Perfectly Juicy Glazed Ham: Your Ultimate Guide to a Flavorful Holiday Feast
There’s nothing quite like a magnificent, succulent glazed ham to anchor your holiday table. It’s a centerpiece that brings smiles, warmth, and an irresistible aroma to any festive gathering. However, many home cooks face a common pitfall: overcooking their pre-cooked ham, leading to a dry, disappointing result. Say goodbye to those days! This recipe is your definitive guide to creating a truly spectacular, incredibly juicy, and intensely flavorful glazed ham that will become a cherished tradition for years to come. We’ll show you exactly how to transform a simple pre-cooked ham into a moist, tender masterpiece, adorned with a sweet, tangy, and deeply savory glaze that everyone will adore.
Why This Glazed Ham Recipe Works So Well
This glazed ham recipe stands out for its simplicity and its consistently delicious results. Forget complicated steps or lengthy cooking times; we focus on enhancing the natural flavors of the ham while ensuring it remains incredibly moist. Our secret lies in a perfectly balanced, multi-layered glaze combined with a gentle reheating method and strategic basting.
The magic starts with our signature bourbon glaze, a rich concoction of brown sugar, honey, orange marmalade, and Dijon mustard, with a touch of bourbon for depth. This isn’t just a sweet topping; it’s a dynamic blend that offers sweet notes from the honey and brown sugar, a bright citrusy tang from the marmalade, a subtle savory kick from the Dijon, and a sophisticated warmth from the bourbon. As the glaze reduces, it thickens to a luxurious consistency that coats the ham beautifully, caramelizing into an irresistible crust during baking.
Unlike many recipes that rely solely on baking, our technique emphasizes bringing the ham to room temperature and regular basting. This prevents the ham from drying out, allowing it to gently warm through while continuously absorbing the magnificent flavors of the glaze. The result is a ham that’s not only moist and tender from edge to center but also infused with the rich, aromatic glaze that makes every bite a holiday celebration. It’s truly a favorite for our Christmas and Easter dinner tables, rivaling any roast in flavor and appeal.
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Essential Ingredients for Your Glazed Ham
Crafting the perfect glazed ham starts with selecting quality ingredients. Each component plays a vital role in achieving that incredible balance of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors. Here’s what you’ll need, along with a few notes to help you choose wisely:
- Fully Cooked Bone-In Ham (approx. 12 lb): Most hams sold in grocery stores are pre-cooked. A bone-in ham offers superior flavor and moisture compared to boneless varieties. Avoid spiral-cut hams for this recipe if possible, as their pre-cut nature can lead to dryness. If you must use a spiral-cut ham, reduce cooking time and baste even more frequently.
- Bourbon (1 cup): The star of our unique glaze! Bourbon adds a deep, smoky, and slightly sweet complexity that elevates the ham’s flavor. Feel free to use your favorite brand. For a non-alcoholic alternative, see our FAQ section below.
- Packed Brown Sugar (1 cup): Brown sugar provides a rich, molasses-like sweetness that caramelizes beautifully. Light or dark brown sugar will work, with dark brown sugar offering a deeper flavor.
- Honey (½ cup): Honey adds a distinct floral sweetness and helps create that desirable sticky glaze texture. Any good quality honey will do.
- Orange Marmalade (½ cup): This is key for the tangy, citrusy brightness that cuts through the richness of the ham and the sweetness of the other glaze ingredients. Choose a good quality marmalade with visible orange peel for the best flavor and texture.
- Dijon Mustard (1 tablespoon): Don’t skip the mustard! It might seem unusual, but Dijon mustard provides a subtle, pungent counterpoint that balances the sweetness and adds depth to the glaze. It won’t make your ham taste like mustard, but rather enhances all the other flavors.
- Whole Cloves: Used for both flavor and aesthetic appeal. Pushed into the ham, they release a warm, aromatic spice that beautifully complements the glaze.
How to Prepare Your Perfectly Glazed Ham
These step-by-step photos and detailed instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe with confidence. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version, complete with precise measurements and instructions, located at the bottom of this page.
- Bring Ham to Room Temperature: Approximately 30-40 minutes before you plan to cook, remove the ham from the refrigerator. Allowing this large cut of meat to come closer to room temperature ensures more even reheating and helps prevent a dry exterior while the center is still cold. This seemingly small step makes a significant difference in the final juiciness of your ham.
- Preheat Your Oven: Set your oven to 350° F (175° C). Ensure it’s fully preheated before placing the ham inside for optimal cooking results.
- Craft the Bourbon Glaze: In a medium saucepan, combine the bourbon, brown sugar, honey, orange marmalade, and Dijon mustard. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces by approximately half. This process will intensify the flavors and thicken the glaze to a consistency that will beautifully coat the back of a spoon. Be mindful not to let it scorch, especially with the sugars involved.
