Honey Glazed Ham

Honey glazed ham is a sweet and savory centerpiece with a caramelized crust. The ham cooks gently while the glaze reduces in the pan, building flavor as it browns. A simple basting method keeps the meat moist and gives you a glossy, sticky surface.

Ingredients for Honey Glazed Ham

Bone-in ham provides structure and deep flavor as it roasts. Honey and brown sugar create the sweet glaze that browns and sticks to the surface. Dijon mustard adds sharpness that cuts through the sweetness and deepens the crust. Apple cider vinegar brings acidity and prevents the glaze from tasting one-note. Whole cloves give warm spice to the glaze and the ham itself. Water helps the glaze flow and prevents it from burning in the pan.

Why This Honey Glazed Ham Works

Ham is already cured and fully cooked when you buy it, so you are really heating it through and building a crust. The gentle oven temperature keeps the outside from drying out while the glaze thickens and caramelizes. Each time you baste, you work more of that sticky mixture into the surface, making it darker and more deeply flavored.

The glaze itself is simple: honey and brown sugar provide sweetness, while mustard and vinegar add the salty, tangy notes that balance it. Cloves scattered on the ham before glazing infuse their spice into both the meat and the pan drippings. As the ham roasts, the glaze reduces and concentrates, coating the surface with a burnished, caramelized layer.

Mistakes To Avoid

Skipping the score marks on the ham leaves the fat cap smooth and the glaze slides off instead of adhering. The crust stays thin and pale, and much of the glaze ends up in the pan rather than on the meat. Scoring takes one minute and makes the difference between a glossy ham and a sticky puddle.

Not basting frequently enough means the glaze sits in the bottom of the pan instead of building on the ham. Without regular basting, you get one thin coat that may even burn before the ham is hot all the way through. Set a timer to baste every 20 minutes and you will have a thick, caramelized crust.

Roasting at too high a temperature cooks the outside too fast and the glaze can burn before it caramelizes properly. The ham may also dry out around the edges. A moderate oven (325°F) gives you time to build the glaze gradually and keeps the meat tender.

Pulling the ham out of the oven before it reaches 140°F inside means some parts are still cold. Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part away from the bone to be sure it is heated through evenly. The ham will be safe to eat, but you want it uniformly warm.

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Ingredients

• 1 bone-in ham (8 to 10 pounds)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 20 whole cloves
• 1/2 cup water

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Place the ham on a roasting rack in a roasting pan, cut side down.
2. Using a sharp knife, score the fat cap in a shallow crosshatch pattern, cutting no deeper than 1/4 inch into the fat.
3. Stud the scored ham with whole cloves, placing them roughly 2 inches apart across the surface.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar until smooth.
5. Pour 1/2 cup water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Brush the ham generously with the glaze.
6. Tent the ham loosely with foil and roast for 1 hour, then remove the foil.
7. Baste the ham with the remaining glaze from the bowl, then continue roasting at 325°F (163°C) for 1 hour more, basting every 20 minutes with the pan drippings and any remaining glaze.
8. Check the internal temperature at the thickest part away from the bone. It should reach 140°F (60°C), about 10 to 15 minutes more if needed.
9. Remove the ham from the oven when it reaches 140°F (60°C) and the glaze is dark and caramelized.
10. Let the ham rest for 10 minutes before carving. Drizzle the pan drippings over the sliced ham before serving.