Making Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze

My kids’ all-time favorite meal is baked ham! Any day of the week (or on any holiday), they would choose ham over a turkey feast.

While the exterior of this simple baked ham is caramelized and drizzled with a brown sugar glaze for a hint of sweetness, the interior is moist, delicate, and wonderful.

This ham is something we offer on special occasions (like Christmas and Easter), but you can make it any time of year.

I won’t lie; I love turkey dinner (albeit I only enjoy the stuffing), but I feel a little alone in our house because everyone chooses ham.

Although I regularly prepare ham in the Crock Pot because it’s so simple, I must admit that I genuinely adore the roasted flavor that results from cooking a delightfully glazed ham!

It’s not difficult to bake a ham; you simply need to keep an eye on the temperature to make sure it warms through without becoming overcooked.

A brown sugar coating raises the quality of baked ham without making it too sweet.

Methods for Baked Ham

When you buy ham, it has typically been smoked, which means it has been cooked. Make sure you check your ham’s box to verify whether it says completely cooked (and it should let you know the temperature to cook your ham too).

While a “cook before eating” ham needs to be cooked to 160°F, a completely cooked ham only needs to be heated to 140°F.

When cooking ham, you should turn the cut side down and preheat the oven.

To secure the foil around the roasting pan (I use a 913 pan), wrap it tightly around the ham. Before the ham completing its baking, brush it with the brown sugar glaze.

How long should a Baked Ham cook?

Since bone-in ham offers the finest flavor and the most tender flesh, this recipe calls for one (plus we like to have a leftover ham bone to make our favorite Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup).

For this dish, a completely cooked, bone-in ham should cook for 12 to 14 minutes per pound (a 9-pound ham should cook in around 2 1/4 hours).

Since it is simple to overcook ham, I advise using a thermometer like this one to create the ideal cooked ham.

I have one, and for great results, I just leave the ham in there while I watch the temperature. (I apply it to everything, including perfectly cooked pork tenderloin and steaks.)

They only cost a little over $20, and in my opinion, it’s well worth the tiny outlay to be able to cook with perfection (and never have overcooked meet again)! The cooking instructions for the ham you purchase should also include cooking guidance, but a thermometer is the most accurate tool.

How to make a ham with brown sugar glaze?

I use brown sugar and a small amount of pineapple juice to make my favorite brown sugar glaze for ham, which I include in this recipe (orange juice works great too).

The glaze gives the ham’s outside a nice sticky coating and is tasty without being overly sweet.

I go to the extra effort (about 4 minutes extra time) to slightly thicken the glaze since it sticks to the ham much better this way. In this recipe, either dark or light brown sugar can be used, however dark brown sugar has a somewhat stronger flavor.

The brown sugar glaze is only applied for the final 15 minutes of baking since, like anything with a lot of sugar, it can burn if left in there for too long.

The ham is taken out of the oven, and the heat is turned up high once the brown sugar glaze has thickened and cooled.

The ham should be covered with the glaze before going back into the oven. Within a short period, the tremendous heat will create the most exquisite golden glaze!

To keep your baked ham wonderfully moist, let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.

How much ham do people get?

You’ll need around 3/4 pounds of bone-in ham per person if you’re using it, and a little bit more if you want leftovers (for Ham and Corn Chowder or Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole). 9 persons should be able to eat an 8 lb. ham.

Serving suggestions for glazed ham

Our home typically serves this lovely brown sugar ham for Christmas dinner or Easter supper. For the ideal supper, we serve it with our favorite sides!

1. Set the oven to 325 F.
2. Combine pineapple juice with dijon mustard. Brush the ham.
3. If there is a plastic disk on the bone of your ham, you should remove it and throw it away. Place the ham in a roasting pan with the flat side facing up and securely wrap with foil. 12 to 15 minutes per pound to roast (or according to package directions).
4. In the meantime, combine the glaze ingredients and heat till boiling. Reduce heat, then simmer for two to three minutes. Cool.
5. Remove the ham from the oven 15 minutes before completion and raise the temperature to 425°F.
6. Once the ham has achieved a safe cooking temperature, brush on the glaze and put it back in the oven until it caramelizes.

Notes

Check the package to be sure it reads “completely cooked” if you buy a smoked ham that has already been cooked. It must be cooked to 140°F even if your ham is fully cooked according to the package (as most spiral hams are) (basically just to heat it).

Nutrition