Best Whole Baked Ham Recipes

BAKED HAM WITH BROWN SUGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Combine dijon mustard and pineapple juice. Brush over ham.
• If your ham has a plastic disk on the bone, this should be removed and discarded. Place the ham, flat side down in a roasting pan, and cover tightly with foil. Roast 12-15 minutes per pound (or according to package directions).
• Meanwhile, combine glaze ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer 2-3 minutes. Cool.
• 15 minutes before ham is done, remove from the oven and turn the oven up to 425°F.
• Brush with glaze and return to the oven until the glaze is caramelized and the ham has reached the safe cook temperature.

CHEF JOHN'S HONEY-GLAZED HAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Pour water, star anise, and cloves into the bottom of a roasting pan. Place a roasting rack into the pan over the water, anise, and cloves; place ham on rack. Cut 1/4-inch deep slashes 1/2-inch apart lengthwise and crosswise across the top of the entire ham.
• Bake ham in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Whisk brown sugar, honey, mustard, vinegar, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl until glaze has a thick, smooth consistency.
• Brush glaze all over ham. Continue baking ham, brushing glaze on every 20 minutes, until glaze is deep golden and ham is heated through, about 2 hours 10 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 130 degrees F (54 degrees C).
• Use a kitchen torch to heat the glaze on the ham until it is crispy and caramelized, 2 to 5 minutes.

BAKED HAM

Steps:

• Ham labeled "Cook Before Eating"
• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the ham on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. For a whole 10- to 15-pound ham, allow 18 to 20 minutes per pound; for a half--5 to 7 pounds--about 20 minutes per pound; or for a shank or butt portion weighing 3 to 4 pounds, about 35 minutes to the pound. In all cases, cook uncovered until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. For an attractive, quick finish, remove the ham from the oven about 30 minutes before it is done and glaze as directed below.
• II. Ham labeled "Fully Cooked" or "Ready to Eat"
• Preheat the oven to 325°F. To heat the ham, place it on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, and bake uncovered. For a whole ham, allow 15 to 18 minutes to the pound; for a half, 18 to 24 minutes per pound. The ham will be ready when the internal temperature reaches 140°F. To glaze the ham, remove it from the oven about 30 minutes before it is done, and increase the oven heat to 425°F. Remove all the rind but a collar around the shank bone. Slash the fat in the top of the ham in a diamond pattern, and cover the surface with brown sugar, dry mustard moistened with cider vinegar, prune juice, wine or ham drippings.
• Stud the fat at the intersections of the diamonds with whole cloves. Or decorate with alternating half pineapple rings studded with cranberries and stars cut from preserved orange peel.
• Return the ham to the oven, reduce the oven heat to 325°F again, and cook about 30 minutes. Place on a platter. Garnish with: Slices of jellied cranberry sauce topped with thin orange or pineapple slices.

ALWAYS JUICY BAKED HAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Whisk beer, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard together in a bowl.
• Place ham cut side up in a large roasting pan; pour beer mixture over ham.
• Bake in the preheated oven until ham begins to brown, about 15 minutes, basting 4 to 5 times.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cover roasting pan with lid or aluminum foil.
• Continue to bake until ham is heated through, about 90 minutes more, basting frequently.
• Remove lid and bake until ham is well browned, about 15 minutes more. Allow ham to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

BAKED HAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place ham in a roasting pan, and press whole cloves into the top at 1 to 2 inch intervals. Pack the top with a layer of brown sugar. Pour enough water into the bottom of the roasting pan to come to a 1 inch depth. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil or a lid.
• Bake for 4 1/2 to 5 hours in the preheated oven (about 22 minutes per pound), or until the internal temperature of the ham has reached 160 degrees F (72 degrees C). Make sure the meat thermometer is not touching the bone. Let stand for about 20 minutes before carving.

BAKED HAM WITH BROWN SUGAR-HONEY GLAZE

Steps:

• Adjust the oven racks to accommodate a large roasting pan. Fit the pan with a shallow roasting rack. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Unwrap the ham and rinse it under cold water. Place it on the rack in the roasting pan. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour 40 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar and honey in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture is smooth and the sugar has dissolved.
• Pour the brown sugar glaze over the ham and continue roasting1 hour 40 minutes more, basting at least twice with the drippings in the roaster. (To adjust the total roasting time for a smaller or larger ham, calculate 20 minutes per pound.) Check for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer into a meaty spot (not into fat or touching the bone)-it should register 160 degrees F.
• Let the ham stand 15 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to set. (You can make the ham up to 2 hours ahead; tent with foil and serve at room temperature.)

NOT SO SWEET BAKED HAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Arrange ham fat-side up in a large baking dish.
• Pour chicken broth over ham.
• Bake in the preheated oven until heated through, about 90 minutes, basting every 20 to 30 minutes.
• Discard broth before slicing and serving ham.