Are you searching for the ultimate, stress-free holiday showstopper? A magnificent, jaw-dropping centerpiece for your Christmas or Easter table that is as impressive to behold as it is unbelievably delicious and easy to make? This incredible, from-scratch-tasting Glazed Spiral-Cut Ham is that perfect recipe. We’re talking an impossibly juicy and tender ham, with a beautiful, glossy, and sticky glaze that gets into every single nook and cranny of the pre-cut slices.
This isn’t just one recipe; it’s your definitive guide to creating a truly unforgettable feast with minimal effort. We’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to mastering this iconic centerpiece, from a flawless, no-cook glaze to the perfect internal temperature for the juiciest ham of your life. Best of all, we’re sharing three incredible, easy glaze recipes—from a sweet Fig-and-Thyme to a zesty Ginger-Clove—so you can customize your perfect holiday centerpiece.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Festive & Easy Holiday Main
What makes this Glazed Ham so spectacularly delicious is its incredible depth of flavor and its brilliantly simple preparation, thanks to the convenience of a spiral-cut ham. This recipe is a masterpiece of classic, festive cooking with a bright, modern twist. The star of the show is a magnificent, fully-cooked, bone-in, spiral-cut ham. The real magic happens with your choice of luscious, from-scratch glaze, which is simmered on the stovetop to concentrate its flavor. The ham is then gently slow-roasted in a “steam bath” to keep it moist, and then lacquered in multiple stages with your beautiful glaze until it’s sticky, caramelized, and completely irresistible.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 3 hours 30 minutes (includes resting) |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 12-16 |
The Holiday Pantry: The Essential Ingredients
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality, classic ingredients to create its signature rich and savory-sweet flavor.
- The Ham (The Shortcut Superstar!):
- Fully-Cooked, Bone-in, Spiral-Cut Ham: For the easiest preparation and serving, it is essential to use a fully-cooked, spiral-cut ham. The pre-cut slices are a brilliant shortcut that not only makes carving a breeze but also creates dozens of surfaces for your delicious glaze to seep into, seasoning the meat from the inside out.
- The Glazes (The Flavor Powerhouses!): The beauty of this guide is that you get to choose your perfect flavor profile!
- Fig-and-Thyme: A sophisticated, sweet, and herbaceous glaze made from rich fig preserves, honey, and thyme.1
- Sage-and-Cider: A deep, rustic, and cozy glaze made from cane syrup, spiced apple cider, and earthy sage.
- Ginger-Clove: A zesty and aromatic glaze made from maple syrup, spicy ginger beer, and classic holiday spices.2
The Glazing Masterclass: The Secret to a Perfect, Non-Dry Ham
This recipe uses two simple but brilliant professional techniques that guarantee a flawless, impressive result.
- The “Steam-Bake” (Covered): The number one secret to a perfectly moist, reheated ham is to not dry it out. This recipe’s method of adding water to the pan and covering the ham tightly with foil is the foolproof key. This creates a “steam bath” inside the pan that gently and evenly heats the ham, ensuring it stays incredibly juicy and tender.
- The Multi-Stage Glaze (at 350°F): The second secret is to glaze in multiple, thin layers. By brushing the glaze on in three separate stages during the final, uncovered roasting time, you are allowing each layer to caramelize and set. This is the key that builds up that beautiful, thick, glossy, and deeply flavorful, lacquered crust without it ever burning.
- Rest, Rest, Rest!: You must let your finished ham rest for at least 15-20 minutes before you slice into it. This crucial, patient step allows the hot, delicious juices to relax and redistribute throughout the entire roast.
Step-by-Step to the Perfect Glazed Spiral Ham
This elegant, festive meal is a joy to prepare.
Part 1: Prepare the Ham
Step 1: First, let your 7- to 10-pound ham stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350°F ($175^{\circ}C$) with an oven rack in the lower third position.
Step 2: Line a large roasting pan with aluminum foil and place an ovenproof rack inside. Pour 3 cups of water into the bottom of the pan.
Step 3: Place your ham on the rack, cut-side down.
Part 2: Choose Your Glaze! (A Flavor Guide)
While the ham is in its initial bake, prepare one of these three delicious, from-scratch glazes.
- For the Fig-and-Thyme Glaze: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup fig preserves, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup honey, 1 Tbsp. dried thyme, and 1 tsp. black pepper to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, until thickened and reduced by half.
- For the Sage-and-Cider Glaze: In a medium saucepan, bring 3/4 cup cane syrup, 1/2 cup spiced apple cider, 1 Tbsp. cracked pepper, 1 Tbsp. ground sage, and 3 fresh sage leaves to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, until thickened and reduced by half.
- For the Ginger-Clove Glaze: In a medium saucepan, bring 3/4 cup maple syrup, 1/3 cup ginger beer, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger, 2 tsp. whole cloves, and 2 fresh bay leaves to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, until thickened and reduced by half.
