Easy Brown Sugar Ham
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The most incredible brown sugar glaze there ever was. Perfectly sweet, tangy and savory! An absolute holiday classic.
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Say hello to the easiest ham recipe for your holiday spread. And I truly mean, the easiest.
Not to mention, the sweet/savory/tangy brown sugar glaze that will knock your socks off. A glaze made of brown sugar, pineapple juice, honey, mustard, thyme, rosemary, cinnamon and cloves. All the good stuff here.
I opted for a non-spiral ham this time around, cutting some shallow scores in a diamond pattern to render the fat underneath and let that lovely glaze seep through those cracks, soaking up all that flavor. But a spiral ham will also work just fine here.
If you have any leftovers, there are plenty of ways to repurpose them. Sandwiches are always my go-to.
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Plan for 0.5 lb of ham per person. So for about 12 guests, we recommend using a 4 – 6 lb ham.
- Score the ham. Scoring the skin in a diamond pattern is not only super impressive to all your guests but this will also allow the glaze to seep through to absorb more flavor, leaving a caramelized texture on the outside of your ham.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. The internal temperature should reach 140°F.
- Let your ham rest. Once your ham is out of the oven, let it rest for at least 15 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness. This also frees up oven space to reheat/cook your remaining holiday side dishes.
- Save the bone. The leftover hambone will make for a lovely hambone soup (IP version here).
Favorite Leftover Ham Recipes
the best side dishes to serve with ham
Easy Brown Sugar Ham: Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend using a bone-in ham (versus boneless) as it will yield juicier, more flavorful and tender ham. The hambone can also be saved for soups! A spiral ham (also a bone-in ham) is a great option as it is already pre-sliced.
If you do not have pineapple juice on hand, orange juice is a great swap.
Make sure to let your ham rest for at least 15 minutes prior to serving. This will allow all the juices to redistribute.
The ham glaze can be made in advance, one day prior, and stored in the fridge, reheating on the stovetop until warmed through.
Yes! Once cooled completely, you can freeze the leftover ham in individual freezer bags, thawing overnight.
Here is a foolproof step-by-step video guide for a stress-free holiday ham!
Easy Brown Sugar Ham
Ingredients
- 1 (8-lb) bone-in, fully cooked, smoked ham, at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Using paper towels, pat ham dry. Using a sharp knife, score the top side of the ham by making shallow cuts in a diamond pattern.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, pineapple juice, honey, mustard, thyme, rosemary, cinnamon, cloves and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Place ham, cut side down, onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush evenly with 1/2 cup brown sugar mixture.
- Place into oven, brushing with remaining brown sugar mixture every 30 minutes, until cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 140 degrees F, about 2 hours 30 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before slicing.
- Serve immediately.
Video
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Looks delicious, can’t wait to try and cook today for Thanksgiving. Can I put pineapple and orange on ham?
Absolutely!
Truly easy and delicious! I will definitely be using this recipe again. I’m allergic to pineapple so I used orange juice instead and maple syrup instead of honey. Thank you so much!
This recipe was absolutely fantastic! Super easy and everyone RAVED about it!
This recipe sounds delicious. Would there be any special instruction for making ahead? Thank you
I made the glaze the day before and just stored it in a little container in the refrigerator- then baked it on Easter, followed the directions and it was fantastic!
OMG! This was Hands Down THE BEST ham I have EVER made! Only thing I did different is I used oranges instead of pineapple (that’s all I had) This will be the only way I make ham from now on. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you for the easy and delicious recipe! Not a usual fan of ham but I enjoyed it. Very easy to follow directions and easy ingredients! Followed the directions exactly. Will definitely be making it for the holidays again!
Please let me know about covering the ham completely with tin foil while it cooks. I never did it without covering
Made this today for Easter. Best ham I’ve ever made. This will definitely be my go-to recipe from now on!
THis looks great, will make for Easter – have (2) 8 lb fully cooked spiral hams. Will the 140 temp be ok, stay tender, if its sitting out for a couple of hours, have to use oven for other items.
What do I do with a 20lb ham?
Hi, is there any brand of ham you recommend for the tastiest? Recipe looks amazing, as all your recipes are so good!
I was confused about this too. Please clarify. That said, I love your recipes. Thank you. Great recipes, great food always.
Step 4 says to “ Place ham, cut side down, onto the prepared baking sheet.” Is cut side down the scored side, the wide end cut, or the side opposite the scored side? The ham sounds and looks delicious. Will try it or Easter.
I think she means the wide end cut, that way the glaze can get into the scored edges and coat the outside of the ham.
Directions say to place it in the oven “cut side down”, and to leave it that way the entire time. Is this correct? It seems to get the browning on the top you would need to turn it cut side up at some point, as the picture in the recipe shows.