Every Christmas, my grandmother would wake before dawn to slide her famous ham into the oven. By the time we kids tumbled downstairs, the house smelled like brown sugar and clove-studded magic. When she passed the recipe to me, I added a glossy honey-mustard glaze that crackles under the broiler like caramelized stained glass. The first year I served it, my cousin—who swore he "only liked ham in sandwiches"—went back for thirds and asked for the leftovers. Now it's the centerpiece of our holiday table, a gleaming mahogany roast that feeds a crowd and still leaves enough for midnight sliders. If you've ever felt intimidated by baking a ham, let this be the recipe that turns you into the relative who gets asked, "Could you bring your ham again?" for the next twenty years.

Ingredient Breakdown

A holiday ham begins at the butcher counter. Look for a bone-in, skin-off city ham—cured, fully cooked, and often labeled "ready to eat." Bone-in guarantees moister meat and a dreamy post-dinner split-pea soup from the smoky hock. I aim for ½ pound per person if I want leftovers; ¾ pound if my people are especially hungry.

The glaze lives or dies on mustard choice. My sweet spot is equal parts whole-grain Dijon (for pops of seed) and silky smooth Dijon (for emulsification). Honey should be something floral—think wildflower or orange-blossom—because cheap clover can read flat once baked. Dark brown sugar deepens color and adds molasses notes that play beautifully with the ham's inherent salt.

Butter might seem indulgent, but a single tablespoon gives the glaze body, prevents the honey from scorching, and helps it cling in glossy layers. A whisper of apple-cider vinegar tightens the sweetness, while a pinch of cayenne keeps palates awake. Optional aromatics—rosemary, thyme, or star anise—can be tucked under the ham as it roasts; they'll perfume the pan juices you later drizzle over sliced meat.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Score & come to temp – 30 min
   Remove ham from packaging; rinse and pat very dry. Using a sharp knife, score a 1-inch-wide diamond pattern across the fat cap, cutting just through the fat, not into the meat. Insert whole cloves into the intersections if desired. Let ham stand at room temperature 30 minutes while the oven preheats to 275 °F (135 °C) with a rack in the lower third.
2. Season & wrap – 5 min
   Brush lightly with olive oil, then season with 1 tsp kosher salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Place cut-side down in a large roasting pan. Add 1 cup chicken stock and 3 bay leaves to the pan. Tent entire ham with foil, crimping edges to trap steam.
3. Low-and-slow roast – 2½ to 3 h
   Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted next to (but not touching) bone registers 110 °F (43 °C), roughly 12 minutes per pound. Meanwhile, make the glaze.
4. Honey-mustard glaze – 5 min
   In a small saucepan combine ¾ cup honey, ½ cup dark brown sugar, ¼ cup whole-grain Dijon, ¼ cup smooth Dijon, 1 Tbsp apple-cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, ½ tsp ground ginger, and ⅛ tsp cayenne. Simmer over medium heat 4–5 minutes, whisking, until reduced to a loose caramel consistency that coats a spoon. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tsp soy sauce for umami depth.
5. First glaze coat – 10 min
   When ham reaches 110 °F, discard foil. Brush ham with one third of the glaze, working it into the score marks. Return to oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
6. Build the lacquer – 40 min
   Repeat glazing every 10 minutes, rotating pan for even color, until internal temp hits 135 °F (57 °C) and the surface is burnished like antique mahogany. Watch closely the last 5 minutes—honey can scorch quickly.
7. Broil for crackle – 2 min (optional)
   Switch oven to broil 500 °F (260 °C). Broil ham 1–2 minutes max, just until bubbles turn glassy. Remove and rest 30 minutes, loosely tented. Carry-over cooking will bring final temp to 140 °F (60 °C).
8. Carve & serve – 5 min
   Steady the ham with a fork; slice straight down to the bone, then cut horizontally along bone to release perfect slices. Ladle some of the rosemary-scented pan juices over the platter for extra shine.

Expert Tips & Tricks

• Thermometer is non-negotiable: Hams can go from juicy to jerky fast. An inexpensive probe alarm saves dinner.
• Score after drying: Moist fat drags the knife; a dry surface yields clean, photo-ready diamonds.
• Double the glaze: Reserve half to simmer and serve as a sauce for those who like an extra drizzle.
• Spiral-cut hack: If you buy spiral-cut, wrap tightly in foil for first ⅔ of cook time to prevent drying, then glaze only the final 20 minutes.
• Smoke upgrade: Add ½ tsp smoked paprika to the glaze for campfire notes without a smoker.
• Make it a ham-pan dinner: Nestle chunks of pineapple, parsnip, and Brussels sprouts in the juices during final 40 minutes; they caramelize in the glaze.
• Carving station trick: Cut a thin slice off the bottom so the ham sits flat; carving is safer and prettier.

Common Mistakes & Troubleshooting

Variations & Substitutions

• Maple-Dijon: Replace honey with dark maple syrup; add ½ tsp cinnamon.
• Pineapple-Pecan: Swap vinegar for pineapple juice; press chopped pecans into final glaze layer before broiling.
• Bourbon kick: Reduce honey to ½ cup; add ¼ cup bourbon and simmer 1 extra minute to cook off alcohol.
• Low-sugar: Use sugar-free monk-fruit syrup and brown-erythritol; finish under 400 °F to prevent bitterness.
• Smoked outdoors: Heat ham in smoker at 250 °F over apple wood; brush glaze during last 45 minutes.
• Mini hams: Recipe works for 3-lb half hams—halve glaze and begin checking temp after 1 hour.

Storage & Freezing

Cool leftover ham to room temperature within two hours. Wrap tightly in foil, then slip into a zip-top bag with all air pressed out. Refrigerate up to 5 days. For longer storage, slice or cube, divide into meal-size portions, and freeze up to 3 months. Pro tip: Freeze slices in a thin layer on a parchment-lined sheet; once solid, transfer to bags so you can grab a handful without thawing the entire batch. Frozen ham is ideal for weeknight fried rice or quiche Lorraine—no need to thaw first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Baked Ham with Honey-Mustard Glaze

Christmas

4.9 (237)

Prep

20 min

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook

2 hr 30 min

Total

2 hr 50 min

Servings

12–14

Difficulty

Medium

Ingredients

• 8–9 lb bone-in fully cooked ham
• ½ cup whole-grain mustard
• ½ cup Dijon mustard
• ⅔ cup honey
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• Optional: whole cloves for studding

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 325 °F (160 °C). Score ham fat in a 1-inch diamond pattern, cutting ¼-inch deep.
2. 2
   Insert whole cloves into intersections if desired; place ham cut-side down in a roasting pan.
3. 3
   Pour broth around ham; add thyme, bay leaves, and garlic. Tent loosely with foil.
4. 4
   Bake 15 minutes per pound (about 2 hours) until internal temp reaches 120 °F.
5. 5
   Meanwhile whisk mustards, honey, brown sugar, butter, vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper in a saucepan; simmer 5 minutes until glossy.
6. 6
   Remove foil, increase oven to 375 °F (190 °C). Brush ham with ⅓ of glaze.
7. 7
   Return to oven 15 minutes; brush with another ⅓ of glaze. Repeat once more for a total of 30–40 minutes until sticky and caramelized.
8. 8
   Rest 20 minutes tented loosely; carve and serve with pan drippings spooned over.

Recipe Notes

• Use leftover ham bone for split-pea soup.
• Glaze can be made 3 days ahead; rewarm gently.
• Store sliced ham in juices up to 5 days refrigerated.

Calories

420

Protein

35 g

Carbs

22 g

Fat

20 g