Part 3: The “Steam-Bake” and Final Glaze
Step 1: Cover your ham and roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil.
Step 2: Bake for 1 1/2 hours, basting the ham with the pan drippings every 30 minutes. (Add more water to the pan if it evaporates).
Step 3: Remove the ham from the oven and remove the foil.
Step 4 (The Best Part!): Brush the ham all over with half of your prepared glaze. Return it to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 15 minutes.
Step 5: Brush the ham all over with the remaining glaze. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham (avoiding the bone) registers $140^{\circ}F$.
Step 6 (The Most Important Step!): Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before you carve it.
Transfer the ham to a serving platter and garnish with fresh herbs and citrus, if desired.
Glazed Spiral-Cut Ham (with 3 Easy Glaze Recipes!)
A classic and easy recipe for a showstopper Glazed Spiral-Cut Ham, perfect as the centerpiece for a holiday meal. This dish uses a fully-cooked, bone-in ham that is gently slow-roasted cut-side down, basted with its own pan drippings. During the final 30 minutes of cooking, it is repeatedly basted with a homemade glaze, creating a beautiful, sizzling, and caramelized crust. The article provides three distinct from-scratch glaze recipes to choose from: a Fig-and-Thyme Glaze, a Sage-and-Cider Glaze, or a Ginger-Clove Glaze.
Ingredients
- 1 (7- to 10-lb.) fully cooked bone-in spiral-cut half ham
- 3 cups water
- Desired glaze (recipes below)
- Fig-and-Thyme Glaze:
- 1 cup fig preserves
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 Tbsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- Sage-and-Cider Glaze:
- 3/4 cup cane syrup
- 1/2 cup spiced apple cider
- 1 Tbsp. cracked pepper
- 1 Tbsp. ground sage
- 3 fresh sage leaves
- Ginger-Clove Glaze:
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup nonalcoholic ginger beer
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
- 2 tsp. whole cloves
- 2 fresh bay leaves
Instructions
- Let the ham stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F with the oven rack in the lower third position.
- Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil and place a rack inside. Pour 3 cups of water into the bottom of the pan. Place the ham, cut-side down, on the rack.
- Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, basting the ham with the pan drippings every 30 minutes. Add more water to the pan if it evaporates.
- While the ham bakes, prepare your desired glaze by combining its ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, until thickened and reduced by half.
- After 1.5 hours of baking, brush the ham all over with half of your prepared glaze. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Brush the ham all over with the remaining glaze. Bake for about 15 more minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the ham registers 140°F.
- Remove the ham from the oven, transfer it to a serving platter, and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving.
Notes
- This is a showstopper main course, perfect for holidays like Christmas or Easter.
- Letting the ham come to room temperature before roasting helps it to cook more evenly.
- The multi-stage glazing process at the end of cooking builds up a thick, caramelized, and flavorful crust.
- Resting the ham before carving is a crucial step to ensure the meat remains juicy and tender.
- The recipe provides three distinct glaze options, allowing you to customize the flavor profile of your ham.
What to Serve With Your Glazed Ham
This show-stopping ham is the perfect centerpiece for a classic holiday dinner. It pairs beautifully with all your Thanksgiving and Christmas favorites.
- Potatoes: A creamy mashed potato or a cheesy potato gratin is an absolute must-have.
- Classic Sides: A classic green bean casserole, a roasted asparagus, or a bright, tangy cranberry sauce are the quintessential accompaniments.
- Bread: Don’t forget some fluffy dinner rolls to make mini ham-sandwiches right at the table!
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Storage and Leftover Ideas
- Storage: Store any leftover ham, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- The Best Leftovers: Leftover glazed ham is a true holiday treasure! It makes the absolute best sandwiches, is fantastic diced up in an omelet or a frittata, and you can use the ham bone to make an incredible, flavorful split pea or a bean soup.
Frequently Asked questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a juicy, not dry, holiday ham?
The two most important secrets are to not overcook it and to let it rest. Since you are starting with a fully-cooked ham, you are essentially just reheating it. Using an instant-read thermometer and then letting the ham rest are the non-negotiable keys that will guarantee an incredibly juicy and tender result.
Q2: Can I make the glaze ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely! All three of these glazes can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You may need to gently warm them on the stovetop to loosen them up before you glaze the ham.
Q3: Can I use a boneless ham?
You can, but a bone-in ham is highly recommended for the best, most flavorful and juicy result. If you do use a boneless ham, you will need to significantly reduce the roasting time. Always rely on your meat thermometer to tell you when it has reached 140°F.
Q4: What if I can’t find cane syrup for the Sage-and-Cider glaze?
A fantastic substitute for cane syrup would be an equal amount of dark corn syrup, molasses, or even pure maple syrup.
Q5: Why did my glaze burn?
A sugary glaze can burn if the oven is too hot or if it’s applied too early in the cooking process. This recipe’s method of applying the glaze only during the final, 30 minutes of cooking is the key that prevents the sugars from burning over the long initial bake.