Honey Baked Ham

5 from 9 votes

Honey Baked Ham basted with a hint of pineapple juice and a buttery, sticky glaze! Juicy and succulent on the inside with crispy, charred, sticky edges. The perfect baked ham recipe for your dinner table.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 30

Course: Dinner, holiday main dish, Main Course

Cuisine: American, southern American, Western

Keyword: baked ham recipe, bone-in ham, honey baked ham, Spiral ham recipe

Servings: - 30 people

Author: Karina Carrel

Ingredients

8-10 pound bone-in cooked ham or boneless
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup whole cloves

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and arrange a rack in the lower third. Remove any plastic packaging or netting from the ham. Trim away the rind and discard. Set the ham aside to rest at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
Line a baking tray or dish with several sheets of aluminium foil or parchment paper if you prefer (it will make cleanup a lot easier).
Remove the rind or skin of the ham (refer to steps in post), ensuring you leave the fat on. Using a sharp knife score a 1-inch-wide diamond pattern (don’t cut more than 1/4 inch deep) over the entire ham. Insert cloves into the centre of each diamond.
Place the ham in the baking tray; pour the pineapple juice into the base of the pan and cover the ham with two pieces of foil or parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pot or saucepan over medium heat until golden browned. Add in the honey and brown sugar, stirring to combine until the brown sugar has completely dissolved, (about 2 minutes).
Reduce heat to low and let simmer to thicken slightly, then set aside and let cool to lukewarm (the glaze should be the consistency of room-temperature honey).
After 15 minutes baking time, carefully remove the ham from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 425°F | 220°C. Discard the foil or parchment paper and pour 1/3 of the glaze all over the ham, brushing in between the cuts to evenly cover. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven, brush with another third of the glaze and some of the pan juices, and repeat again after 15 minutes more minutes of baking until a dark golden-brown crust has formed, (about 30 minutes total). For added depth of flavour, mix some of the ham pan juices together with the glaze in the pot which will help keep it runny enough for brushing.
If your crust is still pink after the suggested baking time, turn on your broiler (or oven grill), and allow it to broil for 2-5 minutes, while keeping an eye on it so it doesn't burn from the sugar.
Let the ham rest 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Video

Notes

Which Ham is Best? I highly recommend buying a Bone-In Spiral Cut Ham (Shank End). The "Shank End" has one straight bone which makes carving incredibly easy compared to the "Butt End." Avoid boneless hams if possible, as they often lack the flavor and moist texture of bone-in cuts.
Room Temperature is Key Do not skip the step of letting the ham rest on the counter for 1-2 hours before baking. If you put a cold ham in the oven, the sugar glaze will burn before the center of the ham is warm.
Watch the Glaze Consistency When making the glaze, do not over-simmer. It should be the consistency of warm honey. If you simmer it too long, it will turn into hard candy as it cools.
- Fix it: If your glaze becomes too thick to brush, simply whisk in 1 tablespoon of hot water or pineapple juice over low heat until it loosens up.
Make Ahead Tips
- Best Texture: Remove the rind, score the fat, and stud with cloves 1-2 days in advance. Wrap tightly and refrigerate. Bake fresh on the day of serving for the best crispy edges.
- Best for Time: Bake and glaze the entire ham the day before. Slice it cold, layer in a baking dish, pour the pan juices over the slices, and reheat covered with foil at 275°F (135°C) until warm.
Don't Throw Away the Bone! Save the ham bone! It is liquid gold for soups. Freeze it and use it later to make my hearty ham and bean soup or Cabbage soup with beef

Nutrition