Absolutely 🍯🐖 — Honey Baked Ham is a classic centerpiece for holidays, family dinners, or special occasions. The hallmark is a sweet, sticky glaze that caramelizes beautifully on the outside while the ham stays tender and juicy inside.
Here’s a detailed recipe:
🍯 Honey Baked Ham
Ingredients (Serves 8–10)
- 1 fully cooked bone-in ham (about 8–10 lbs)
- 1 cup honey
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional)
- 1 tsp ground cloves or whole cloves for studding
- 1–2 tbsp water or orange juice
Instructions
1. Preheat Oven
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Line a roasting pan with foil for easy cleanup.
2. Prepare the Ham
- Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern about ½ inch deep.
- Optional: Stud the intersections with whole cloves for extra flavor.
3. Make the Glaze
- In a small saucepan, combine honey, brown sugar, mustard, and water/orange juice.
- Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves and glaze is smooth.
4. Bake the Ham
- Place the ham cut-side down in the roasting pan.
- Brush a portion of the glaze over the ham.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake:
- About 15–18 minutes per pound (for a 10 lb ham, ~2.5–3 hours).
5. Glaze and Caramelize
- Every 20–30 minutes, brush more glaze over the ham.
- In the last 20–30 minutes, remove foil to let the glaze caramelize.
6. Rest and Serve
- Remove ham from oven and let rest 15–20 minutes before slicing.
- Serve warm, with any leftover glaze drizzled on top.
🔥 Tips & Variations
- Extra sticky glaze: Add 2–3 tbsp maple syrup or orange marmalade to the glaze.
- Spiced twist: Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger to the glaze.
- Honey-baked spiral ham: If using a spiral-sliced ham, glaze every layer and let it bake for ~10–12 minutes per pound.
- Leftovers: Dice leftover ham for omelets, fried rice, casseroles, or soups.
- Presentation: Garnish with pineapple rings, cherries, or fresh herbs for a festive look.
If you want, I can give a “gourmet honey-baked ham” version where the glaze is layered with brown sugar, Dijon, orange juice, and a touch of bourbon, and the ham comes out ultra-tender with a perfectly caramelized crust — basically restaurant-level 😏.
Do you want me to do that version?
