Holiday Baked Ham
Celebrate the season with this show-stopping Holiday Baked Ham, a centerpiece that’s as delicious as it is beautiful. This classic recipe features a tender, bone-in, fully-cooked ham, scored to perfection and infused with the warm, festive flavors of a homemade glaze made from brown sugar, honey, pineapple juice, and aromatic spices like cinnamon and ginger. Whole cloves add a subtle, fragrant touch, while a final garnish of caramelized pineapple rings and vibrant maraschino cherries makes this dish a visual delight. With just 20 minutes of prep time, this oven-baked ham is easy to prepare but leaves a lasting impression at any holiday gathering. Perfectly balanced between sweet and savory, it’s guaranteed to impress family and friends alike. Serve it warm with extra glaze drizzled on top for a meal that’s sure to become a cherished tradition. Keywords: holiday baked ham, glazed ham recipe, Christmas ham, easy holiday recipes, festive ham centerpiece.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 8 pounds bone-in, fully-cooked ham
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 0.5 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 20 pieces whole cloves
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 0.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 pieces pineapple rings
- 6 pieces maraschino cherries
- 6 pieces toothpicks
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
Place the ham, flat side down, in a roasting pan lined with foil for easy cleanup.
Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern, cutting about 1/4 inch deep. This allows the glaze to penetrate the meat.
If desired, press whole cloves into the intersections of the scored cuts for added flavor.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, and black pepper.
Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves and the glaze is smooth. Bring it to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Brush a generous amount of the glaze over the ham, making sure to get into the scored cuts.
Cover the ham loosely with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Every 20 minutes during the bake, brush additional glaze over the ham to build layers of flavor.
Remove the foil for the last 30 minutes of baking and brush on a final layer of glaze to caramelize.
Once the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140°F (60°C), remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
For decoration, secure pineapple rings to the surface of the ham using toothpicks and place a maraschino cherry in the center of each ring.
Slice the ham and serve warm with any leftover glaze drizzled on top.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
599 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 17.4 g | 22% | |
| Saturated Fat | 6.2 g | 31% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 166 mg | 55% | |
| Sodium | 3854 mg | 168% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 45.1 g | 16% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.8 g | 3% | |
| Total Sugars | 42.6 g | ||
| Protein | 63.7 g | 127% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 54 mg | 4% | |
| Iron | 2.5 mg | 14% | |
| Potassium | 959 mg | 20% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
