One-Pot Wonders

Super-Simple Glazed Ham

by:
February  4, 2022
4.4 Stars
Super-Simple Glazed Ham
Photo by Rocky Luten
Author Notes

I almost hate to submit this recipe, but after years of trying to do way too much with ham, I finally figured out that simpler is better. It can be done without the glaze for serving, but I think that really adds to it. —Kayb

Test Kitchen Notes

No doubt about it, turkey is the star of Thanksgiving. Whether it’s roasted, smoked, or fried, we dedicate hours and hours (and hours!) to making a picture-perfect bird. But we don’t always have to talk turkey. There’s another protein powerhouse that’s just as tasty. Raise your hand if you’re also looking forward to a spiral of sweet, juicy ham. Whether you're making it for Thanksgiving or another dinner party, this ham recipe does not disappoint. It's a relatively hands-off entrée that you'll find yourself making for the fall, spring, or any special occasion.

One of the challenges of holiday (or any day!) hams is that we’ve come to expect a dish sweet enough for the dessert table. And while a thick brown-sugar crust is addictive, this season, we’d like to keep things simple. Specifically, super-simple with Kayb’s glazed ham.

Instead of whacking you over the head with sugar, Kayb balances the sweetness of dark brown sugar with grainy and ground mustards—plus a healthy splash of bourbon. Feel free to adjust to your tastes: less sugar, more spice, different kinds of spice, different alcohol (rum is delicious). It’s a seriously flexible formula!

The key to ham-tastic greatness is basting. To keep the meat moist, brush the drippings over the entire surface of ham. Make sure that you carefully remove the dish from the oven and then close the door while you're basting. You’ll lose heat and increase the cooking time if you try to base with the oven door open. –Katie Macdonald —The Editors

Watch This Recipe
Super-Simple Glazed Ham
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 2 hours
  • Serves 8
Ingredients
  • Ham:
  • 1 (5- to 8-pound) half ham, butt portion, sliced or not
  • 1/2 cup whole-grain mustard
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon finely grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup bourbon
  • Glaze:
  • 1 1/2 cups ham drippings and/or ham stock
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 pinch finely grated nutmeg
  • 1 pinch ground cloves
In This Recipe
Directions
  1. Cook the Ham: Heat the oven to 300°F. Score the ham in a diamond pattern to ¼ inch deep (if not sliced). Place the ham on a rack in a large roasting pan.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the mustard, honey, nutmeg, and cloves.
  3. Using your hands, smear the mustard mixture all over the surface of the ham. Using your hands again, pack the brown sugar all over the exterior of the ham, pressing to adhere.
  4. Using a spray bottle, lightly mist the brown sugar with the bourbon just to barely moisten (you may not use it all).
  5. Bake the ham, uncovered and basting occasionally, for 20 minutes per pound.
  6. Make the Glaze: Strain the ham drippings, skim as much fat as you wish, and add enough ham stock to make 1½ cups. Transfer to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the brown sugar, mustard, nutmeg, and cloves and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened. (You can also add a little pineapple juice to this, if you wish.) Serve the glaze at the table over the ham.
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Kayb
I'm a business professional who learned to cook early on, and have expanded my tastes and my skills as I've traveled and been exposed to new cuisines and new dishes. I love fresh vegetables, any kind of protein on the grill, and breakfasts that involve fried eggs with runny yolks. My recipes tend toward the simple and the Southern, with bits of Asia or the Mediterranean or Mexico thrown in here and there. And a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on a float in the lake, as pictured, is a pretty fine lunch!

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31 Reviews

Savanah B.
Savanah B. December 27, 2021
Amazing! This was my first year making Christmas dinner and this ham was a hit! I got caught up making everything else and forgot to make the sauce but we did not miss it.
 
Lisa
Lisa April 5, 2021
Amazing recipe! This will be the only home recipe I use .. I had a whole boneless Snake River ham. I too had to much going on to remember the basting, next time will try. I did save some of the sauce and will apply when reheating.
Thank you for the recipe and the great video Amanda.
 
luvcookbooks
luvcookbooks April 5, 2021
Great Easter dinner ham. For the vegetarians, I made Vegetarian Cassoulet, features sorrel, artichokes, and leeks!
 
Kay
Kay April 1, 2021
I have made this before with success, but have a question as I review the article. The editor's note refers to basting, but the recipe directions do not. I know this is common with heating ham, but I don't recall doing it for this recipe which turned out with a nice crusty glaze. Recommendations?
 
Kay
Kay April 1, 2021
My question was answered by watching the video demo, thanks!
 
Juliebell
Juliebell January 16, 2021
I fixed this ham for Christmas and it’s a keeper. I’ll fix it forever! I had too much going on to focus on basting/spraying so I mixed everything including the bourbon, painted it on and then checked periodically brushing more on. I used a Berkshire ham and it was the best ham I’ve ever fixed. Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe.
 
Ayla512
Ayla512 December 19, 2020
Hi, in my part of the world, pork butt isn't really available. The only option we have for hams that size is a pork leg. Would the recipe work with that?
 
Anna
Anna January 6, 2019
Not a fan of cooking ham but this recipe is a keeper. Will do it many more times. Thank you.
 
daria
daria December 19, 2018
If I take uncooked ham, how long should I bake it? Will it taste as good as yours?
 
