Description
A succulent Brown Sugar Mustard Glazed Ham recipe featuring a sweet and tangy glaze made from brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, and warming spices. Perfectly scored and baked to develop a caramelized crust, this ham is ideal for festive meals and large gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Ham
- 8-10 pound bone-in cooked ham
- 1/2 cup water
Glaze
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (reduce fat or full fat)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
Instructions
- Prep the oven and ham: Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and position a rack in the lower third. Remove plastic packaging and netting from the ham. Trim away the rind and discard, leaving the fat. Allow the ham to rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
- Prepare baking tray and score ham: Line a baking tray or dish with aluminium foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup. Score the ham in a 1-inch diamond pattern, cutting no deeper than 1/4 inch. Place ham in baking tray, pour 1/3 cup water into the base, cover with foil or parchment, and bake for 30 minutes.
- Make the glaze: While the ham bakes, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until browned. Stir in brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, cinnamon, and cloves until sugar dissolves (about 2 minutes). Reduce heat to low, add smashed garlic, and cook until fragrant and glaze begins to simmer. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm consistency (like room-temperature honey).
- Increase oven temperature and glaze ham: After 30 minutes, remove ham from oven and increase temperature to 425°F (220°C). Discard foil/parchment and brush one-third of the glaze over the ham, working it into the scored cuts. Return ham uncovered to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Continue glazing and baking: Remove the ham, brush with another third of glaze plus some pan juices, then bake for another 15 minutes. Repeat the glazing and baking one more time until a dark golden-brown crust forms (about 30 total minutes). For extra glaze fluidity, mix glaze with pan juices and warm gently before brushing.
- Optional broiling: If the crust remains pink, broil the ham for 2-5 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning the sugar.
- Rest and serve: Let the ham rest for 10-20 minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute.
Notes
- If the glaze thickens too much between bastes, reheat it with some pan juices over low heat to restore a honey-like consistency.
- Leaving the fat on the ham while trimming the rind helps keep the meat moist during baking.
- Scoring the ham allows the glaze to penetrate and caramelize nicely.
- Keep a close watch when broiling, as the sugar in the glaze burns quickly.
- Allowing the ham to rest after baking results in juicier slices.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 4 oz)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
