Maple Glazed Ham

5 from 11 votes

Maple Glazed Ham adds a magic, juicy touch to your festive holiday table. The perfect baked ham with the most incredible sticky glaze!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 30

Course: Christmas, Dinner, Easter, Thanksgiving

Cuisine: American

Keyword: glazed ham, holiday ham, maple glazed ham

Servings: - 30 people

Author: Karina

Ingredients

8-10 pound bone-in fully cooked ham
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 cloves garlic cloves smashed

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. Place the ham in the baking tray; pour pineapple juice and water into the base of the pan and cover the ham with two pieces of foil or parchment paper and bake for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pot or saucepan over medium heat until golden browned. Add in the brown sugar, maple syrup, mustard, cinnamon and cloves, stirring to mix together well until the brown sugar has completely dissolved, (about 2 minutes).
Reduce heat to low, add the garlic and bring to a simmer. Set it aside and let cool to lukewarm (the glaze should be the consistency of room-temperature honey).
After 30 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 10-20 minutes before slicing.

Video

Notes

Bone in Ham: In the step by step photos I had a ham with the bone cut off the top, however in the video the bone was still in the ham. You can use either types, the one with the bone cut off was easier to handle when placing in the oven.
Make Ahead: You can make the glaze up to 3 days in advance. Store it in the fridge in a jar. You can also bake the ham the day before, slice it cold, and reheat covered with foil at a low temp (150°C/300°F) to keep it juicy.
Serving Size: A good rule of thumb is to allow about 250g-350g (½ to ¾ lb) of meat per person for a bone-in ham.
Storage: Leftovers stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Sliced ham freezes perfectly for up to 2 months. Wrap it tightly or use an airtight container with a little splash of leftover glaze to prevent freezer burn.
Don't Bin The Bone: Save the ham bone! It is liquid gold for flavour. Freeze it and use it later for my Creamy Ham and Potato Soup or split pea soup.
Too Salty? If your ham tastes overly salty before cooking, soak it in cold water for 2-4 hours before roasting to draw out the excess brine.

Nutrition