Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
Let’s Talk Ham—And a Little Story
You know, every time I cook up this Brown Sugar Glazed Ham, it takes me back years—to an Easter where my uncle, bless him, tried carving with a butter knife. (Not recommended, but memorable.) Anyway, this ham recipe has been my go-to whenever the house starts smelling like “festive chaos” and someone inevitably asks, “Who’s bringing the main dish?” Usually me. And honestly? I don’t mind at all. Sometimes the best part is licking that caramelized glaze off the foil—don’t judge.
Why You’ll Love This (Or at Least Survive It)
I make this when I want something warm and homey without five million steps. My family goes nuts for it because, well, hello, sweet and salty and sticky all in one bite (my little one says it tastes like Christmas and sugar had a baby). If you’ve ever wrestled a gigantic ham and ended up with a sad, dry mess, I seriously get it—been there, not fun. Now I just let the glaze do most of the heavy lifting. Sometimes it burns my nose but eh, that’s the price of glory.
What Goes Into It (And What You Can Skate By With)
- 1 fully-cooked ham (about 2.5 kg; bone-in looks nice, but honestly, boneless works fine)
- 1 packed cup brown sugar (light or dark, whatever lurks in your cupboard—if you’re truly desperate, half white sugar and half maple syrup does sort of work)
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard (my grandmother swore by Colman’s English but I use plain old store-brand)
- 1/3 cup honey (sometimes I use maple syrup here if I’m all out—shh, don’t tell my dad)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar; red’s ok but makes things, um, weirdly pink)
- Big pinch of ground cloves (don’t have any? Try nutmeg or totally skip it—sometimes I forget and nobody notices!)
- Optional: a handful of pineapple rings (my friend Jane insists, I usually forget, but you do you!)
How I Actually Cook It (Spoiler: Not Always Pretty)
- Preheat the oven—180°C (350°F). Don’t fret about perfect temp, just get it hot, but don’t forget the oven mitt. I, uh, learned that the hard way.
- Prep your ham. Take off any plastic wrap (seriously, it’s a thing people have done), place your ham in a deep-ish roasting pan. Fat side up. If it’s got tough skin, I usually score it with a knife in a crisscross—I make a fun game of it, even if my lines always end up lopsided.
- Mix the glaze. Throw your brown sugar, mustard, honey, vinegar, and cloves into a bowl and give it a good stir. It’ll be thick and sticky and probably will call for a spoon you don’t mind getting gooey. Sometimes at this stage, I just taste-test (for science!).
- Slather the glaze. Pour about half over the ham, use a brush or just your hands if you’re feeling wild. Get that glaze in all the nooks.
- Bake for 40 minutes, covered with foil—this helps keep it juicy. And, if it looks weird and slimy, ignore it; the magic’s coming.
- Baste and finish. Take off the foil, pour the rest of the glaze over. (This is when it gets that shiny, caramel vibe.) Put it back in, uncovered, for another 25-35 minutes depending on how sticky you want it (I like mine with some brown, almost burnt edges, but hey, that’s just me).
- Let it rest. Don’t skip this. Wait at least 15 minutes. I mean it. Actually, I tried carving too soon once and ended up with a juicy puddle instead of slices. Live and learn.
If You Want Notes (or, Stuff I Learned Too Late)
- Don’t go mad with the cloves; once I did and my ham tasted like a bakery floor.
- If your glaze gets super thick, add a splash of water or orange juice. Once, I used flat ginger ale—no complaints!
- Fridge leftovers are ten times better. Cold ham sandwiches are the real MVP.
Trying Stuff Out: Ham Experiments Gone Awry (and Otherwise)
- Once swapped honey for molasses. Nope. Would not recommend unless you like your ham to taste like burnt shoes.
- Pineapple with maraschino cherries? Looks cute for photos, but my brother picked them all off. Pineapple only is my jam.
- Added grated orange zest once; honestly, that did smell like Christmas. I keep it in the back pocket for next time.
Equipment? Kinda Overstated
- Roasting pan—I mean, even a deep cake tin works if you line it with foil. I’ve used an old lasagna pan too.
- Basting brush (or honestly, back of a spoon—fingers work in a pinch if you don’t mind getting sticky.)
- Sharp carving knife I know it’s supposed to be sharp but I think I prefer the old bread knife; cuts better for me, dunno why.
What About Leftovers? (A Rarity Here, But…)
Honestly, in my house, leftovers vanish before the plate cools (sometimes I wonder if I’ve got ham-loving poltergeists). But, store in a sealed container in the fridge up to 4 days. Ham freezes too, but it’s never quite as good. If you’ve got leftovers, check out these ideas—the scones are worth a go.
How I Serve It (And What Makes It a Party)
I always have thick slices with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed peas. My mum insists on grainy Dijon on the side, and sometimes I sneak in some crispy roasted Brussels sprouts (not for everyone, I know). Oh—serve with warm rolls if you want to see people go feral. Sometimes, for Boxing Day, I chop the leftovers into a rustic, slightly-accidental ham and cheese pie—one of my prouder moments!
Pro Tips (AKA, Learn From My Goofs)
- Don’t try to double the glaze and dump it all on before baking—it just slides off and burns onto the pan. Pour half at first and the rest later; trust me, I tried both ways, and my smoke alarm still holds a grudge.
- Let the meat rest before slicing. (Seriously—meat science or something. Just do it.)
- I once left out the vinegar by mistake—ham turned out fine, but missed a bit of zing. So, try not to skip it (though, well, life happens).
Questions People Have Actually Asked Me
“Can I use spiral-cut ham?” Yep. Actually, it’s easier, but glaze leaks between the slices. Not a bad thing if you ask me.
“No mustard in the house—can I skip it?” I mean, you can, but the balance isn’t the same. Try a bit of mayo or even horseradish if you’re brave.
“Is it okay to make it ahead and reheat?” Oh, for sure—maybe it’s even better the next day. Warm gently, though, so you don’t zap the juiciness. I usually cover it with foil and pop in a 150°C oven for 15ish minutes.
“How do I keep it from going dry?” Don’t overbake. Period. Cover with foil through most of the cooking, and baste as you go. Or just bribe someone to watch it while you browse Serious Eats’ ham guide—loads of good info there.
On a side note, once during a rainstorm, my power cut out and I finished this on the barbecue. Not ideal, kinda odd, but it worked (the glaze was a bit smokier than usual, which people pretended to love—thanks, family!). Really, though, don’t stress the details. Make it yours and roll with the punches. That’s how the best food—and stories—are made, right?
Ingredients
- 1 fully cooked bone-in ham (about 7-8 lbs)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
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1Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Place the ham cut side down in a large roasting pan lined with foil.
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2Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern using a sharp knife. Cover ham loosely with foil and bake for 1.5 hours.
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3In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, ground cloves, black pepper, and butter. Stir until smooth and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
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4Remove the ham from the oven and increase oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). Brush the glaze generously all over the ham.
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5Return the ham to the oven (uncovered) and bake for an additional 30 minutes, glazing every 10 minutes, until caramelized.
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6Remove from oven and let ham rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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