Easter is approachin’ so I whipped out my usual go-to recipe for glazed ham! It’s sticky, sweet and crispy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. So lip smackingly delicious and satisfying that I am now asked to make it every year. If you’ve got leftovers, you can eat it cold or warm, for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Growing up Italian, our Easter meats were either lamb or rabbit, or both, never ham. Fortunately, I’ve made it my new tradition and hopefully this recipe will now be firmly placed in your recipe collection as well.
It definitely has that wow factor as well with that shiny, crackly sweet exterior! Serve with mashed or scalloped potatoes and buttered green beans. It may seem like a huge undertaking but it couldn’t be easier, trust me.
I hope you try it and love it!
Brown Sugar & Dijon Glazed Ham
Equipment
- 1 Roasting pan covered in foil or parchment for easy cleanup
Ingredients
- 8-10 pound (4-5 kg) bone-in fully cooked ham, (I got double smoked, which is a fully cooked ham)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 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
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F | 150°C and arrange a rack in the lower third. Remove any plastic packaging or netting from the ham. Trim away the rind and discard. Set the ham aside to rest at room temperature for 1- 2 hours.
- Line a baking tray with aluminum foil or parchment paper if you prefer (it will make cleanup a lot easier).
- If your ham has the skin on it, cut a slit down the side of the ham and carefully remove the skin by peeling it away from the fat layer, leaving the fat layer intact.
- Using a sharp knife score a 1-inch-wide diamond pattern (don’t cut more than 1/4 inch deep) over the entire ham. Place the ham in the prepared baking tray; pour about 1/2 cup of water into the base of the pan. Cover the ham with two pieces of foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pot or saucepan over medium heat until golden browned. Add in the brown sugar, honey, mustard, cinnamon, and clove. Stir to combine, allowing the brown sugar to dissolve completely, about 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and add in the garlic. Allow it to become fragrant, cooking for a further minute or two until the glaze just begins to simmer, then set it aside and let cool to lukewarm. The glaze should be the consistency of room-temperature honey.
- After 30 minutes baking time, carefully remove the ham from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 425°F | 220°C. Discard the foil or parchment paper and pour 1/3 of the glaze all over the ham, brushing in between the cuts to evenly cover. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, brush with another third of the glaze and some of the pan juices, and repeat again after 15 minutes more minutes of baking until a dark golden-brown crust has formed, (about 30 minutes total). For added depth of flavour, mix some of the ham pan juices together with the glaze in the pot which will help keep it runny enough for brushing. If your crust is still pink after the suggested baking time, turn on your broiler (or oven grill), and allow it to broil for 2-5 minutes, while keeping an eye on it so it doesn't burn from the sugar.
- Let the ham rest 10-20 minutes before slicing.
