Brown sugar glazed hamis an easy, flavorful recipe for juicy ham with a sweet and salty, caramelized outside, perfect to serve to a crowd for a holiday meal.

whole cooked brown sugar glazed ham on white plate.

Which side of the holiday protein debate are you on: Team Turkey or team ham? Personally, I like a little bit of both on my plate and if you’re a ham lover, then this brown sugar-glazed ham recipe is going to be right up your alley.This recipe creates juicy, big-flavored, slightly sweet, and salty slices of hamevery time, and it’s the perfect option for a holiday dinner.

To make itsuper simple, you juststart with an already-cooked ham,add the flavorful glaze ingredients, and bake it for a few hours. If you want to start with an uncooked ham, you definitely can do that, but make sure the correct internal temperature is reached before serving to ensure it’s properly cooked.

A perfectly cooked, browned ham is sitting in the middle of tin foil that covered it while cooking.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Ham is a holiday meal staple, andthis simple recipe gives you all the tools to glaze your own at home for big flavorand a satisfying and delicious end product.
This ham isperfect for a holiday dinner where you have a big crowd to serve.And, it’s the dish that keeps giving becauseglazed ham leftovers are seriously divineon rolls, sandwiches, or just by itself with otherholiday fixin’s. You’ll love this easy, scrumptious, rich ham recipe that is a great recipe forany big gathering or holiday meal.
I love this glaze becauseit’s a little sweet and a little savoryand it goes so nicely with a salty ham.

Recipe Ingredients

Ham –bone-in spiral sliced works beautifully!
Brown sugar
Orange juice
Honey
Vinegar –white
Mustard –yellow
Seasonings –onion, garlic powder, and cinnamon

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

Whisk together all the ingredientsand cook until sugar dissolves.
Brush the glaze over the ham, wrap it in foil, and bake.
Remove from the oven, glaze ham again, and return to oven.
Brush final glaze over the ham. Then tent with foil and let ham rest before serving.

Recipe FAQs

Do you have to glaze a ham?

Glazing a ham is optional, but I think it adds the best flavor and texture to the end product and keeps the ham nice and moist.

How do I cook a precooked ham?

To cook it, preheat your oven to 325 degrees, and add 1/3 of your glaze to the ham before wrapping it in foil and placing it in a baking dish in the oven. Cook it for about 15 minutes per pound of meat, until the internal temperature is 100 to 110 degrees. Remove from the oven, and increase the oven temp to 400 degrees. Unwrap the foil, add another 1/3 of glaze, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the glaze caramelizes. Remove from the oven, add the remaining glaze, and tent with foil for about 10 minutes before carving and serving the ham.

Why is my ham tough?

Ham requires long, slow cooking in order for it to become really tender. It’s a dense cut of meat, so low and slow is the way to go for juicy, tender, melt-in-your-mouth ham. A 15-pound precooked ham will take about 3 hours of cook time to get it glazed, heated, and ready to eat.

A white plate has a silver fork angled on it next to mashed potatoes that have butter melting on them, green beans, stuffing, and two slices of ham. The plate is on top of a skinny striped red and white towel.

Expert Tips

Using water, stock, or a glaze will help keep the ham moist.Also, covering it tightly with foil for the majority of the cook time helps to lock in moisture and keep the meat nice and tender.
Give yourself time when cooking a ham to prevent it from getting tough. A 15-pound precooked hamneeds about 3 hours to cook and glaze.
This recipe works with an uncooked ham too—justmake sure the meat comes to proper internal temperatures before serving.