← All recipes

Mains · American

Honey-Glazed Ham

A fully cooked ham, warmed through slowly and finished with a shiny honey-mustard glaze.

Hands-on
15 min
Hands-off
2 h 35 min
Oven preheat
10 min
Total
2 h 50 min
Makes
12 servings
Serves
12

Written for an 8 lb (3.6 kg) ham at the slow end, 16 minutes per pound: about 2 h 8 min of warming, 20 minutes glazing and a 10-minute rest. The oven heats while you prep. A 6 lb (2.7 kg) ham at 12 minutes per pound is ready in about 2 hours. The thermometer decides, not the clock.

Oven 170 °C · 150 °C fan (325 °F)

Pan shallow roasting tin with a rack, big enough for the ham (US: shallow roasting pan with a rack, big enough for the ham)

  • easy
  • christmas
  • easter
  • holiday
  • thanksgiving

Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means

Illustration of Honey-Glazed Ham
Amount
Units
Oven

Ingredients

You need: shallow roasting pan with a rack · meat thermometer (ovenproof or instant-read) · small bowl · pastry brush · sharp knife · aluminium foil · oven mitts

Contains: none of the 9 major allergens in the listed ingredients

Method

  1. Heat the oven

    Heat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan, 325°F).

  2. Set up the ham

    Put the ham fat side up on the rack in a shallow roasting pan. Push the thermometer in at a slight angle so the tip sits in the centre of the thickest part, not touching bone or fat.

    Otto tried this firstOtto jams the thermometer in until it hits the bone and gets a reading that's way too high. The tip belongs in the thickest meat, away from bone and fat.

  3. Warm it through

    Roast for 12 to 16 minutes per pound (26-35 minutes per kg): roughly 1 3/4 to 2 hours for an 8 lb (3.6 kg) ham.

    Ready when: The thermometer reads 49°C (120°F). This is only the warm-up: the ham isn't finished yet.

  4. Score the fat

    Take the ham out and pour off the drippings. Peel off any skin, then lightly score the fat in an even diamond pattern. If you like, press a whole clove into each diamond.

  5. Glaze

    Stir together 85 g (1/4 cup) honey, 1/2 tsp ground mustard and 1/4 tsp ground cloves, and brush it all over the ham.

  6. Finish roasting

    Return the ham to the oven, uncovered, for about 20 minutes more.

    Ready when: The glaze is shiny and sticky and the thermometer reads 57°C (135°F).

  7. Rest

    Cover the ham loosely with foil and let it stand for about 10 minutes before carving.

    Ready when: The thermometer climbs to at least 60°C (140°F), the safe temperature for reheating a fully cooked ham. If it doesn't get there, put it back in the oven and check again in a few minutes.

Swaps

  • Instead of the glaze: honey-lemon glaze: 120 ml (1/2 cup) honey, 1 1/2 tsp dry mustard and 1 tsp lemon juice, brushed on during the last 30 minutes of heating

Don’t swap

  • a fresh (raw) or 'cook before eating' ham: it needs a different, longer cooking method and a different safe temperature.

Make ahead, store & reheat

Storage
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. They keep 3-4 days in the fridge or 3-4 months in the freezer.
Reheat
Reheat leftover slices until they reach 74°C (165°F).

If something goes wrong

  • Thermometer reading stays low Why: The tip is in fat or near the surface, or the ham needs more time.
    Move the tip to the centre of the thickest part, away from bone and fat, and keep heating until it reads 60°C (140°F) after resting.

Good to know

  • Spiral-sliced ham that comes with its own heating directions: follow the package for the oven temperature and time, swap the packet glaze for the honey glaze, brush it on in the last 30 minutes and let the ham stand 10 minutes before serving. The 60°C (140°F) check still applies.
  • Leftovers are great in sandwiches, and the bone makes a good soup.

Safety

  • Use a thermometer. A fully cooked ham is safe to serve once it has been reheated to 60°C (140°F). The colour of the meat won't tell you.
  • Pour off drippings carefully: the fat and the roasting pan are very hot. Use oven mitts, and kids should leave the pan to an adult.
  • Don't leave the carved ham out for more than 2 hours (1 hour above 32°C / 90°F).
  • Some hams and glaze packets contain allergens or gluten. Check the label.