Honey Glazed Ham Recipe

Prepare oven and ham

Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Remove ham from refrigerator 30–60 minutes before roasting to take off chill. Place a rack in a shallow roasting pan.

Score and optionally stud

If the ham has a fat cap, score the surface in a diamond pattern about 1/4-inch deep using a sharp knife. If using whole cloves, stud a clove at each diamond intersection or every 1–1.5 inches. Transfer the ham to the roasting rack, flat side down.

Tent and roast

Cover the ham loosely with foil and place in the preheated oven. For a bone-in ham, heat until internal temperature reaches about 120–125°F (49–52°C) before glazing (approximately 10–12 minutes per pound for reheating a fully cooked ham). For a 6-lb ham, this will take roughly 60–75 minutes. Use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching bone.

Make the glaze

While the ham warms, combine honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, black pepper, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer 6–8 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy. Remove from heat and keep warm.

First glaze application

When the ham reaches 120–125°F (49–52°C), remove it from the oven and increase oven temperature to 400°F (204°C). Brush a generous layer of the warm glaze over the ham, coating the scored surface and sides.

Caramelize glaze

Return the ham to the oven, uncovered, and roast at 400°F for 12–18 minutes, basting with additional glaze every 4–6 minutes, until the glaze is caramelized and internal temperature registers 140°F (60°C). Watch closely to avoid burning; if edges brown too quickly, loosely tent those areas with foil.

Finish and rest

Remove the ham from the oven and brush with any remaining glaze. Tent the ham loosely with foil and let rest 15–20 minutes before carving. Resting allows juices to redistribute and glaze to set.

Transfer the rested ham to a serving platter. Garnish with orange slices and fresh thyme sprigs. If desired, drizzle any pan juices or remaining glaze over the sliced ham. Carve thin slices against the grain and serve warm.