Easy Glazed Ham Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you cook the ham before you glaze it? ›

The idea is to wait until the ham is almost fully heated, then add the glaze as one of the last steps. You don't want to add it too early or the sugars in the glaze could cause it to burn, and you don't want to add it too late or you won't get that caramelized coating.

Peach preserves, hot pepper jelly, and maple syrup work as sweet bases for glazes that add sheen as well as distinct flavor. Tasty additions such as aromatics, herbs, and spices switch up a traditional ham and make it truly memorable.

Cooking it at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes per pound should do the trick, depending on the type of ham (whole or half, bone-in or no bone ― these specifics are outlined here). You just want to make sure the internal temperature has reached 145 degrees.

The glaze should not be applied until the final hour to 30 minutes, in order to avoid burning the sugars. What you're going to do with the glaze ingredients is just combine most of them into a paste, and then apply it to the ham. After that, the heat in your oven will take care of everything.

Cooking Temperature and Time

If the ham is a half ham weighing five to seven pounds, it should heat at 325°F for 22-25 minutes per pound. If it is a whole ham weighing between 10 to 14 pounds, heat the ham at 325°F for 18-20 minutes per pound. The internal temperature should be 140°F.

Place in a 325-to-350-degree oven, brush with some glaze if desired and bake until heated through and the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees. Again, figure no more than 10 minutes per pound. An 8-pounder will take 1 hour and 20 minutes.

WARMING HAM

Heat oven to 350°F. Place ham, flat side down, on rack in shallow roasting pan; cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake approximately 13 to 18 minutes per pound until heated through. Remove ham from oven.

Whether you heat your spiral ham in the slow cooker or oven, all you have to do is open the glaze packet and apply it 30 minutes before your ham is finished cooking. By the time it's ready to serve, you'll have a satiny-glazed ham without any of the time or effort it takes to make a ham glaze.

Popular glaze ingredients for smoked ham include brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, pineapple juice, Dijon mustard, and cloves, among others. Glazing can be done during the final stages of cooking or reheating the ham, allowing the sugars in the glaze to caramelize and create a tasty, flavorful crust.

What is the tastiest ham in the world? ›

The story of Jamón Ibérico ham is steeped in mystery and romance. The ancient oak pastures of Spain, the noble black Ibérico pig, the mountain air which caresses each ham as it magically is transformed into one of the world's most exquisite foods - all play a part in this uniquely Spanish phenomenon.

Put Liquid in Your Pan

The best way to keep your ham from drying out is to utilize the drippings that come in the package. Pour the juice from the package onto the ham. If there isn't a lot of juice in your package, you may want to add your own liquid.

First, you want to balance the sweetness with another flavor, such as a spice, herb, or citrus. Second, feel free to spike your glaze with some spirits—bourbon and rum are particularly nice—but don't add too much, because you don't want the glaze to be too liquidy.

Best of all, it's made easy with ham that's already fully cooked through. Anything from an apricot glaze to a citrus, honey or port wine glaze can add a little spark to the already delicious natural ham flavors.

A great way to keep your ham from drying out, is to place the ham face down into a baking dish or roasting pan and cover with aluminum foil. Keeping it covered with aluminum foil (or heavy duty foil) will keep that moisture in!

Most hams are already smoked or baked, are "ready-to-eat" and labeled that way and don't necessarily need to be cooked, at least not for food safety reasons. I buy Kentucky Legend ham, glaze it and bake it, but I'll buy the same exact ham and have them slice it for lunch meat and it doesn't get cooked again that way.

If glazing a pre-cooked ham it will need to be served cold, but still makes a great ham for carving. Using a small knife, remove the skin from the ham, leaving about 1cm of fat. Score the fat in a diamond pattern and it's ready to glaze.

Bake The Ham

Move the oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the ham in the preheated oven, uncovered, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 140°F, basting every 30 minutes with 1/2 cup of the glaze.