Honey Mustard-Glazed Ham Recipe

Ham is one of those special occasion holiday meals because it, like turkey, tends to come in rather large sizes and makes enough to feed quite a few people at one time. Recipe developer Julianne De Witt describes baked ham as "so simple and perfect for entertaining," and here, she's glazing it with a honey mustard-brown sugar preparation that, she tells us, "complements the saltiness of the ham." The ham itself is both baked and steamed for the first few hours, while a high heat blast at the end helps to caramelize the sugary coating. This, De Witt assures us, "ensures that the meat is moist, tender, and full of flavor."

De Witt's preference is to serve this ham with cooked root vegetables and mashed potatoes (try adding watercress for a flavorful bite) along with a green salad. Other typical sides for sweet baked ham include black-eyed peas, cornbread, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, and sweet potatoes, but you could also give it the turkey treatment with stuffing and cranberry sauce.

The recipe starts with a bone-in ham. For the glaze, you'll need honey, butter, two types of mustard (Dijon and whole grain), and brown sugar. You'll also be dressing up the ham with a bunch of whole cloves.

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Place the ham fat side up on the cutting board. Remove the rind from the ham by making a cut lengthwise into the rind. Peel the rind back by hand or by using a knife when needed, being careful not to tear the fat layer.

Trim any uneven areas.

Score the ham diagonally, with a sharp knife, ½ inch deep in one direction, then repeat the opposite direction to create a cross-hatch pattern.

Brush 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard over the entire ham.

Stick cloves, evenly spaced, into the ham.

Place the ham fat side up in a roasting pan. Add water to cover the bottom of the pan.

Cover the ham with tin foil and place it in the oven. Bake for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by adding honey, butter, remaining Dijon, whole grain mustard, and brown sugar to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine.

Cook the glaze for 2-3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.

Remove the ham from the oven at the 2-hour mark. Turn up the heat to 375 F.

Brush ½ of the glaze on the ham. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the ham from the oven again, rotate it, and brush on the remaining glaze. Cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140 F.

Allow the ham to rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving.

The ham used in this recipe is a bone-in one, which De Witt says she prefers because she "like[s] the visual presentation." She also notes, "I find the ham is more flavorful." The bone, too, can be put to use in stock or broth if you enjoy making homemade soups.

De Witt does say, however, that "a boneless ham can be used instead," so you may certainly choose this option if you prefer or if there's a particularly good sale at the supermarket. De Witt admits that boneless hams have their upside, as well, telling us, "They are a little easier to carve without the bone." She does caution, however, that "the cooking time will vary slightly." Either type of ham you use in this recipe should already be pre-cooked (as are most hams you buy in the store), so what you're doing here, she says, is essentially reheating it to 140 F.

One thing about baking a ham is that, unless you have a really large family or a whole lot of dinner guests, you're going to have a heaping helping of leftovers. De Witt tells us that the ham in this recipe should be enough to feed 10 people and still leave some on the platter if you're assuming a 12-ounce portion per person. The leftovers should be refrigerated right away, of course, and may be kept for up to 5 days or frozen for longer storage.

As to what to do with leftover ham, De Witt feels that the "possibilities are endless." Some of the many things you could do with it include frying up a few slices with eggs for a classic pairing; boiling it with beans, or using it in a soup. You might also make ham and cheese sandwiches (hot or cold ones), cook it into a casserole, chop it up for a chef salad, or repurpose it as a pizza topping.