This Honey Glazed Ham recipe cooks the ham in its own juices and glazes it with honey, pineapple juice, and brown sugar. The ham is soft, juicy, and just the right amount of sweet. This honey-baked ham is buttery, sticky, sweet, and salty, and it will be the star of any holiday table! PLUS I HAVE SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS TOO!
Yes, I love Easter! Actually, I love any holiday that calls for lots of tasty food and almost too many family members to enjoy it.
Since I was a little girl, Easter Sunday was always special. My mom bought me new clothes (Sunday best, of course) and combed my hair more firmly than usual.
After church service, I enjoyed the usual egg hunts and outdoor play until lunch was ready. The location of our meal rotated each year but the contents of the table stayed the same. There were Big Mama’s dinner rolls, candied sweet potatoes, collard greens, and best of all, Glazed Honey Ham.
This honey-baked ham recipe makes a main dish that will be praised for holidays and other special events. In addition to Easter, it’s perfect for Christmas and Thanksgiving too!.
Today’s easy honey glazed ham recipe with brown sugar is an ode to the memories of my childhood. It’s sweet yet salty, always tender and sticky on the fingers. You might not be ready for this y’all!.
A beautifully glazed ham is often the shining star of many holiday tables. Precooked hams provide convenience allowing you to simply heat and serve for an instant celebration centerpiece. While a honey glaze adds sweetness many precooked hams come fully glazed and ready for oven warming. However, learning how to cook an unglazed precooked ham and add your own signature glaze elevates it to new levels of flavor. Follow these simple steps for serving up the most juicy, tender and caramelized honey glazed ham.
Why Choose a Precooked Ham?
Opting for a fully cooked. ready-to-eat ham offers multiple benefits
-
Convenience – No lengthy cooking time needed to safely eat the ham. Just reheating!.
-
Consistency – Precise commercial cooking yields reliable texture.
-
Cost savings – Precooked hams are often less expensive than raw hams.
-
Less waste – With no carving off the bone or trimming required before cooking
For effortless cooking with time-savings, precooked hams checked all the boxes. Now let’s glaze one to sweet perfection!
Selecting the Best Precooked Ham
Not all precooked hams are created equal. When purchasing one for honey glazing, look for:
-
Bone-in – Bones add moisture and flavor during reheating.
-
Spiral sliced – Glaze seeps into the meat through the cuts.
-
Little to no added liquid – Too much and ham may get soggy.
-
Lean and minimal fat – Excess fat may turn mealy after reheating.
-
No existing glaze or coating – For adding your own unique flavors.
Choose an unadulterated ham with natural juiciness ready to absorb spices and glazes.
Crafting the Honey Glaze
Building a crave-worthy honey glaze only takes a few ingredients:
-
Honey – For primary sweetness and sticky texture. Go for a mild variety.
-
Brown sugar – Adds molasses notes and helps caramelization.
-
Mustard – Spicy Dijon works well to balance sweetness.
-
Pineapple juice – Provides a tangy component.
-
Spices – Try cinnamon, cloves, allspice or ginger.
Simmer the glaze briefly to meld flavors and thicken slightly before brushing onto the ham.
Prepping the Ham for the Oven
Before baking, prepare your spiral cut ham:
-
Leave thick skin on – It prevents drying out and crisps up beautifully.
-
Score fat – Cut crosshatches to allow glaze absorption.
-
Brush with glaze – Coat entire surface, getting into cuts.
-
Add to roasting pan – Pour in 1 inch of water to steam and retain moisture.
Proper prep before glazing and cooking locks in succulence.
Choosing the Right Cooking Method
You have a couple oven options when reheating a precooked ham:
-
Low and slow – 250°F for about 4-6 hours keeps ham extra moist.
-
High heat – Crank oven to 400°F and bake 1-2 hours to caramelize glaze.
Slow roasting thoroughly warms the ham without drying it out. Higher heat crisps up the glaze coating.
Step-By-Step Instructions for BakedPerfection
Follow these simple steps:
-
Prep ham according to package instructions, leaving thick fat cap on.
-
In a saucepan, stir together ingredients for glaze of your choice until combined. Heat briefly until slightly thickened.
-
Place ham in roasting pan. Score fat in diamond pattern. Brush with a third of glaze mixture.
-
Pour 1 inch water into bottom of the pan. Tent foil tightly over entire ham.
-
Bake at 250°F for about 1 hour per pound. Check occasionally and baste with more glaze.
-
After total slow cooking time, remove foil and increase heat to 400°F. Brush with remaining glaze.
-
Bake until glaze is tacky and starting to caramelize, about 10-15 minutes more.
-
Let rest 10 minutes before slicing into the juicy ham!
Low and slow followed by high heat produces the ideal precooked honey baked ham.
Glazing Tips for Success
-
Brush on glaze multiple times during baking for maximum flavor and caramelization.
-
If ham seems dry during reheating, tent foil directly on surface to retain moisture.
-
Add more pineapple juice or water to thin glaze if it thickens too much after standing.
