Honey Glazed Ham Holiday Centerpiece (Printable Version)
# What You'll Need:
→ Ham
01 -
1 fully cooked bone-in ham (3.5–4.5 kg)
02 -
Whole cloves (optional, for studding)
→ Honey Glaze
03 -
240 ml honey
04 -
220 g brown sugar (light or dark)
05 -
115 g unsalted butter
06 -
60 ml Dijon mustard
07 -
60 ml apple cider vinegar or orange juice
08 -
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
09 -
0.5 teaspoon ground cloves
10 -
0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 -
0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 -
Pinch of salt
# Step-by-Step Directions:
01 -
Preheat oven to 165°C. Remove packaging from ham and pat dry with paper towels. If needed, trim thick rind or excess fat, leaving approximately 0.5 cm of fat. Score the ham surface in a crisscross pattern with shallow diagonal cuts to allow better glaze penetration. Optionally, stud intersections with whole cloves.
02 -
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine honey, brown sugar, unsalted butter, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar or orange juice, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves and the glaze thickens slightly (5–7 minutes).
03 -
Place the ham on a rack inside a large roasting pan. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Roast for 15–18 minutes per 500 g, until the internal temperature reaches 60°C. Baste generously with honey glaze every 20–30 minutes. During the final 30–40 minutes, remove the foil to allow the glaze to caramelize.
04 -
Remove ham from the oven and rest for at least 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, carve into thin slices, and serve with additional glaze drizzled over the meat.
# Helpful Notes:
01 -
Use a bone-in ham for maximum flavor and moisture retention.
02 -
Scoring enables a deeper glaze infusion and a professional appearance.
03 -
For a citrus variation, substitute apple cider vinegar with orange juice.
04 -
A meat thermometer ensures the ham is heated through without drying out.
05 -
Leftover ham is excellent in sandwiches, omelets, and soups.