Easy Baked Ham

Transform your ham into something spectacular with a sweet and savory pineapple brown sugar glaze. This simple recipe for Baked Ham is perfect for any holiday dinner or just a special weekend meal. 

This recipe for baked ham is one of the easiest, yet most impressive ways to prepare a ham. The ham is baked low and slow with an easy sweet and savory glaze that gives this baked ham the most incredible flavor.

And this recipe for ham could not be easier to make! There is no basting, no broiling, no baby-sitting this ham. The ham cooks low and slow in the glaze, keeping this ham tender, moist, and full of flavor. Trust me, this is one ham everyone will remember!

This Glazed Baked Ham makes the most spectacular holiday meal when served with Scalloped Potatoes, Green Beans Almondine, and a Strawberry Spinach Salad.

Notes on Ingredients

There are two main components to this recipe--the ham and the glaze for the ham. The glaze on this ham is OUT OF THIS WORLD! While it has a few unique ingredients, it creates an easy glaze that is the perfect balance between sweet and savory.

• Ham: This recipe is designed for a cured, precooked ham, also referred to as a city ham. Do not purchase an uncooked ham or a cured, uncooked ham which is referred to as a country ham. You can purchase a whole or sliced ham, boneless or bone-in. I prefer a spiral-sliced ham with a bone. Not only is it easier to serve and I love that the glaze can drip in between the slices, but the bone can also be used to make a delicious Ham and Bean Soup.
• Pineapple Juice: Pineapple juice naturally sweetens the glaze and the acidic sweetness pairs perfectly with the salty ham.
• Apricot Preserves: This may sound like an odd ingredient, but the apricot sweetens the ham and adds so much flavor to this glaze. I use All Fruit Apricot Preserves, to cut down on added sugars, but you can use any brand you like. If you can't find apricot preserves, feel free to use honey in place of the preserves.
• Dijon Mustard: The Dijon adds a sharp note to the glaze.
• Horseradish: Trust me on this, the tiny bit of horseradish opens up your palate to really taste the flavors in this ham. It does not overpower the flavor of the glaze.
• Brown Sugar: Just a tad to add to the sweetness in this glaze. Plus the brown sugar gives notes of rich molasses flavor.
• Spices: I use a tiny bit of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. These are traditional spices found in a ham glaze and add classic notes that are common in holiday ham recipes.

Tips for the Best Baked Ham

The key to a really great ham is to NOT overcook it. We have all had our share of dried-out ham and that is not pleasant! We want to be sure to just warm the ham, as it is already cooked.

Another way to ensure your ham remains juicy is to cook the ham in a moist environment. That is why when I am preparing a small ham, I use my recipe for Instant Pot Ham as the pressure cooker creates a moist environment. But for a large ham, we can easily create an environment in the oven that will keep this ham moist and juicy--and deliver fabulous results! To create moist heat in the oven, I use a roasting pan fitted with a rack and bake the ham over water. The water will create steam as the ham bakes, which will help to evenly and slowly cook the ham without drying it out.

And finally, my number one tip for a really juicy baked ham is to wrap the ham in foil. As the ham bakes, it stays moist, thanks to the foil, and the glaze seeps into the ham, flavoring the entire ham--not just the outer layer. Plus this makes the process of clean-up super simple!

How to Make Glazed Baked Ham

• Prepare the glaze by combining the pineapple juice, apricot preserves, brown sugar, spices, mustard, and horseradish together in a small saucepan.
• Heat the glaze over medium heat, whisking often, until the ingredients are well combined and the sugar has dissolved.

• Remove the ham from the package and place it on a large sheet of aluminum foil.

• Gently pull apart the slices of the ham and pour the glave over the ham, drizzling in between the slices. That will ensure every bite of ham is well seasoned.

• Wrap the foil up around the ham and place the ham on a roasting pan fitted with a rack.
• Pour water into the bottom of the roasting pan--this will help to create the moist heat for the ham to cook in.

• Bake the ham until it reaches 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Remove the ham from the foil and place the ham on a serving platter and serve.

How to Caramelize the Ham Glaze

If you want the crispy, caramelized edges on the exterior of the ham, you can opt to broil the ham. To do this, remove the ham from the foil and place the ham back on the roasting pan. Broil the ham under high heat, keeping a close eye on it so it does not burn, and broil for a couple of minutes.

Please keep in mind, that this tends to dry the ham out VERY quickly and really isn't necessary. The glazed ham is perfect simply baked.

How Long Should You Bake Ham?

Because the ham is precooked, we are essentially just reheating. Therefore, we do not want to overcook the ham.

According to the USDA, ham is safe to eat after being reheated to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The best way to determine how long to bake is to insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the ham and set an alarm for 140 degrees.

When baking ham at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, you should plan on 15 minutes per pound for bone-in ham and 20 minutes per pound for boneless ham.

How Much Ham Do I Need Per Person?

For a quick family meal or a smaller holiday gathering, I typically make Instant Pot Ham. However, when I am entertaining a larger crowd or desiring leftovers, this is my go-to recipe for Ham.

As for how much ham you need, you should plan on ½ of a pound of ham per person for bone-in-hams and ⅓ of a pound of ham per person if using a boneless ham.

Ideas for Leftover Ham

• Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets
• Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup
• Easy Monte Cristo Sandwich
• Cheesy Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
• Ham and Swiss Roll
• Ham and Egg Breakfast Casserole

If you enjoyed this recipe for Baked Ham, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

Glazed Baked Ham

This recipe for baked ham is one of the easiest recipes for ham. It is baked low and slow in the oven with a sweet and savory glaze that gives this ham the most incredible flavor.

5 from 14 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

Servings: 16

Calories: 257kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

• ▢ 7-10 pound ham see notes about type of ham

Ham Glaze

• ▢ ⅓ cup pineapple juice
• ▢ ¼ cup apricot preserves
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon prepared Horseradish
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice

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Instructions

• Remove ham from the refrigerator for 1 hour before baking.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• In a small saucepan, whisk together the pineapple juice, apricot preserves, Dijon, horseradish, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice together. Heat over medium heat and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is well combined.
• Place ham on heavy-duty foil. Pour glaze over ham, allowing glaze to drip down between slices, if using a sliced ham. Insert oven-safe digital thermometer if using and then wrap ham in foil.
• Place a roasting rack in a large roasting pan. pour in 1-2 cups of water--enough to cover pan. Place ham on the rack.
• Bake ham until an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit is reached, or for 15 minutes per pound for bone-in ham and 20 minutes per pound for boneless ham.
• Remove ham from oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Unwrap foil and serve.

Equipment Needed

• Roasting Pan with Rack
• Oven Safe Digital Thermometer

Notes

• If you can't find apricot preserves, feel free to use honey in place of the preserves.
• Use a microplane to freshly grate whole nutmeg. If you do not have whole nutmeg, omit the nutmeg altogether. Do not replace with ground nutmeg. 
• Leftover ham will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 2532mg | Potassium: 654mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 2mg

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