Ham Recipe

Preheat and ready the ham

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Remove ham from refrigerator 30–60 minutes before cooking so it comes closer to room temperature for even heating.

Place ham cut-side down on a large cutting board. Using a sharp chef’s knife, score the fat in a diamond pattern about 1/4–1/2 inch deep, spacing lines about 1 inch apart. If your ham has a rind, trim excess rind but leave a thin layer of fat to baste the meat while cooking.

Optional: Stud the intersections of the diamond pattern with whole cloves, pressing them into the fat. This adds aroma and a decorative look.

Make the glaze

In a small saucepan combine brown sugar, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider (or orange juice), ground cloves, ground cinnamon, and black pepper. Warm over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place the scored ham in a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Add 1/2 cup water or additional apple cider to the bottom of the pan to keep the ham moist while heating. Tent the ham loosely with foil, leaving space so the glaze won't stick to the foil.

Heat the ham in the preheated oven. General guidance: reheat/cook fully cooked bone-in ham at 325°F (165°C) for about 10–12 minutes per pound until internal temperature reaches 140°F (60°C). For an average 6–8 lb ham, plan 60–100 minutes. Check temperature with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching bone.

During the last 20–30 minutes of cooking, remove foil tent and brush a generous layer of glaze over the ham. Return to oven uncovered. Brush with additional glaze every 8–10 minutes until glaze is glossy and caramelized but not burnt. If glaze begins to darken too quickly, loosely tent with foil again for the remaining minutes.

Optional: For a more deeply caramelized finish, switch oven to broil for 1–2 minutes at the very end—watch carefully to avoid burning.

Remove ham from oven and transfer to a carving board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest 10–15 minutes to allow juices to redistribute and glaze to set.

Carve ham by slicing against the grain—first remove slices from the shank end working toward the butt, then carve remaining meat into even slices. Arrange on a warmed platter.

Serve with reserved extra glaze or mustard and garnish with chopped parsley if desired.