ground cloves, and black pepper. Stir it all together and let it simmer for about 5 minutes until it thickens up a bit and everything is well mixed.
- 4
Take the ham out of the oven and remove the foil. If you want to get fancy, score the top of the ham in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife, cutting about 1/4 inch deep. You can stick whole cloves in the corners of each diamond if you like.
- 5
Brush about half of that glaze all over the ham, getting it in all the nooks and crannies. Put it back in the oven uncovered and bake for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, brushing with more glaze every 15 minutes or so.
- 6
The ham is done when the outside is beautifully caramelized and sticky, with a nice dark golden color. The internal temperature should read 140°F on a meat thermometer.
- 7
Let the ham rest for about 15 minutes before you start slicing. Pour any pan drippings and leftover glaze into a small bowl to serve on the side.
Pro Tips
- ★Don't throw away that ham bone! Save it in the freezer to make the best pot of beans or split pea soup you ever tasted.
- ★If your glaze starts getting too dark in the oven, just tent a piece of foil loosely over the top for the last bit of cooking time.