Brown Sugar and Bourbon Glazed Ham

Brown Sugar and Bourbon Glazed Ham is a smoked spiral-cut ham smothered in a sweet and tangy glaze that you can make in minutes. It's the best way to celebrate special occasions with minimum fuss.

But this popular holiday dish is not just for special occasions – it's a versatile and easy-to-prepare entrée that can be enjoyed year-round.

Cooking a spiral-cut ham means you spend less time carving the ham and more time with your family and guests.

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Since the ham is already cooked you only need to reheat it. Then when the ham is close to being fully heated you spoon and brush a tangy and sweet brown sugar and bourbon glaze all over the outside of the ham, return it to the oven, and let the glaze caramelize and set.

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• Why This Recipe Works
• Waiting for Guests to Arrive?
• Ingredients
• Step-by-Step Instructions for Baked Ham
• Side Dishes to Serve with Baked Ham
• Table of Roasting Times for Smoked Ham
• My Top Tip
• Substitutions & Variations
• Equipment
• Make-Ahead & Storage
• More Delicious Baked and Roasted Meats
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why This Recipe Works

Nothing says "Holiday" like a juicy ham covered with a sweet and tangy bourbon and brown sugar glaze and smoked ham is an easy meat to prepare since it is already cooked and you are simply heating it. But adding a homemade glaze makes it extra special. So skip the packet that comes with most spiral-cut hams and try this simple and delicious, sweet and tangy glaze.

Whether constructing a single dish or complex plate, good cooks balance and manipulate the main elements that affect flavor which are sweet, sour, bitter, salty, savory, fat, and heat. So there is a simple reason why sweet and tangy glazes go so well on ham... and it is salt. 

Because ham is salty, it needs sweetness to balance the saltiness. This is the main reason why you see so many recipes for ham that include sweet sticky glazes. There's the classic ham covered in brown sugar, pineapple rings, and maraschino cherries, and also glazes made with Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper. Good cooks add sweetness to balance the salt.

My ham recipe takes only minutes of prep. While it warms in the oven you make the sweet and tangy glaze that you spoon or brush on it from the top of the ham until the whole ham is covered in sweet, sticky goodness.

This recipe is also super easy to make, so you can focus on great side dishes to make your dinner even more special. Whether you are planning a Thanksgiving dinner, Easter Sunday supper, or other special occasion dinners you can't go wrong with a home-glazed smoked spiral-cut ham.

So, let's cook!

Ingredients

Here's what you need to make this Brown Sugar and Bourbon Glazed Ham:

• Bone-In Smoked Spiral Cut Ham - A bone-in ham that is smoked is a fully cooked ham and only requires reheating. I prefer a spiral ham to make carving easy. The glaze will be plenty for any smoked ham from 10 pounds up to 14 pounds.
• Pineapple Juice - I like to use pineapple juice to heat the ham. It is helpful to have a liquid in the bottom of the pan to steam the ham. So, instead of pineapple juice, you can steam the ham with water or broth.
• Dark Brown Sugar - Dark brown sugar will give lovely caramel flavors to the glaze.
• Bourbon Whiskey - Choose a bourbon that you like. I used Makers Mark but any bourbon that has good flavor will work. I like whiskeys with notes of sweet baking spices or caramel. Maple bourbon is also delicious!
• Honey - You can use any honey you have on hand but not a "hot honey" or flavored honey. Sage, orange blossom, or local honey are great choices.
• Dijon Mustard - Dijon mustard gives a nice tangy flavor and is needed to make this glaze less sweet and to give it a "bite".
• Ground Allspice - This is the one spice that tastes like cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon all in one and says "Holiday!" These spice flavors are a classic combination with ham.
• Lemon Juice (Optional) - You might not need any lemon juice. I like to have some on hand to adjust the sweetness of the glaze. Fresh lemon juice is always best and all you need is just a squeeze from half a lemon.

Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Baked Ham

Preheat and Prepare. Preheat the oven to 275°F/135°C. Let the ham come to room temperature and remove it from its packaging. If the ham has a plastic disc remove and discard it. Place ham cut side down in a 13x9-inch baking pan.

Pour pineapple juice into the pan around the ham.

Heat in Oven. Cover ham with aluminum foil and crimp the edges around and under the pan. Put the ham in the oven and heat it for approximately 1½ hours. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the ham, which should be 135°F/57°C.

Make Glaze. While the ham heats, make the glaze. In a small saucepan mix the dark brown sugar, bourbon whiskey, honey, Dijon mustard, and ground allspice. Bring to a boil and let simmer over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

Taste and, if needed, add the lemon juice to make it less sweet and brighten the flavor.

Glaze Ham. During the last 30 minutes of heating increase the oven temperature to 425°F/218°C. Remove the ham from the oven, uncover it, and spoon and brush the surface of the ham with the glaze. Return the ham to the oven to let the glaze set.

Watch the glaze carefully, so that it does not burn.

Serve and Enjoy. Serve the baked ham with some of the slices fanned out and with any unused remaining glaze on the side.

Table of Roasting Times for Smoked Ham

Ham Size	10 min/lb	11 min/lb	12 min/lb	13 min/lb	14 min/lb	15 min/lb
10 lbs	100	110	120 (2 hrs)	130	140	150
11 lbs	110	121	132	143	154	165
12 lbs	120	132	144	156	168	180 (3 hrs)
13 lbs	130	143	156	169	182	195
14 lbs	140	154	168	182	196	210

My Top Tip

♡ The spiral ham you choose makes a big difference in the look and taste of your glazed ham. Most grocery stores have their own branded hams that are generally more economical than major brands.

Target’s Market Pantry ham is very delicious and has been my favorite for a few years. I've also used Walmart's and Aldi's smoked ham, which are also delicious but they don't look as quite as pretty after it has been heated and glazed.

Equipment

I use a simple 13"x 9" metal baking pan to heat the ham. If you have a shallow roasting pan that is fine too, and so is a ceramic baking dish.

Make-Ahead & Storage

A smoked baked ham is generally not made in advance, since it is already cooked and you are only heating and glazing the ham.

You can keep leftover ham in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week and frozen for up to a month.

Leftover glazed ham is delicious and can be used in cold or hot sandwiches and casseroles. Don't discard the leftover bone or any of the small bits and pieces of ham! It is perfect for making Lima Beans and Ham and also to flavor Bean Soup and Split Pea Soup.

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