Christmas dinner · adapted traditional recipe
Brown Sugar Dijon Glazed Ham
A fully cooked bone-in ham, warmed slowly and brushed with a sweet-sharp glaze. The easiest centerpiece for a Christmas dinner, with a time per pound so you can plan the oven.
An adaptation of a traditional recipe, written in our own words. Ovens vary, so go by the doneness signs as well as the times.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 35 min
- Total
- 2 hr 20 min
- Makes
- 8 servings (a 5 lb ham)
Ingredients
- 5 lbfully cooked bone-in half ham, plain, or spiral-cut (heats faster)
- ½ cupwater, for the pan
- Glaze
- ½ cuplight brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cupDijon mustard
- ¼ cuphoney
- 2 tbspapple cider vinegar
- ¼ tspground cloves
- ½ tspblack pepper
Method
- 1
Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat it to 325°F. Put the ham cut-side down in a roasting pan, pour the water around it and cover the whole pan tightly with foil.
- 2
Warm the ham for about 18 to 24 minutes per pound (USDA chart for a bone-in half ham of 5 to 7 lb; a 5 lb ham needs roughly 90 to 120 minutes in total), leaving the last 20 minutes for the glaze.
- 3
While it heats, whisk the brown sugar, mustard, honey, vinegar, cloves and pepper in a small saucepan. Simmer on low for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until it coats the back of a spoon.
- 4
With about 20 minutes left, remove the foil, brush half the glaze over the ham and return it to the oven uncovered.
- 5
Ten minutes later brush on the rest of the glaze. Check the thickest part with a thermometer, away from the bone: it should read 140°F for a ham packaged in a USDA-inspected plant (165°F if it was repackaged elsewhere or is leftover).
- 6
Move the ham to a board, tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Spoon the pan juices over the slices.
How to know it is done
The thickest part, not touching the bone, reads 140°F (ham packaged in a USDA-inspected plant) or 165°F (repackaged elsewhere, or leftover) on an instant-read thermometer, and the glaze is deep amber and sticky rather than wet.
Food safety
This is for a ham labeled fully cooked. If the label says uncooked or 'cook before eating', follow the label: it needs 145°F plus a 3 minute rest.
Make ahead
Mix the glaze up to 3 days ahead and keep it in a jar in the fridge; warm it gently to loosen it before brushing. Buy the ham 2 to 3 days before and keep it in its wrapping in the fridge. A frozen ham needs 1 day of fridge thawing for every 4 to 5 lb.
Storing and freezing
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving and use within 3 to 4 days, or freeze sliced ham in portions for 1 to 2 months. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
Tips
- Plan about ½ lb of bone-in ham per guest, and a little more if you want leftovers for sandwiches.
- Keep the ham covered until the last 20 minutes: that is what stops the slices drying out.
- A spiral-cut ham heats faster; start checking the temperature about 10 minutes early.
- Save the bone for split pea or bean soup.
Allergens
- Mustard
- Check the ham label for added sugar, gluten-containing fillers and other additives
Always check the labels of the products you buy.
Questions
How long does it take to heat a fully cooked ham?
At 325°F, the USDA chart gives 18 to 24 minutes per pound for a fully cooked bone-in half ham of 5 to 7 lb, until the thickest part reads 140°F (165°F if the ham was repackaged outside the plant). A 5 lb half ham takes roughly 1½ to 2 hours. Spiral-cut hams heat faster (about 10 to 18 minutes per pound), so start checking earlier.
Do I need to bring the ham to room temperature first?
No, and it is better not to leave a ham on the counter for hours. Put it straight from the fridge into the oven, covered, and give yourself the extra time on the schedule.
How much ham do I need per person?
About ½ lb for bone-in ham and ⅓ lb for boneless. For a Christmas dinner with leftovers, round up: 8 guests need a 5 lb half ham.
Can I glaze the ham the day before?
Make the glaze the day before, but brush it on only in the last 20 minutes in the oven. Sugar burns if it sits on the ham for the whole warming time.