-
Serve extra glaze in a ramekin for drizzling over slices.
-
For pretty presentation, decorate meat platter with pineapple slices and fresh herbs.
With these glazing suggestions, your holiday ham will be an eye-catching stunner!
What to Serve with Honey Glazed Ham
This showstopper ham pairs wonderfully with so many classic sides:
-
Fluffy dinner rolls or biscuits
-
Cornbread dressing or stuffing
-
Sweet potato casserole
-
Roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts
-
Scalloped or mashed potatoes
-
Fresh cranberry sauce
-
Herbaceous green bean casserole
A little something for everyone! Set a festive holiday table to enjoy.
Storing Leftover Ham
Leftover glazed ham keeps well:
-
Allow ham to cool completely before storing.
-
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil.
-
Refrigerate 3-5 days or freeze sliced ham up to 2-3 months.
-
Reheat leftovers in microwave until warm, glazing again if desired.
With proper storage, enjoy honey glazed ham for days after the main event!
Cooking a precooked ham at home lets you control flavors and glaze exactly to your liking. By starting with a high-quality spiral cut ham, prepping it properly, and using the right method, you can achieve the perfect juicy interior encased in a crispy, caramelized sweet glaze. This foolproof technique will bring smiles around the table. Enjoy your new go-to honey glazed ham recipe!
What is Honey Baked Glazed Ham?
Each year, in the early Spring, Easter tables are set with pastel napkins and bunny-shaped shakers. Since the 1940’s, hams have served as the star of Easter meals in the U. S.
In the two weeks leading up to Easter, Americans buy an average of 8. 5 million pounds of whole ham. Ham seems to go along with Easter festivities as much as baskets and egg hunts.
It is traditional to cover brown sugar honey glazed ham in a crunchy, spiced sugar glaze and then bake it slowly until it’s done. The result is a tender, moist and sweet-salty ham served whole. After being sliced and served, this ham never lasts long!.
You can make a tasty centerpiece for this year’s Easter lunch with just a few simple ingredients and a lot of time.
Let’s break down what you’ll need:
- Butter Without Salt: Since ham is already a bit salty, I strongly advise using butter without salt. The butter helps the sugar melt and gives the ham glaze a stronger flavor.
- Honey-glazed ham is best when it has a sweet, caramel-like glaze made with brown sugar. There should be a sticky-sweet sauce on top of each bite to balance out the saltiness of the pork. Brown sugar is sweet, molasses-ey and when melted, exceptionally sticky. Perfect.
- Honey: What’s a ham without honey? Honey tastes like flowers, fruits, and sometimes butter. Not only does it add sweetness, but it also sticks to the ham skin like brown sugar does.
- Dijon mustard is made from onion, garlic, salt, white wine, mustard powder, and a little honey mixed together in a milky way. It’s not as sour as regular mustard, so it’s not as harsh. This mustard gives it heat and brightness in all the best ways.
- Pineapple Juice: Pineapple juice has the acidity that sugar needs to cut through it. Tartness pairs wonderfully with any sweet-salty recipe. A beautiful ham can also be made by decorating it with whole pineapple slices.
- Ham: Let’s not forget the ham. Choose a precooked, spiral-cut, bone-in ham. You should make sure the one you buy doesn’t already have a glaze on it.
WARNING: Pork is inherently a very salt-forward protein. Some store-bought hams will have also already been brined in salt water. As with any other recipe, salt and pepper your ham as needed. Use a light hand and be very careful!.
Oven Baked Glazed Ham
- Bake the ham for 1 ½ hours. Then turn the oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Brush the ham again with half of the remaining glaze.
- After 15 more minutes, brush the ham with the rest of the glaze you have left.
- Broil the ham for three to five minutes to make the glaze sticky. The brown sugar glaze should be really spread out and taste great.
Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Ham Recipe | Perfect Easter Recipe
FAQ
How long do you cook a precooked honey baked ham?
How do you heat up a precooked ham without drying it out?
Do you put the glaze on a ham before you cook it or after you cook it?
How do you make a honey glaze for a ham?
To make a simple honey glaze for your ham, combine honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and a splash of apple cider vinegar in a saucepan. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the glaze has thickened slightly.
Is honey baked ham as good as regular ham?
The addition of honey will affect the calorie content of the food. One tablespoon of honey contributes to approximately 64 calories. In addition, the use of heat when making baked ham will reduce the quality of the honey.
Can you make a honey glazed ham in advance?
Yes, basting the ham with the honey glaze as it cooks is a great way to infuse more flavor and sweetness. About 30 minutes before the ham is done, start basting it every 10-15 minutes with the glaze. This will help create a beautiful glossy finish and enhance the taste of the honey glaze. Can I make a honey glazed ham in advance? Absolutely!
How long do you cook a honey glazed ham?
Brush the glaze over the ham and bake in a foil-lined pan for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, brushing every 15 minutes or so with the glaze. Broil the ham for a few minutes before removing it from the oven. Honey-glazed ham pairs perfectly with traditional side dishes like mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese.