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When a big platter of Honey Glazed Ham lands on the table, suddenly everyone is there with a plate. The glaze is simple—just honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and butter—but it coats the ham with an irresistible sticky-sweet-savory sheen. In just about an hour, you have a centrepiece ready to carve.
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A cooked ham already brings a lot of flavor to the table, so the goal here is simply to warm it properly and add a good glaze. Wrapping the ham for the first part of baking keeps it moist while the heat works through the center. Once it warms through, I unwrap it and brush on the glaze so it can slowly caramelize in the oven. The result looks impressive but the process couldn’t be easier.
Ingredient Notes
The ingredients for Honey Glazed Ham are simple, and the best part is there are only five ingredients in addition to the ham.
A fully cooked ham works best here because the goal is warming and glazing rather than cooking the meat from raw. Most grocery stores sell bone-in or boneless cooked hams, and either one works well as long as it fits comfortably in your roasting pan.
Honey forms the base of the glaze and gives the ham its shiny coating. Choose a mildly flavored honey so that it adds sweetness without overpowering the other flavors.
Dijon mustard adds a subtle tang that cuts the sweetness of the honey and sugar. It also helps emulsify the glaze so it spreads evenly over the ham.
Unsalted butter adds richness and helps the glaze melt smoothly as it warms. The butter also helps the glaze coat the surface of the ham rather than sliding off.
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How to Make Honey Glazed Ham
Honey Glazed Ham is a centerpiece dish, but the process is straightforward. You warm the ham first, then add the glaze so it caramelizes gently in the oven. Here’s the basic flow:
- Preheat the oven and place the ham in a roasting pan.
- Wrap the ham tightly with foil to help it warm evenly.
- Bake the ham until it heats through.
- While the ham warms, melt butter and stir in honey, brown sugar, mustard, and garlic powder to make the glaze.
- Remove the ham from the oven and unwrap the foil.
- Brush the glaze evenly over the surface of the ham.
- Return the ham to the oven uncovered.
- Bake until the glaze turns glossy and lightly caramelized.
- Let the ham rest briefly before slicing and serving.
Expert Tips for Success
Making Honey Roast Ham is mostly about timing and heat control. A few simple details help the glaze set properly and keep the meat juicy.
- Warm the ham first before glazing. This prevents the sugars in the glaze from burning before the ham heats through.
- Brush the glaze in an even layer so every slice gets flavor.
- If you want a thicker coating, brush on another layer of glaze halfway through the final bake.
- Let the ham rest before slicing so the juices settle back into the meat.
- Slice across the grain to keep each piece tender.
What to Serve With It
Honey Glazed Ham makes a strong centerpiece, so I usually keep the side dishes simple and comforting. Classic Dinner Rolls are perfect for making little sandwiches. Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole and Potatoes Au Gratin are both irresistible and filling side dishes. And you can’t go wrong with Baked Mac and Cheese or Green Bean and Stuffing Casserole as a holiday meal side. For a green vegetable, I like Air Fryer Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad, or Dry Fried Green Beans.
Honey Glazed Ham
Robin Donovan
Ingredients
- 4 pound cooked ham
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Set the oven to 325°F so the ham warms slowly and evenly. Place the ham in a large roasting pan with the cut side facing down.
- Cover the ham tightly with foil. The foil traps moisture and prevents the surface from drying out while the ham warms.
- Place the covered ham in the oven and bake until it heats through. The goal during this stage is simply to warm the meat evenly.
- While the ham warms, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy.
- Remove the ham from the oven and carefully unwrap the foil. Brush the glaze evenly across the surface so it coats the meat.
- Return the ham to the oven uncovered. The glaze will thicken and begin to caramelize as the ham finishes heating.
- Remove the ham from the oven and allow it to rest briefly. Slice the ham and spoon any extra glaze from the pan over the top before serving.
Notes
- If the glaze begins to darken too quickly, loosely tent the ham with foil during the final bake. This prevents the sugars from burning while the ham continues to warm.
- Leftover ham stores well in the refrigerator for up to four days. You can also freeze sliced ham for up to two months and reheat it gently when ready to use.
