Brown Sugar Bourbon Glazed Spiral Ham
A sweet and sticky glaze turns a store-bought ham into the holiday star.
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For years, my family has ordered a ham for the holidays from a certain ham-specific store, but it seems that the prices just keep going up and up and up. The good news? You can make your own ham at home for much less, and it’s not hard and it’s just as delicious. The best news about a spiral ham is that it’s already cooked for you. All you’re really doing is warming it up and bringing in the flavor with a simple stovetop glaze, but at a fraction of the price of those fancy ones you order. Here, a sweet, sticky glaze made with brown sugar and a splash of bourbon turns a store-bought ham into the star of the holiday table.
What Ingredients Do You Need for Brown Sugar Bourbon Glazed Spiral Ham?
- A fully cooked, bone-in spiral ham.
- Dark brown sugar.
- Bourbon. (Whatever you have is fine.)
- Dijon mustard.
- Honey.
- Ground cloves, plus whole cloves if you want to dress it up.
How Do You Glaze a Spiral Ham?
Well, it’s easy really. All you’re doing is heating the ham through and brushing it with the glaze. This glaze has just a handful of ingredients and comes together in a saucepan in a few minutes while the ham bakes. Here are the main tips:
Bake the ham with a little water in the pan and covered with foil, which keeps it from drying out. You are only looking to warm the ham up here since it’s pre-cooked. While it’s heating, simmer some brown sugar, bourbon, Dijon, honey, and cloves in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves and it thickens up a tad and becomes glossy.
When the ham is about heated through, take off the foil and brush on the glaze, working it between the slices so it gets into every layer. Pop it back in the oven (uncovered this time) and brush again every 10 minutes or so until it looks glossy and gorgeous. (Your whole house will smell great too.) Let it rest for 15 minutes before serving, then spoon the pan juices over the top.
Does the Alcohol Cook Out of the Bourbon?
For the most part, yes. Simmering the glaze and baking it onto the ham cooks off most of the alcohol and leaves behind a rich, warm flavor. If you’d rather skip it, orange juice makes a great substitute.
What Do You Do With the Leftovers?
What don’t you do? Ham sandwiches, ham and bean soup, scalloped potatoes with ham… I could go on! (That’s why you always get a bigger ham than you think you need.)
Brown Sugar Bourbon Glazed Spiral Ham
Ingredients
- 1 (8 to 10 lb) fully cooked bone-in spiral-cut ham
- 1/2 cup water
For the glaze
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup bourbon
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- Whole cloves, for studding, optional
Preparation
- Let the ham sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Place the ham cut side down in a large roasting pan and pour the water into the bottom of the pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, until the ham reaches about 120°F in the center.
- While the ham bakes, combine the brown sugar, bourbon, Dijon, honey, and ground cloves in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the glaze is slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- Remove the foil and brush about half of the glaze over the ham, working it in between the slices. Add a whole clove to the center of each slice if you like.
- Return the ham to the oven uncovered and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, brushing with more glaze every 10 minutes, until the glaze is deep and sticky and the ham reaches 140°F.
- Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Spoon the pan juices over the slices and serve. Enjoy!