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This honey-glazed ham is coated with delicious brown sugar and sweet honey glaze! It’s tender and juicy and goes with everything which makes it ideal for any holiday meal!
The holidays at our house always have meat that’s the star of the show! Try this Turkey, Prime Rib, or Beef Wellington next for more delicious recipes to enjoy for your holiday dinner!
A Reader’s Review
“I made this ham last night and it was a huge hit! The ham is so juicy and flavorful! Thanks for sharing!
-Cynthia
The BEST Honey Glazed Ham Recipe
Trust me, this honey glazed ham is one of the most tender and juicy hams you will ever have. Whether it’s Easter or Christmas, this ham is sure to be the star of the dinner table! This ham also goes well with a bunch of different sides. You can mix and match! And did I mention the potential of the leftovers? Use your leftover ham for Sliders, Quiche, or even this Ham and Eggs Potato Hash!
A lot of people ask me how to bake the perfect ham. It’s pretty simple but there are a few tricks to get your ham to taste fantastic. My favorite tip is to use is a simple honey ham glaze so the ham has a sweet, caramelized flavor. Once you have made it once like this, you won’t want it any other way.
Ingredient List
I love the smell of ham baking in the oven, it gets me so excited for the holidays! See the recipe card below for a list of exact ingredient measurements.
- Ham: You want to get a ham that is about 5 pounds and precooked. I used a boneless, spiral-cut ham, but a bone-in ham will also work.
- Butter: For richness!
- Honey: So the glaze has sweet flavor and the perfect sticky texture.
- Brown Sugar: For the perfect caramelized outer layer. A must for honey glazed ham!
- Cinnamon and Cloves: These extra spices are optional but I LOVE the added flavor. It complements the ham perfectly!
How to Make a Honey Glazed Ham
For easy prep, you can get a precooked ham at your local grocery store! If you choose a larger ham simply double the glaze mixture to have enough to cover over your ham.
- Let Your Ham Rest: Take the ham out of the refrigerator and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make the Glaze: Prepare the glaze by heating the butter, honey, brown sugar, and spices in a medium saucepan on medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the glaze starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and allow the glaze to slightly cool.
- Prepare Ham, Add the Glaze: Place the ham in the middle of the baking dish or roasting pan cut side down. Brush half of the glaze on top and get in all the crevices! Cover the ham completely with foil so the ham doesn’t dry out.
- Bake: Bake the ham according to how many pounds you have, about 15 minutes per pound. My ham took about 1 ½ hours.
- Glaze and Broil: Once the ham is warmed through, remove the foil to caramelize the top. Brush additional glaze on top of the ham. Save some for serving if you would like! Adjust the heat to broil and let the glaze caramelize and darken for about 3-5 minutes. Watch it closely!
- Rest: Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing! Serve with your favorite vegetable side dish and mashed potatoes!
How Do You Know When Your Ham is Cooked?
Most hams are already precooked. Essentially you are warming up your ham in the oven. The thickest part of the ham needs to be cooked to at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit according to the proper food safety temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a few questions that always come up when cooking this honey glazed ham. So, I thought I would put them all together so then you could have them answered all in one place!
- How much ham per person? Usually it is about 1/2 pound of ham per person. If you are wanting leftovers at the end estimate 1 pound per person when buying your ham.
- What size pan? You may have several people coming but the important part is how big your pan is that will be baking it in. A 6 to 8 quart pot or 12 x 16 pan fits about a 6 to 7 pound ham.
- Will this honey glazed ham cook overnight? Yes! This is a great idea when needing more time for other things during the day. Simply preheat the oven to a 275 degrees. Follow the instructions for preparing and baking the honey glazed ham. Bake uncovered for 6 to 7 hours. While baking continue to spread the glaze over the ham.
- Do you cover your ham? Yes, this is a great way to avoid your ham from over baking and becoming dry. At the end of baking the ham remove the aluminum foil and broil it for a crisp outer layer. The caramelization is the best part!
- Should I glaze the ham before cooking? Yes! Brush the glaze mixture over top and into the ham as much and best that you can. Continue to glaze the ham throughout the baking process every 15 to 20 minutes for best results. (It’s tedious but so worth it!) When the ham is finished cooking brush the remainder of the glaze mixture and broil the top and outside layer of the ham. This will leave a caramelized look and texture on your honey glazed ham.
Variations for Honey Glazed Ham
This is a tried and true honey glazed ham that we make year after year in our family. I love the traditional honey flavor in this recipe, but here are some variations that can be made.
- Sweetener: Instead of honey try using maple syrup or add a little extra brown sugar.
- Spices: This is an optional ingredient but it adds so much flavor! I also love adding ground nutmeg.
- Add Juice: Add 1/2 cup of pineapple juice, apple cider, or orange juice to the bottom of the pan before placing in the ham. The juice adds delicious flavor and moisture to the ham as it steams.
How to Store Leftover Honey Glazed Ham
This honey-glazed ham is perfect for making ahead, storing for leftovers, and even freezing! Here are the best ways to store your honey glazed ham after the holidays:
- In the Fridge: Once your honey glazed ham has cooled, place it in a Ziploc bag or airtight container and store up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
- In the Freezer: After your ham is cooked then place your ham (either sliced or not sliced) in a Ziploc bag and lay flat for up to 1 month.
- Reheating: When you are ready to eat your ham again, first let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat it in the microwave or oven until warmed through.
Make it a Meal!
This honey glazed baked ham is a tried and true favorite and will become your family’s new tradition soon enough. Here are a bunch of ideas for other side dish recipes that you can make with it to complete the meal! Ham is great because it goes with everything. So mix and match with some of these and you are sure to have a holiday meal to remember!
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Take the ham out of the refrigerator and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Prepare the glaze by heating the butter, honey, brown sugar, and spices in a medium saucepan on medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the glaze starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and allow the glaze to slightly cool.
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Place the ham in the middle of the baking dish or roasting pan cut side down. Brush half of the glaze on top and get in all the crevices! Cover the ham completely with foil so the ham doesn’t dry out.
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Bake the ham according to how many pounds you have, about 15 minutes per pound. My ham took about 1 ½ hours.
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Once the ham is warmed through, remove the foil to caramelize the top. Brush additional glaze on top of the ham. Save some for serving if you would like! Adjust the heat to broil and let the glaze caramelize and darken for about 3-5 minutes. Watch it closely!
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Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing!
Originally posted on December 16, 2018
Calories: 137kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 0.1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 4mgPotassium: 23mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 118IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
