The ultimate guide to baking a perfectly delicious honey glazed ham! This recipe is simple, yet impressive, featuring a homemade honey-thyme glaze that takes your ham to the next level. Welcome to Ham 101!
In my house, we bake ham for special occasions. Usually, Easter and Christmas. Even though it’s a tradition for these special celebrations, ham is very easy to make if you follow our tips. It’s great for the main course and works for brunch or dinner.
It also looks so pretty on the plate when served with greens and a delicious honey glaze!
You can also make ham and cheese sliders with leftover ham. There is nothing better than ham paired with sweet Hawaiian rolls!
Honey-Glazed Ham Ingredients
Worcestershire Sauce: Adds depth and umami for a well-rounded glaze.
Cooked Ham: Since we’re all about easy over here, a fully cooked, boneless ham is the best option. You can also get the fully cooked ham pre-sliced if you prefer that. Remember, a fully cooked ham doesn’t mean that you don’t bake it.
Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and helps the glaze stick to the ham.
Chopped Thyme: Fresh herb that enhances the glaze with earthy and fragrant notes.
Cayenne Pepper: A subtle kick of heat to balance the sweetness.
Spices: A savory blend of spices such as garlic, onion, cayenne, and pepper to elevate the ham’s flavor.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds a tangy brightness to balance the glaze’s sweetness.
Honey: The main sweetener, creating a sticky and caramelized finish.
How to Make A Honey-Glazed Ham
Prepare the Butter Mixture: Melt butter with thyme in a small bowl and set aside.
Preheat the Oven: Heat to 350°F and adjust the middle rack lower to accommodate the ham and roasting pan.
Score the Ham: Cut shallow crosshatch patterns on the top of the ham without cutting into the meat.
Bake the Ham: Place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan, cover with foil, and bake for 45 minutes.
Make the Glaze: Mix honey, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and the thyme butter. Let it sit until needed.
Glaze and Bake Again: Remove foil, brush half the glaze on the ham, and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Add 1 cup of water to the pan if needed to prevent the glaze from burning.
Finish with More Glaze: Brush on the remaining glaze and bake for another 15 minutes until the ham is golden brown.
Recipe Tips
- Ham should be room temperature for 1 hour.
- Score the ham in a cross stitch pattern and place it on a roasting rack with the pan under to catch the juice. How to score a ham.
- Cover the ham in tin foil and bake it in a 350 degree oven, lower third rack for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, add 1 cup water to the roasting pan and brush the glaze over the ham, discard the foil and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.
- Brush again with glaze and bake a few more minutes until the ham is a nice golden brown!
How Long to Bake a Ham
A pre-cooked 8 pound ham will take about 1 hour and 15 minutes to cook in 350 degree oven. It’s about 10 minutes per pound of ham. For this 8 pound ham we did about an hour and 15 minutes. It turned out really good!
Honey Glaze Recipe
Personally, I think the glaze is the best part! This recipe is a favorite and adds so much flavor to the ham. It’s truly the best!!
It’s made with vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, honey, cayenne, thyme, and butter. You just whisk all of those ingredients together and let it sit in a bowl until the ham has cooked for 45 minutes. Then brush it on the ham and bake a little longer for a golden brown ham.
The juice at the bottom of the pan after the ham is glazed and cooked is delicious. It’s worth pouring in a little bowl to pour over the ham slices when serving.
How to Reheat Ham in the Oven
To reheat leftover ham, wrap it in foil and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to reheat, place the wrapped ham in a 325°F oven and heat until the internal temperature reaches 135–140°F. If the ham is already sliced, it will warm up quickly.
How to Store
Refrigerate Leftovers
- Wrap the ham tightly in foil, plastic wrap, or store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–5 days.
Freeze for Longer Storage
- For extended storage, slice the ham into portions and wrap tightly in freezer-safe plastic wrap or foil. Place the wrapped pieces in a freezer bag or airtight container.
- Store in the freezer for up to 2 months for the best quality.
More Recipes You’ll Love
And there you have it – the easiest, most delicious honey-glazed ham you’ll ever make! Perfect for holidays, family dinners, or just because you’re craving something amazing.
If you give this recipe a try, let me know how it turned out, I’d love to hear about it! Cheers to tasty meals and happy gatherings!
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Honey Glazed Ham
Ingredients
- 8 pound bone-in ham
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp chopped thyme
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- In a small bowl, melt the butter and thyme and set it off to the side.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Position the middle rack lower to fit a roasting pan and ham.
- Score the top of the ham in a crosshatch pattern, but don't cut fully into the meat.
- Place the ham on a rack sitting in a roasting pan.
- Cover the ham with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together honey, vinegar, spices, Worcestershire sauce and the thyme butter you made earlier.
- The glaze can sit until the ham is finished cooking.
- Open the oven and remove the foil. Brush half of the glaze on the ham and bake again, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- If there is no liquid at the bottom of the pan, add 1 cup of water so the glaze doesn't burn.
- After 15 minutes, brush the rest of the glaze on the ham and bake again for another 15 minutes until it's golden brown.
