Ham Recipe

Prepare oven and ham

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Remove the ham from its packaging and place it, cut-side down if spiral-sliced, on a rack set inside a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup water into the bottom of the pan to keep the ham moist during baking. Tuck bay leaves into the cavity or lay them beside the ham if using a butt or shank portion.

Score and stud (optional)

If your ham is not spiral-sliced and has a fat cap, use a sharp knife to score the fat in a diamond pattern about 1/4 inch deep. If you like a studded look, press whole cloves into the intersections of the diamonds, spacing them evenly.

Bake initially

Place the roasting pan in the preheated oven. For a fully cooked ham, warm it approximately 10-12 minutes per pound until the internal temperature reaches 135–140°F (57–60°C). For a 5 lb ham, plan about 50–60 minutes. Tent loosely with foil if the exterior is browning too quickly.

Make the glaze

While the ham bakes, combine the brown sugar, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, unsalted butter, ground cloves, orange zest (if using), and black pepper in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves and the mixture is glossy, about 4–6 minutes. Simmer gently for 1–2 minutes to thicken slightly, then remove from heat.

Glaze the ham

With about 20 minutes left in the ham's cooking time (internal temp ~125–130°F if you are monitoring), remove the ham from the oven. Brush a generous layer of glaze all over the surface, getting into slices if spiral-cut. Return the ham to the oven, uncovered, and continue baking. Repeat glazing one more time after 10 minutes if you want a thicker, caramelized coating. Watch carefully to avoid burning the sugars.

Final temperature and rest

Remove the ham when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part (without touching bone) reaches 140°F (60°C) for fully cooked hams. Tent loosely with foil and let rest 10–15 minutes to allow juices to settle and glaze to set.

Transfer the ham to a cutting board. If spiral-cut, fan the slices slightly for presentation; if not, slice against the grain into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the ham and discard bay leaves. Serve warm with pan juices spooned over slices or reserved glaze warmed slightly.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a 325°F oven covered with foil with a splash of water or stock to keep moist, or slice and reheat in a skillet with a little glaze.