- Score and Clove the Ham: Using a sharp knife, carefully cut a large diamond pattern across the surface of the ham. Aim for cuts about ½ to ¾ inch deep, ensuring you penetrate the skin and a bit of the fat layer. This scoring allows the glaze to penetrate deeper into the ham and adds a beautiful visual element. Once scored, push a whole clove into the center of each diamond, leaving the head of the clove exposed. The cloves will infuse the ham with a wonderful aroma and traditional holiday flavor.
- Prepare for Roasting: Place the ham, skin side up, in a large roasting pan or any other generously sized oven-safe pan. Ensure the pan is large enough to comfortably hold the ham and collect the delicious juices that will render during cooking.
- Apply the Initial Glaze: Evenly pour the prepared, thickened bourbon glaze all over the scored ham. Let it seep into the diamond cuts, coating every exposed surface. This initial layer will begin to caramelize and flavor the ham from the start of the roasting process.
- Roast and Baste: Place the glazed ham into your preheated oven. After 10 minutes, open the oven and, using a large spoon or baster, collect the flavorful juices that have accumulated at the bottom of the pan. Generously spoon these juices back over the ham. Repeat this basting process three more times, every 10 minutes, for a total of 40 minutes of cooking and four bastes. This continuous basting is crucial for keeping the ham moist and building up multiple layers of caramelized glaze.
- Rest Before Serving: Once the final basting is complete and the ham is beautifully browned and glazed, remove it from the oven. Spoon any remaining pan juices over the ham one last time for extra moisture and flavor. Loosely tent the ham with aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving and serving. This resting period is vital, as it allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in an even more tender and succulent ham.
Tips for Achieving the Best Glazed Ham
While this recipe is straightforward, a few key tips can elevate your glazed ham from great to absolutely unforgettable:
- Choose Your Ham Wisely: As mentioned, a bone-in ham generally offers more flavor and a juicier texture. If using a spiral-cut ham, be extra cautious with cooking times and baste frequently to combat potential dryness. If you can find an uncured or less processed ham, the flavors will shine even more.
- Monitor Internal Temperature: Since most hams are pre-cooked, you’re essentially reheating it. The goal is to reach an internal temperature of 140°F (60°C). Use a reliable meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham, avoiding the bone, to ensure it’s perfectly warmed through without overcooking.
- Don’t Skimp on Scoring: The diamond pattern isn’t just for looks. It allows the delicious glaze to seep into the ham, infusing flavor beyond the surface. Deeper cuts will allow for more flavor penetration.
- Baste, Baste, Baste! This is perhaps the most critical step for a moist, flavorful ham. The regular basting not only keeps the ham from drying out but also builds up those incredible layers of caramelized glaze, creating a beautiful crust.
- Customize Your Glaze: Feel free to experiment! While our bourbon glaze is a winner, you can adjust the sweetness or spice level. A pinch of cayenne pepper can add a subtle kick, or a splash of apple cider vinegar could enhance the tanginess.
- Patience During Resting: Do not skip the resting period. Like any roasted meat, ham benefits immensely from resting. This allows the internal juices, which have been drawn to the center during cooking, to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every slice is as juicy as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions About Glazed Ham
It’s a common misconception that ham needs to cook for many hours. The vast majority of hams available in grocery stores are fully cooked, meaning they’ve already reached a safe internal temperature during processing. Our goal with this recipe is simply to reheat the ham thoroughly and develop that exquisite glaze. Overcooking a pre-cooked ham is the quickest way to end up with a dry, tough texture. By focusing on gentle reheating and careful basting, we ensure a tender, juicy result without the risk of drying it out. Always aim for an internal temperature of 140°F (60°C) when reheating.
Bringing a large piece of meat like a ham closer to room temperature before cooking is a crucial step for even heating. If you put a cold ham directly into a hot oven, the exterior will start to cook and dry out long before the cold center has a chance to warm up. By letting it sit out for 30-40 minutes, you reduce the temperature differential, allowing the ham to reheat more uniformly. This means less oven time and a more consistently moist and tender ham throughout.
Absolutely! While bourbon adds a unique depth, you can easily make this glaze non-alcoholic. Excellent substitutes include orange juice, apple juice, or even a good quality chicken or vegetable broth. Each will lend a slightly different flavor profile to the glaze: orange juice will enhance the citrus notes, apple juice will add a subtle sweetness, and broth will lean more savory. Just as with bourbon, be careful not to let the liquid scorch when reducing it, especially with sugary fruit juices.
