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Spiral-sliced brown sugar glazed ham on a platter with orange slices and green beans
Aaliyah

Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

A fully cooked spiral-sliced ham warmed low and slow under foil, then brushed with a buttery brown sugar, honey, orange, and Dijon glaze until sticky and caramelized.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Resting 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ham
  • 1 fully cooked bone-in spiral-sliced half ham 7 to 9 pounds
  • 1 cup water, apple juice, or pineapple juice for the pan
Brown sugar glaze
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup orange juice fresh or bottled
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Equipment

  • Roasting pan with rack
  • Heavy-duty aluminum foil
  • Small saucepan
  • Silicone basting brush
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Carving board and sharp knife

Method
 

  1. Take the ham out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before baking. Heat the oven to 325°F and set a rack in the lower third.
  2. Discard any glaze packet. Place the ham cut side down in a roasting pan, pour the water or juice into the pan, and cover the ham and pan tightly with heavy-duty foil.
  3. Bake covered for about 1¼ to 1½ hours for an 8-pound ham (roughly 10 to 12 minutes per pound), until a thermometer in the thickest part, not touching bone, reads about 120°F.
  4. While the ham bakes, combine the brown sugar, honey, orange juice, butter, Dijon, cinnamon, and cloves in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the glaze thickens slightly.
  5. Uncover the ham and brush it generously with about half of the glaze, letting some run between the slices.
  6. Return the ham to the oven uncovered and bake 20 to 30 minutes more, brushing with more glaze halfway through, until the glaze is bubbly and caramelized and the center reaches 140°F.
  7. Rest the ham for 15 minutes. Spoon any remaining glaze and pan juices over the slices, then carve along the bone and serve.

Notes

  • A fully cooked ham packaged in a USDA-inspected plant only needs to be reheated to 140°F. Leftover or repackaged ham should be reheated to 165°F.
  • Cook times vary with the size and shape of the ham, so go by temperature and start checking early.
  • Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3 to 5 days, or freeze for 1 to 2 months.
  • Make the glaze up to 3 days ahead and rewarm it before brushing.