Description
This Honey Baked Ham recipe features a fully cooked bone-in ham glazed with a sweet and spiced honey mixture. The ham is slow baked, periodically glazed for rich flavor, and finished with a high-temperature caramelizing step to achieve a shiny, flavorful crust. Perfect for holiday gatherings or special occasions, this dish serves 12 and combines warm spices with a vibrant honey-orange glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
Ham
- 8 to 10 pound bone-in ham, fully cooked
- 2 cups water
Honey Glaze
- 1 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- ⅔ cup honey
- ⅓ cup fresh orange juice (from about one orange)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Thaw the ham: If frozen, thaw the ham in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. Remove it from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature on the counter for 2 hours before cooking to ensure even heating.
- Prep the roasting pan: Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and adjust the oven rack to the lowest position. Pour 2 cups of water into the bottom of a roasting pan to create a moist environment.
- Mix the honey glaze: In a medium bowl, combine the coconut or brown sugar, honey, fresh orange juice, Dijon mustard, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Stir until well blended to form a smooth glaze.
- Brush on the glaze and bake: Place the ham on the prepared roasting pan and brush about ¼ of the honey glaze evenly over its surface. Cover the ham loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 10 to 12 minutes per pound (about 1 ½ hours for a 9-pound ham). Every 30 minutes, uncover briefly to brush on more glaze, ensuring multiple layers of flavor.
- Caramelize the glaze: After the slow baking period, increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Remove the foil and brush the remaining ¼ of glaze all over the ham. Return the ham to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the glaze is shiny, sticky, and slightly caramelized.
- Slice and serve: Let the ham rest for a few minutes off the heat to allow juices to redistribute. Then slice the ham by removing spiral slices first from the wider end, serving warm.
Notes
- Allowing the ham to come to room temperature before cooking helps it heat evenly and reduces cooking time irregularities.
- Frequent glazing during cooking builds layers of flavor and prevents the glaze from burning.
- Use a roasting pan with a rack to keep the ham elevated above the water for even cooking.
- If a fully caramelized crust isn’t desired, shorten the high-heat finishing time to 10 minutes.
- Leftover ham can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 6 oz)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
