How To Make Glazed Ham Ultimate Glazed Ham Guide

It’s the RecipeTin Eats Ultimate Holiday Baked Ham Guide! Use with your favourite glaze – classic Brown Sugar Ham Glaze or my extra special Maple Ham Glaze.

INTRODUCTION: Glazed Ham is easier than you think!

If you’re a first timer or not confident working with large holiday centrepieces like ham, don’t worry! A Glazed Ham is an easy, low risk, forgiving recipe. It’s far easier and less “risky” than other traditional holiday mains like Roast Turkey or Prime Rib because:

the ham is already cooked;it’s cooked for a couple of hours on a low temperature and cook time precision isn’t that important;you know it’s done just by looking at it – no thermometer needed;you can make ahead days in advance; andit can easily be salvaged even if you run into problems.

It’s also an economical option because a little bit goes far, and it’s practical because it can be served at room temperature so you don’t need to worry about the mad rush of heating it up before serving! So – are you ready? Here we go!

1. Best ham for Glazed Ham

Around holiday time, there’s a wide range of hams available in grocery stores and butchers – and prices range vastly too. So how do you choose a ham? Here’s my advice! For a free range option, I order from The Free Range Butcher (Northern Beaches, Sydney NSW) but they are already sold out this year.

MUST get rind on – you need to get the ham with the skin on (called the rind) in order to make glazed ham. The rind is that orange rubbery skin on top of the fat in the photos above and below. You need rind because the fat under the skin is what becomes sticky and golden once basted with ham glaze. If ham has no rind, it won’t have the fat layer so you can’t get a sticky glaze;Get smoked ham – it has better flavour than unsmoked ham. The label will say if it’s smoked (it will say nothing if it is not smoked);Whole or half ham? Hams are sold whole, or halved (see photo above). Choosing which one to get comes down to how much ham you want to buy (see below for determine how much ham to get per person). I usually get a half ham leg. I like to get the half with the handle because it looks better – and gives me something to hold onto when I’ve carving!Bone in – always get a bone in ham, if you can. It’s far juicier than boneless ham, because juices run out of the hole where the bone was cut out.NOT raw ham eg gammon That’s a whole different recipe as the meat is raw and needs to be cooked!

The more economical hams tend to have a higher water content because of the way it’s been prepared, and that affects texture and flavor. Quality of life of the pigs comes into play, as does the amount of preservatives and additives in the ham, and how intense / “good” the smoked flavour is. Christmas is certainly a time for indulgence, and I know there are some who may take a view to buy top end, or don’t bother. I take a more pragmatic view. Buy the best you can afford. The more you pay, the better quality it will be, translating into better flavour.

2. How much ham to buy

I just did a ham on the weekend for a gathering of 35 people with a 5.5 kg / 11 lb bone in ham leg (we had 2 other mains and side salads) and had about 1/4 of the ham leftover.

With at least one other main dish plus sides – 6 to 8 people per 1 kg / 2 lb ham (bone in weight). So a 5 kg / 10 lb ham = 30 – 40 people, about 100 – 130g / 3.4 – 4 oz per person.As the only main protein – 5 people per 1 kg / 2 lb ham (bone in weight). So a 5 kg / 10lb ham would serve 25 people, about 150g/5oz meat per person..

35 ÷ 5.5 kg = 6.4 (ie 6.4 people per 1 kg / 2 lb of ham with about 1/4 of the half leftover) Remember:

Ham is salty, people don’t eat giant slabs of it like steakYou slice it thinly so less goes furtherTypically, ham is part of a larger spread with other dishesHam bone (with residual meat on it) weighs anywhere between 750g – 1.25 kg (1.5 – 2.5 lb). I assume it’s about 1 kg

And don’t forget – leftover ham keeps for ages in the fridge, and months in the freezer – and there’s a plethora of things you can make. If you only make ham once a year, make it last!!

3. How to peel the rind (skin) off ham

Top Tip: Just remove the rind and leave as much of the fat on as you can. Fat = sticky glaze! This part is easy – the skin WANTS to come off! Your ham will come with a thick, rubbery skin which is called the rind. The rind is not edible, even once cooked (it’s thick and chewy and just really not nice!). The top of the ham will be completely covered in rind. The underside will be partially rind and partially just the surface of the ham which is stained brown from the smoking. You want to remove just the rind. Trust me, you can easily tell by feel what’s rind and what’s ham! Here is how to remove the rind. IMPORTANT: Just remove the skin, leave as much fat as you can. The fat is what creates the caramelisation!

4. Score fat

TIP: Just score lightly about 75% of the way through the fat. If you cut all the way through to the ham meat, some of the diamonds might loosen and fall off. “Scoring fat” just means you cut diamonds into the ham fat. This serves a few purposes: Troubleshooting – If you cut into the meat, it might open up a lot after it bakes so you end up with a thick pale crevice that stands out against the rest of the dark sticky surface. Easy fix – just “disguise” it by basting into the crevice a lot as the pan juices cool and thicken. The extra basting stains the crevice so it’s not as noticeable! If fat “diamonds” fall off, stick them back on with a toothpick. They usually “glue” themselves back on with the glaze as the ham rests and the glaze thickens!

5. Make ham glaze

Make your ham glaze – it’s dead easy, just mix! Here are my two favourites:

Maple Ham Glaze – my favourite, simple but extra special from the maple! Can use honey too.Brown Sugar Mustard Ham Glaze – this is the classic that everybody loves!

How to make ham glaze – It is literally just a dump-and-mix job. Really! How far in advance can you make the ham glaze? Days in advance. The ingredients in ham glaze tend to be things like sugar or honey/maple, mustard, spices – all things that have a long shelf life.

