Baked Ham With Sweet Bourbon-Mustard Glaze Recipe

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 05/22/22
Glazed Ham
Photolibrary/Georgia Glynn Smith/Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Total: 105 mins
Servings: 8 servings

This classic bourbon mustard glaze adds shine and a beautifully sweet and tangy crust to your baked ham. Easy to make, you simply have to baste the ham with the glaze throughout the baking process.

The pork benefits from the moisture and sweet flavor provided by glazes, and it makes a wonderful centerpiece for a holiday table or celebratory dinner. Sweet honey, dark molasses, and Bourbon make a sweet and distinctive base that gets a kick from the Dijon mustard.

The recipe is relatively hands-off, so besides glazing the ham on occasion, you can use the time to work on the side dishes, or use the same oven time to make a potato gratin or roasted vegetables.

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup honey

  • 1/2 cup molasses

  • 1/2 cup good-quality Kentucky bourbon

  • 1/4 cup orange juice

  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

  • 1 (6- to 8-pound) fully cooked ham

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to 325 F.

  3. Combine the honey and molasses by heating them up, briefly, in the microwave. Alternatively, place them in a pan over the stove at medium-low temperature. Once combined and hot, stir in bourbon, orange juice, and mustard. If using the stove, be mindful that the alcohol can burn and flame-up. If so, remove the pan from the flame and let it burn out. Mix well and set aside.

  4. Remove all but 1/4-inch of fat from the ham. Place the ham in a roasting pan and pour 2/3 of the glaze on top, making sure all the ham is well coated in the mixture.

  5. Bake the ham for 90 minutes in the preheated oven (about 10 minutes per pound).

  6. Baste the ham occasionally with the honey-bourbon mixture.

  7. When a meat thermometer reaches the minimum safe temperature for pork consumption of 145 F, remove the ham from the oven and let rest.

  8. Transfer the drippings to a saucepan and add the remaining honey mixture. Bring to a boil and let simmer on low for 5 minutes. Pass the mixture through a strainer and serve on the side.

  9. Slice the ham and plate.

  10. Enjoy.

How to Baste Meats

By basting you are adding moisture and flavor to your meats. Ideally, you want to use a turkey baster or a cooking brush to properly distribute the juices on top of your meat. Here are the main things that you need to know to baste your ham safely and adequately:

  • Although most people baste their meats in the oven, you shouldn't. On the one hand, by holding the oven door open, you're losing heat and altering your cooking time. On the other, you risk burning your hands when handling the baster or brush, and you won't cover all the surface of the meat, leaving some parts unattended. Take the roasting pan out, close the oven, baste, and put the pan back.
  • If you don't have a turkey baster or brush, simply use a big spoon and try to reach all the parts of the meat, being careful not to spill hot liquids on yourself.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
826 Calories
23g Fat
56g Carbs
101g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 826
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 30%
Saturated Fat 4g 22%
Cholesterol 290mg 97%
Sodium 4542mg 197%
Total Carbohydrate 56g 21%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 56g
Protein 101g
Vitamin C 4mg 20%
Calcium 67mg 5%
Iron 5mg 28%
Potassium 1917mg 41%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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