Best Honey Baked Ham Recipe (Glazed & Juicy)

Let the holidays begin with a slice or two of the absolute best Honey Baked Ham! This isn’t just another ham recipe. After years of testing, I’ve found the secret to a ham that is juicy and succulent on the inside with irresistibly crispy, charred, sticky sweet edges. This is a quick and easy recipe that will leave your guests wanting more.

The secret? Baking it in a hint of pineapple juice and basting it with a deliciously buttery, sticky brown sugar glaze. The acid from the pineapple juice tenderizes the meat and keeps it moist, while the butter in the glaze creates that perfect caramelized crust that store-bought hams just can’t compete with.

Get ready to bake the perfect centerpiece for your Christmas or Easter dinner table. Pair it with my creamy Scalloped Potatoes or classic Green Bean Casserole for a complete holiday feast.

Don’t hold back this season! Bake a honey ham with confidence using all the expert tips and tricks right here.

Why trust my recipe?

Before sharing this recipe, I wanted to be absolutely sure it was foolproof. I tested this Honey Baked Ham four different ways in my kitchen

1. Rind ON, low heat.
2. Rind ON, high heat.
3. Rind OFF, broiled at the end.
4. Rind OFF, baked with a progressive glaze – this recipe!

The verdict? Taking the rind off is non-negotiable. In my tests with the rind on, it became tough and gummy. More importantly, that delicious buttery glaze just sat on top of the skin and never penetrated the meat. By removing the rind and leaving the lovely layer of fat underneath, the flavors seep deep into the ham, and the fat renders down into a sticky, crispy coating. I made the mistakes so you don’t have to!

Homemade baked ham is much better than store bought. You can’t beat having that irresistible sticky glaze to smother all over your baked ham while it bakes, or for serving and pair it with my Cornbread Recipe or this Homemade Buttery Herb Stuffing.

What ham should I buy?

Walking up to the meat counter during the holidays can be overwhelming. Here is my expert advice on exactly what to look for.

1. Ensure the ham you buy is NOT pre-glazed. You want a plain, smoked, fully-cooked ham so our flavors don’t clash with a factory glaze. My personal favorite is smoked and I would recommend bone in.

2. Shank End vs. Butt End? A whole ham is huge, so you’ll likely buy a half. The Shank End (the lower, leg portion) is the classic, picture-perfect ham shape. It’s easier to carve because it has just one main bone. This is my personal preference for a beautiful holiday presentation. The Butt End (the upper, rounder portion) is meatier and can be slightly more tender, but it has a T-shaped hip bone that makes carving tricky around the bone.

3. Crucial Tip: Ensure the ham you buy is NOT pre-glazed. You want a plain, smoked, fully-cooked ham so our flavors don’t clash with a factory glaze.

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How to Remove the Ham Rind

For some reason, this is a controversial step, but my testing proves it’s essential. As mentioned, a fully cooked ham rind DOES NOT crisp up, it just gets tough.

When you buy your ham, you’ll notice a gorgeous layer of fat right underneath the thick skin (rind). DON’T trim this fat away! This fat turns into a beautiful crispy and sticky coating for your glaze and is IRRESISTIBLE.

To show you, I’ve put together the following EASY steps shown in the above collage from our Brown Sugar Mustard Glazed Ham recipe.

1. Cut a line through the skin all around the shank end.

2. Insert a sharp knife between the rind and the fat layer. Run it along to detach the two layers.

3. Using your fingers, gently separate the rind from the fat. You can insert your hand deeper to keep detaching it.

4. Peel off and discard the rind.

5. Run a knife into the remaining fat layer, about 1/4-inch deep, to lightly score a 1 inch diamond pattern all over the surface. This creates little valleys for the glaze to pool in.

6. Insert whole cloves into the center of the diamonds. This creates that classic, festive look and infuses the fat with warm spice as it renders.

How Do You Make the Best Ham Glaze?

The best glaze for a baked ham contains a balance of sweet and savory. The saltiness from the cured ham and the sweetness from the glaze complement each other perfectly.

For this Honey Baked Ham, we use a combination of butter, honey, and a hint of brown sugar.

• Butter: Adds richness and helps the glaze caramelize.
• Honey & Brown Sugar: Provide the sticky sweetness and gorgeous color.
• Pineapple Juice: The acid from the juice in the bottom of the pan balances the sweetness and adds another layer of flavor as you baste with the pan juices.

From here, you can add spices. I love the traditional warmth of ground cinnamon and studding the ham with whole cloves for that classic holiday look and flavor.

Pro-Tip for Glazing: My biggest piece of advice is not to simmer the glaze for too long. If you do, it will turn into a hard caramel once it begins to cool, making it extremely difficult to slather onto the ham. You want to bring it to a gentle simmer to dissolve the sugar and then take it off the heat quickly. It should be the consistency of warm honey.

What is needed to make the glaze

You don’t need a laundry list of complicated items to make a masterpiece. We are keeping it simple but high quality, after all it’s the festive season.