6. How to glaze ham

TIP: Glaze ALOT after it comes out of the oven! This is when you can really get that deep golden colour and thick glaze. The glazing part is no different to brushing and basting anything that’s marinated!

Pour / brush the glaze onto the ham. Just the top and sides is fine – it will drip to the underside while baking and also the underside will be sitting in the glaze / ham juices.Baste every 20 minutes as it bakes with reserved Glaze and pan juicesInitially, the glaze won’t stick to the fat but the longer it’s in the oven, the thicker the glaze getsBaste lots once it’s out of the oven! This is when you really get a thick gorgeous glaze!

7. How to bake Glazed Ham

This is the easiest part – if you follow a few very simple Nagi Ham Rules that make all the difference!

8. How long to cook glazed ham

A glazed ham will take 1.5 – 2 hours at 160C/320F for the surface to become gorgeously sticky and caramelised, and for the middle of the ham to come to a high enough temperature to be safe to eat.

9. How to avoid burnt bits

One problem that many people run into is uneven caramelisation of the ham. Some parts brown faster than others, so you end up with burnt bits or under caramelised bits. But there’s an easy way to ensure your ham is beautifully caramelised all over:

10. What sauce to serve with ham

The glaze is everybody’s favourite part…. and there’s just not enough to go around! So some years ago, I started using the pan drippings as the sauce to serve with the ham – and it’s been a huge hit! It’s loaded with flavour from both the Glaze you use AND the juices of the ham. The pan drippings are usually a bit thick to use as a sauce so I just thin it with water. The flavour is very intense so you don’t lose flavour at all. Other sauce options: chutney, Cranberry Sauce, mustard, caramelised onion jam.

11. How to serve Glazed Ham

This is where the immature side of me comes out… I like to have the whole ham on the table for people to ooh and aaah over before I start carving! Lap up the compliments, bask in the glory while secretly feeling so smug about how little effort it took. 😉 Then after your head has grown so big you might not fit through the door, whisk it away to carve up. Or – as I do – start carving at the table, then once you have a bit of a stash, finish carving in the kitchen (also, this is the part when it usually gets a bit messy!) Here are some photos from a Christmas Lunch I catered for my mother and her friends on the weekend just gone. The only “catering” job I do every year…because I can’t say NO to my mother! 😂

How to “style” the Glazed Ham Platter

I just buy any good value green leafage – a big bushy bunch – and lay it on a platter or board then place the ham on top. For a pop of colour, I just place quartered oranges around it – or any other fruit that’s good value at the time (oranges are usually good value).

Wrapping Bone handle

I also like to wrap parchment / baking paper around the handle and use ribbon to secure it in place. This is for practical and presentation purposes – it gives you something to hold onto when carving! Sometimes I add a sprig of rosemary as well – or steal a sprig off the Christmas tree.

12. How to make ahead (100% perfect!)

99% of the time I have made ham, I’ve made it the day before – or even several days before serving. Yes, really, ham is 100% perfect for making or preparing ahead. Here’s how:

How to prepare ahead

If you want to prepare ahead then just bake on the day:

Make glaze up to 5 days ahead – even further ahead should be fine;Remove rind from ham, score it, then return to fridge until requiredOn the day of, baste and bake!

Make entirely ahead (this is what I usually do)

Make the Glazed Ham, including baking it, then let it cool. Remove pan juices and place in an airtight container. Cover ham with baking paper (parchment paper) then foil and place in the fridge until required – days and days ahead. On the day of, remove from the fridge and reheat in the oven at 160C/320F for around 1 hour, just to warm through and revitalise the glaze! Doesn’t this look like it was freshly made?? It was reheated!

13. Storing leftover ham

Ham has a much longer shelf life before peeling and glazing, especially if they come vac packed like most grocery store hams do. They last for weeks – often over a month. But once peeled, glazed and baked, they have a shorter shelf life and need to be stored in a specific way.

How long does Glazed Ham keep in the fridge?

1 week, if stored in a ham bag or pillowcase. Usually longer – just smell it. You will know if it is no longer good. You can also slice then place in VERY airtight containers (not just cheap plastic containers), but it keeps longer if kept whole.

Why do you need to use a ham bag?

It’s best to use a ham bag, pillowcase or similar as it lets the ham breath which will prolong it’s life. Cling wrap or other airtight containers will make it sweat, and the water causes the ham to degrade more rapidly.

How to freeze leftover ham

Leftover ham can be frozen for up to 3 months. It is better if you freeze blocks then slice it after thawing – the ham is nicer. But you can also freeze slices. For blocks, wrap in cling wrap then place in an airtight container and freeze. For slices, just place in an airtight container. Don’t forget to freeze the ham bone too! See below for ham bone recipes.

How to store Glazed Ham in a ham bag or pillowcase

14. What to do with leftover ham

The best part!! Here are recipes I think are worthy of making with your precious leftover Glazed Ham. For a full list, see this What To Do With Leftover Ham – 30+ recipes post.

Leftover Ham recipes

And for your ham bone, try these:

Ham Bone Soup with Beans – the most amazing broth ever, thanks to the ham bone!Pea and Ham Soup – made easy using the slow cooker. The ham bone makes the most incredible soup stock!3 Ingredient Chinese Ham Bone Congee (rice soup) – it’s epic – and it’s a “thing”. The Chinese community goes nuts over leftover ham bones every Christmas!

Leftover Ham Bone recipes

And there you have it. My Holiday Ham Guide! I’ve written an abbreviated form of the preparation directions in the recipe card below which you can use for any ham glaze you choose. And here are the recipes for my two favourite Ham Glazes (including full recipe):

Maple Glazed Ham – the maple gives this a touch of special!Brown Sugar Mustard Ham Glaze – the classic, with a gorgeous sticky caramelised surface

If you have any questions, just drop them below and I’ll respond as soon as I can! – Nagi x