Sliced Ham Recipe

Preheat and prepare ham

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Remove the ham from the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting to take the chill off. Place the ham, cut-side down if spiral-sliced or flat side down if whole, in a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Pat the surface dry with paper towels.

Score the ham (optional)

If your ham is not pre-scored or spiral-sliced, score the surface in a diamond pattern about 1/8–1/4 inch deep. This helps the glaze adhere and creates attractive edges. For a spiral-sliced ham, skip scoring.

Make the glaze

In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, water, ground cloves, and black pepper. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the glaze is smooth and slightly thickened, about 4–6 minutes. Keep warm and set aside.

Initial roasting

Tent the ham loosely with aluminum foil and roast in the preheated oven. Allow about 12–15 minutes per pound to gently heat through for a fully cooked ham. For a 6-lb ham, roast approximately 72–90 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 120–125°F (49–52°C) for a warm serving temperature prior to glazing. Check with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part without touching bone.

Glaze and finish

Increase oven temperature to 400°F (205°C) for the final glazing stage. Remove the foil. Brush a generous layer of the warm glaze over the surface of the ham. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for 10–15 minutes, brushing with additional glaze every 4–5 minutes, until the glaze is sticky and caramelized and the internal temperature reads 135–140°F (57–60°C). Watch closely to avoid burning the sugars.

Rest and slice

Remove the ham from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest 10–15 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. If not already spiral-sliced, thinly slice the ham against the grain. Arrange slices on a warmed platter and brush with any remaining glaze.

Serve the sliced ham with whole-grain mustard and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Offer crusty bread or rolls on the side. Leftover ham can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.