Proper storage is key to enjoying your delicious ham leftovers for days. Once cooled, slice the remaining ham and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the ham for 1 to 2 months. To freeze, wrap individual portions tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Yes, absolutely! Leftover ham is a fantastic ingredient that can be repurposed into a variety of delicious meals, often saving you time and money. It’s incredibly versatile for breakfast, lunch, or dinner recipes. Be sure to check out the dedicated section at the end of this post for a list of my favorite recipes that make the most of your holiday ham. You’ll find everything from hearty soups to comforting casseroles!
For the absolute best results with this glazed ham recipe, we highly recommend purchasing a bone-in, fully cooked ham that is NOT spiral-cut. Bone-in hams tend to stay juicier and more flavorful due to the bone marrow and connective tissues. While a spiral-cut ham is convenient, the pre-sliced nature can lead to dryness since more surface area is exposed during cooking. If a spiral-cut ham is your only option, ensure you baste even more frequently to keep it moist.
Yes, you can! The bourbon glaze can be prepared up to 2-3 days in advance. Simply follow step 3 of the instructions, then let the glaze cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to use it, gently reheat the glaze in a saucepan over low heat until it’s warmed through and pourable. This makes holiday meal prep even easier!
There you have it—your definitive guide to preparing a truly memorable, deliciously juicy glazed ham that will impress everyone at your holiday dinner table. Say goodbye to dry, lackluster ham forever and embrace a new tradition of moist, flavorful perfection. This recipe not only delivers on taste but also offers the incredible bonus of providing fantastic leftovers for days to come!
Creative Leftover Ham Recipes
Don’t let any of that delicious glazed ham go to waste! Leftovers are often the best part of a holiday meal, offering quick and easy foundations for new dishes. Here are some fantastic recipes to transform your leftover ham into exciting new meals:
- Hearty Ham and Bean Soup: A comforting classic, perfect for a chilly day, making the most of every last morsel.
- Savory Breakfast Casserole with Ham & Cheese: Start your day right with a delicious and filling casserole, ideal for brunch or a convenient weekday morning meal.
- Creamy Cheesy Chicken & Ham Chowder: A rich and flavorful chowder that combines two proteins for an extra satisfying bowl.
- Comforting Macaroni and Cheese Casserole with Ham and Peas: Elevate your favorite mac and cheese with the addition of savory ham and sweet peas for a complete meal.
- Traditional Split Pea Soup: Another timeless favorite, this soup is incredibly flavorful and hearty, especially with a ham bone or diced ham added.
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Orange Bourbon Glazed Ham
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Ingredients
- 12 lb fully cooked bone-in ham not spiral-sliced for best results
- 1 cup bourbon
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup orange marmalade
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- Whole cloves
Things You’ll Need
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Large roasting pan
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Measuring cups and spoons
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Sharp knife
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Meat thermometer (optional, but highly recommended)
Before You Begin
- This delicious glazed ham may be refrigerated for up to 7 days in an airtight container, or you can freeze it for 1 to 2 months for longer enjoyment.
- If you prefer to make this recipe non-alcoholic, you may easily substitute orange juice, apple juice, or even a good quality chicken broth for the bourbon in the glaze. Just be extra careful not to let it scorch when reducing it over medium heat, as fruit juices can burn more easily.
- For optimal juiciness, choose a bone-in ham that is not spiral-cut.
Instructions
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Bring ham to room temperature by removing it from the refrigerator about 30-40 minutes before you plan to begin cooking. This ensures more even reheating.
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Preheat your oven to 350° F (175° C).
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In a medium saucepan, add the bourbon, packed brown sugar, honey, orange marmalade, and Dijon mustard. Cook this mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces by half and it begins to thicken, easily coating the back of a spoon. Be careful to prevent scorching.
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Using a sharp knife, carefully cut a large diamond pattern across the surface of the ham, about ½ to ¾ inch deep. Then, push a whole clove into each corner of the diamonds, ensuring the head of the clove is sticking out for maximum aroma and visual appeal.
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Place the ham, with the scored skin side facing upwards, into a large roasting pan or any other suitable large oven-safe pan.
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Pour the entirety of the thickened bourbon glaze evenly all over the ham, allowing it to coat the surface and seep into the diamond cuts.
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Carefully place the ham into the preheated oven. After the first 10 minutes of cooking, open the oven and generously spoon the flavorful juices from the bottom of the pan back over the ham. Repeat this basting process 3 more times, every 10 minutes, for a total cooking time of 40 minutes and 4 bastes. This method ensures maximum moisture and a beautiful caramelized glaze.
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Once the ham is cooked through and beautifully glazed, remove it from the oven. Spoon any remaining pan juices over the ham one final time. Loosely tent the ham with aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving and serving. This resting period is essential for a juicy, tender ham.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.