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This delicious Glazed Ham Recipe is the perfect centerpiece for your holiday table or buffet. The sticky glaze is perfectly balanced with pineapple, lemon juice, and mustard.
When it comes to Christmas and Easter morning, baked ham with soft rolls is my go-to entree of choice. In the past, I’ve favored Dr. Pepper Ham, but this year I wanted something new. No matter what recipe you make, the best ham glaze is balanced. In this version, the ham glaze recipe is made from pineapple and mustard, and the overall sweetness tastes delicious with the salty, smoky ham.
I always look for spiral-cut ham with the bone. The bone adds maximum flavor and juiciness, while the spiral-cut situation makes serving the ham effortless. Just stash a pair of tongs near the platter (or slow cooker, because obviously, it’s a breeze to serve this ham from a slow cooker), and let guests help themselves.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Equipment and ingredient notes
- Plastic oven bag: Look for “oven bags” by Reynolds and several other kitchen brands sold online and at many supermarkets. These are oven-safe and help keep the ham meat from drying out as it roasts.
- Ham: For maximum flavor, seek out a bone-in spiral sliced ham. The bone imparts more flavor and juiciness, and the slicing style allows the glaze to permeate into the meat (not just coat the exterior).
Step-by-step instructions
- Remove the ham from the packaging, including the plastic disk covering the bone. Place the ham in an oven bag, flat side down, then twist and tie the bag shut. Trim excess oven bag. Place the ham cut-side down in a 9-inch by 13-inch roasting pan. Allow the ham to sit at room temperature for 90 minutes.
- Arrange an oven rack in the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Roast the ham until the center registers 140 degrees, about 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours (approximately 15 minutes per pound). (Open slightly or lift bag to take temperature; do not puncture.)
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, mix the brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt together. Stir in crushed pineapple with syrup, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat Simmer the mixture until brown sugar glaze thickens, about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove the ham from the oven and roll back the sides of the oven bag to expose the ham. Brush the ham with about half of the glaze.
- Return the ham to the oven and bake 10 minutes longer, or until the glaze is sticky and the ham reaches 145 degrees on a digital thermometer.
- Remove the ham from the oven. Remove the oven bag and return the ham to the baking dish. Tent loosely with foil. Allow the ham to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with remaining glaze.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This brown sugar Glazed Ham recipe makes 20 entree-sized servings, ideal to feed a crowd plus enjoy a couple of rounds of leftovers.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The glaze can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat it on the stove before using.
- Freezer: Slice and pack leftover ham into freezer-safe containers, then label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- More glaze ingredients: You can tweak your sauce and use orange juice or pineapple juice instead of crushed pineapple. Or, add spices like garlic powder, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves. Some recipes add maple syrup, honey, and butter, too.
- How to remove a ham rind: Using a sharp knife, cut around the base of the handle (bone). Cut along the side of the ham from the end to the handle on both sides. Slide the knife along the rim to separate the rind from fat from the top of the ham, as close to the rind as possible. Using your fingers, slide them back and forth between the rind and fat layer while peeling it back. Score fat layer into a 1″ wide diamond pattern. If the ham has a partially covered bottom side, leave the rind intact on the bottom.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a bone-in ham, plan on 5 to 8 ounces of ham per person. For a boneless ham, plan on 4 to 6 ounces of ham per person.
The vast majority of hams that you buy are already cooked. But, it’s still best to fully heat a ham before you glaze it.
I like to cook hams in an oven bake so they heat evenly without drying out. Towards the end of the recipe, I brush on the glaze and finish the recipe with the ham uncovered.
Favorite recipes for leftover ham
Soup and Stew Recipes
Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup
Sandwich Recipes
Ham and Cheese Sliders
30 Minute Meals
Hawaiian Fried Rice
Appetizer Recipes
Mini Quiche Recipe
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Glazed Ham Recipe
Equipment
- 1 plastic oven bag (see note 1)
Ingredients
- 1 (7 to 10 pound) ham bone-in, spiral sliced (see note 2)
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup crushed pineapple with syrup
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
Instructions
- Remove the ham from the packaging, including the plastic disk covering the bone. Place the ham in an oven bag, then twist and tie the bag shut. Trim excess oven bag. Place the ham cut-side down in a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. Allow the ham to sit at room temperature for 90 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, mix the brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt together. Stir in crushed pineapple with syrup, lemon juice, and mustard. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat Boil until glaze thickens, about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove the ham from the oven and roll back the sides of the oven bag to expose the ham. Brush the ham with about half of the glaze. Return the ham to the oven and bake 10 minutes longer, or until the glaze is sticky and ham reaches 145 degrees on a digital thermometer.
- Remove the ham from the oven. Remove the oven bag and return ham to baking dish. Tent loosely with foil. Allow the ham to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with remaining glaze.
Notes
- Plastic oven bag: Look for “oven bags” by Reynolds and several other kitchen brands sold online and at many supermarkets. These are oven-safe and help keep the ham meat from drying out as it roasts.
- Bone-in ham: For the most flavor, look for a shank end (or shank portion) ham, which has fattier meat, more flavor, and one long bone for easier carving. A butt-end (or butt portion) ham is delicious, too. It just is a little leaner and is a little more work to carve.
- Yield: My Glazed Ham recipe makes 20 entree-sized servings, ideal to feed a crowd plus enjoy for a couple rounds of leftovers.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Do I follow the same instructions if my ham is not spiral but is a bone in ham?
It should work the same even if you’re not using a spiral ham. Thank you! – Meggan