Brown Sugar Glazed Ham Recipe

Preheat and prepare ham

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Remove the ham from refrigeration 30–60 minutes before roasting to take the chill off. Place a roasting rack in a large roasting pan.

If the ham has a rind, use a sharp knife to remove most of the rind leaving a thin layer of fat. With the fat side up, use a sharp knife to score the surface in a diamond pattern about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, spacing cuts about 1 to 1.5 inches apart. If using whole cloves, press a clove into the center of some diamonds, spacing evenly.

Make the brown sugar glaze

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Add the brown sugar and stir until it dissolves and begins to bubble gently, 2–3 minutes. Whisk in the Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and orange juice. Add the ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and black pepper. Bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 4–6 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning: if the glaze is too sweet, add another 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar; if too tart, add 1 teaspoon more maple syrup or brown sugar. Keep the glaze warm over the lowest heat setting while the ham roasts, or hold it in a heatproof bowl.

Initial roasting

Place the ham on the roasting rack, cut side down. Tent loosely with foil to prevent excessive browning. Roast at 325°F (165°C) until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 120°F (49°C), approximately 10–12 minutes per pound for a fully cooked ham (for an 8-lb ham, about 80–96 minutes). Check temperature with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching bone.

Glazing steps

Remove the foil tent during the last 30–40 minutes of cooking. Brush a generous layer of the warm brown sugar glaze over the ham. Return to the oven and continue roasting, brushing with additional glaze every 8–10 minutes until the ham is glossy and the internal temperature reaches 140°F (60°C). If desired, place the oven to broil for 1–2 minutes at the very end while watching closely to achieve caramelization, but be careful not to burn the glaze.

When the ham reaches 140°F (60°C), remove it from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 10–15 minutes; this allows juices to redistribute and the glaze to set.

Optional glaze thickening

If the leftover glaze in the pan is too thin, make a slurry by mixing the cornstarch with the cold water until smooth. Bring the glaze to a simmer in the saucepan and whisk in the slurry. Cook 1–2 minutes until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Spoon some warm glaze over sliced ham when serving.

Carve the ham across the grain into thin slices and arrange on a platter. Spoon additional glaze over the slices, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley if using, and serve immediately.