• Bone-in Ham – As mentioned above, look for a Shank End ham. It’s the easiest to carve and looks the best. Make sure it is fully cooked (most supermarket hams are.) I use the same cut in my maple glazed ham recipe too. You can use spiral cut ham, if you can find it as it’s so easy and precut. The glaze can seep deep between the slices and the taste is AMAZING.
  • Expert Tip: Avoid Boneless hams if you can, they often lack the flavor and structure of a bone-in cut.
• Pineapple Juice – This is the secret weapon. The acidity in the juice helps tenderize the meat fibers while steaming, ensuring the ham stays moist. It also balances the intense sweetness of the honey. You can use fresh or canned, even the juice from a tin of pineapple rings works!
• Unsalted Butter – Most glaze recipes just use sugar and honey. Adding butter creates a richer, silkier sauce and helps the sugars caramelize into that sticky, charred crust we want.
  • Note: I use unsalted because the ham itself is already very salty.
• Honey – You don’t need to spend $40 on Manuka honey for a glaze (save that for your tea!). For baking a ham, you want a honey that is thick, has a classic floral flavor, and caramelizes well without burning too fast. My personal recommendation is to use Local Hive Orange Blossom Raw & Unfiltered honey. The subtle citrus notes pair incredibly well with the pineapple juice in our recipe, making the glaze taste professional and complex.
  • Note: Try to avoid the ultra-cheap honey sauce or generic store brands that don’t say 100% Honey on the label. They often contain corn syrup, which will make your glaze runny rather than sticky, NO ONE wants that!
• Brown Sugar – You can use light or dark. I prefer dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor that pairs beautifully with the ham.
• Whole Cloves – For studding the fat. They infuse the outer layer with a warm, spicy aroma that screams Holiday Dinner.

Substitutions & Variations

No Pineapple Juice? Orange juice is a fantastic substitute. It provides similar acidity with a citrusy twist. Apple cider works too!

No Honey? Maple syrup is a delicious alternative, though the flavor will be more woodsy, I have a recipe for this my maple glazed ham.

Want more spice? Add a pinch of ground cinnamon or a star anise to the glaze pot while it simmers.

How to bake the perfect ham, step by step

This method uses a two-temperature technique: Low & Slow to steam the meat, followed by a High-Heat Blast to caramelize the glaze.

1. The Warm Up (Crucial Step!) Remove your ham from the refrigerator 1-2 hours before baking. If you put a fridge-cold ham into the oven, the outside will burn before the center is warm. Letting it come to room temperature ensures it heats evenly. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Move your oven rack to the lower third so the ham sits in the center of the oven.

2. Once the rind is removed (see the “How-To” section above), use a sharp knife to score 1-inch diamonds across the fat. Press a whole clove into the center of each diamond. Be careful not to cut into the meat itself—just the fat layer!

3. Place the ham in a roasting pan or large baking dish. Pour the pineapple juice into the bottom of the pan. Cover the entire ham and pan tightly with foil. Bake at 300°F (150°C) for approx. 15-20 minutes. This creates a steam chamber. The pineapple juice vapors penetrate the meat, keeping it juicy while it begins to warm up.

4. While the ham steams, make the glaze. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until it starts to foam and turn golden, the browned butter is the flavor enhancer. Whisk in the honey and brown sugar. Simmer for about 2 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. It should be the consistency of warm syrup. Set aside.

5. Remove the ham from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Discard the foil. Brush 1/3 of the glaze all over the ham, pushing it into the diamond cuts.

6. The Glazing Ritual (Baste, Bake, Repeat) Return the ham to the oven (uncovered) and bake for 15 minutes. Remove, brush with another 1/3 of the glaze, and baste with the pan juices. Return to oven for another 15 minutes.Remove, brush with the remaining glaze. Check the color. If you want it darker, give it one final 10-15 minute blast. Total Glazing Time: Approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour

7. Check the internal temperature. You are aiming for 140°F (60°C). Optional: If you want the edges charred like my photos, turn on the Broil (Grill) setting for 2-3 minutes. Watch it like a hawk—sugar burns in seconds!

8. Rest Before Carving Transfer the ham to a serving platter and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. If you cut it immediately, the juices will run out onto the board, leaving you with dry meat. 

My pro tip for glazing

My biggest piece of advice is not to simmer the glaze for too long. If you do, it will turn into a hard caramel once it begins to cool, making it extremely difficult to slather onto the ham. You want to bring it to a gentle simmer to dissolve the sugar and then take it off the heat quickly. It should be the consistency of warm honey.

What side dishes go with ham?

When planning a holiday menu around a sweet and savory centerpiece like this, I always look for sides that offer a textural contrast. You simply cannot serve a holiday ham without a potato dish! My absolute favorite pairing is my Crispy Garlic Butter Smashed Potatoes. The crispy, craggy edges of the potatoes stand up perfectly to the tender, soft texture of the ham slices. If you are a traditionalist who prefers a smooth, velvety texture to soak up those pan juices, you can never go wrong with a classic bowl of Creamy Mashed Potatoes.

To balance the rich sweetness of the brown sugar glaze, I highly recommend adding savory, roasted vegetables to the table. The earthiness of Cheesy Roasted Brussels Sprouts cuts right through the sugar of the glaze, while Garlic Parmesan Roasted Carrots add a savory, garlicky punch that complements the clove-spiced fat of the ham beautifully. These are sides that don’t just sit on the plate; they actually enhance the flavor of the meat.

Finally, if you need to lighten up the meal or cater to low-carb guests, you don’t have to sacrifice flavor. I often swap regular potatoes for my Buttery Mashed Cauliflower, t’s so creamy that my family often can’t tell the difference! For a burst of freshness and acidity to cleanse the palate between heavy bites, try adding a bright Avocado Tomato Corn Salad. The lime dressing provides a necessary zing that breaks up the heaviness of a festive feast.

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