Honey Glazed Ham (Best Easter Dinner Recipe)
Easy Easter recipes everyone will love! Homemade Easter Day dishes, glazed ham, deviled eggs, carrot cake & more. Simple steps, big flavors.
Equipment
- Large roasting pan
- Roasting rack
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Sharp carving knife
- Pastry brush
- Meat thermometer
- Medium saucepan
- Cutting board
Ingredients
For the Ham
- 1 whole bone-in ham 8–10 lbs / 3.5–4.5 kg, pre-cooked and cured
- 1 cup 240ml apple juice or apple cider
- 30 –40 whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
For the Honey Glaze
- ½ cup 170g pure honey
- ½ cup 110g dark brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup 60g unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Prep the Ham
- Remove ham from refrigerator 1–2 hours before cooking. Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Line roasting pan with foil. Place rack inside. Pour apple juice into bottom of pan.
- Pat ham dry. Remove rind if present, leaving ¼ inch of fat.
- Score fat in a diamond pattern ½ inch deep, 1 inch apart.
- Stud a whole clove into each diamond intersection.
- Rub Dijon mustard all over the scored surface.
- Place ham cut-side down on rack.
First Bake (Covered)
- Cover loosely with foil tent. Bake at 325°F for 15–18 minutes per pound, until internal temp reaches 120°F (49°C). (Approx. 2–2.5 hours for an 8 lb ham.)
Make the Glaze
- Combine honey, brown sugar, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until melted and smooth, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add mustard, vinegar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and pepper. Simmer 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
Glaze & Finish
- Remove foil tent. Increase oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Brush a generous coat of warm glaze all over ham.
- Return to oven uncovered. Every 10–15 minutes, brush on another glaze coat.
- Glaze 3–4 times total over 45–60 minutes, until internal temp reaches 140°F (60°C) and exterior is deep caramel brown.
- Remove from oven. Rest 15–20 minutes before carving. Serve warm.
Notes
- Bone-in = more flavor. Always choose bone-in ham for the best results.
- Don't skip the rest. Resting allows juices to redistribute crucial for moist meat.
- Glaze timing is everything. Only apply glaze in the last 45–60 minutes to prevent burning.
- Use a thermometer. The only reliable way to know your ham is done. Target: 140°F (60°C).
- Leftover ideas: Use leftover ham in sandwiches, omelets, pasta, split pea soup, or fried rice.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the glaze up to 3 days ahead. Store covered in the refrigerator and rewarm before applying.