Liz C.
Liz C. December 19, 2018
Do you mean a "fresh ham", as in totally unsmoked? If so, I recommend this method:

http://mooninthepond.org/2007/03/basic-boneless-fresh-ham-roast/
 
daria
daria December 19, 2018
Thank you, Liz!
 
Kayb
Kayb December 19, 2018
As long as you're using a good quality cured and smoked ham, it should. I'd probably go up to to 30, maybe 35 minutes per pound. Check the internal temp; I would want 155 or so.
 
Daniel S.
Daniel S. November 19, 2018
Made this recipe today as a dry run for our thanksgiving dinner later this week. This was definitely a step up from the traditional super sweet glaze that we use to make. Followed the recipe, except for two changes as we were cooking two of everything in different ways. This recipe was used in the crock pot on low for @ 6 1/2 hours and I did not have a sprayer, I basted it with 1/2 the bourbon and let the other half in the pot to use later with the glaze. Perfect and juicy, plenty of juice for the glaze, worked out very well..👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
 
Liz C.
Liz C. October 8, 2018
And does it need to "rest"?
 
Liz C.
Liz C. October 8, 2018
Do you put the ham on the rack cut side down?
 
Kayb
Kayb October 8, 2018
I generally do, just because it's more stable. And I let it rest about 20 minutes.
 
Meg C.
Meg C. December 30, 2017
Amazing ham! Served for holiday celebration and it was a hit. Only thing is I bought a bottle of whiskey for 1/4 cup in recipe. Probably should have gotten some from a neighbor. Or we could make this ham a regular.
 
Leslie
Leslie December 1, 2017
Simply CAN'T use bourbon. My old alcohol of choice was vodka. So, since my taste buds can't help, what would anyone suggest as a substitute? If the booze is a cooking agent, I could just use vodka. If, instead, it's a flavoring agent, I would like to use something which complements the ham similar to hickory smoking. (I'm old enough to be a purist, no applewood or other new flavorings for me.) I've got great local butchers/meat cutters in the area so I WILL try this recipe. Thanks for Boubon substitute recommendations!
 
Kayb
Kayb December 1, 2017
You want some sort of a sweet-tangy taste, and really all you're doing is moistening the brown sugar a little so it'll make a better crust. I think I might try mixing some Coca Cola with a little balsamic vinegar. Or you might try a combo of orange and lemon juice. Truthfully, I don't taste the bourbon at all.
 
Barb
Barb November 6, 2017
How do you get ham stock before you make the ham? Buy a seperate ham bone and make it before hand? I use a bone to make stock to simmer my split pea soup in, but it's not something I keep on hand.
 
Kayb
Kayb November 6, 2017
I usually keep frozen stock (ham, chicken, beef) on hand. If not, use however much drippings you have. I cooked a ham yesterday and had only a scant amount of drippings, so had I wanted sauce and not had stock, I would have been out of luck. I put the ham bone on to pressure cook and them simmer all night, and I'm now reducing that stock to freeze in 1 cup portions. Saves room in the freezer, and it's easy enough to add water back to it. I try to reduce by half or more to really concentrate it.
 
Michelle
Michelle December 27, 2016
Ours took longer to bake, and we skipped the sauce, but the glaze was wonderful and halving the recipe worked perfectly for a 2lb ham.
 
BadCat
BadCat December 26, 2013
This was great. The changes I made were to mix all the ingredients together and baste the ham every few minutes until it was done. I'll add a little more brown sugar the next time to make it a bit sweeter. Soooo much better than the standard apricot glaze.
 
Sadassa_Ulna
Sadassa_Ulna December 26, 2012
I made this for Christmas and it was a big hit, however I only just realized I did not follow procedure. I mixed all the glaze ingredients in a jar and shook it to mix. I baked two 5 lb. hams for about 30 or 45 minutes before I remembered the glaze. I removed most of the juices in the pan before pouring the glaze over the hams. Then I basted every 30 or 45 minutes after that. My failure to follow directions tufned out to be a success. Thank you!
 
susie R.
susie R. December 22, 2012
I have cooked hams for years by just basting them with Coke(no substitutes) for years. Have received raves from family and friends!! those of the family and friends that have tried it sAY THEY WILL COOK HAM NO OTHER WAY. I just start posing coke and basting it about e till done e'very 20 minutes
 
susie R.
susie R. December 22, 2012
that should be POURING coke
 
Nancy D.
Nancy D. December 21, 2012
I've made this recipe for years only I use rum. I original recipe is called Nantucket ham but my family calls it "drunk ham".
 
susie R.
susie R. December 22, 2012
did not think of using rum.I baste mine with coke but this christmas may combine a little rum with it. Thanks for the idea.
 
The F.
The F. April 9, 2012
I made this for Easter Sunday, using a 6lb smoked ham and let me tell you, it was outstanding. My husband said if he continued to eat it he was going to get meat sweats! It was extremely easy to follow and I had all the ingredients already. I think the only thing I may do differently would reduce the amount of brown sugar in the glaze to an 1/8 cup as I prefer less sweet glazes. This recipe is definitely a keeper! Bravo Kayb!