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Honey Glazed Christmas Ham with Cloves

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This festive honey glazed Christmas ham is studded with cloves and finished with a sticky-sweet glaze of honey, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard. It’s a nostalgic, crowd-pleasing centerpiece perfect for holiday gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 whole bone-in ham (about 7–8 lbs), fully cooked and unsliced (preferably smoked)
  • 40–50 whole cloves (enough to stud the ham in a diamond pattern)
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard (or yellow mustard)
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
  • 1/4 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional, for garnish)
  • Orange slices or pomegranate seeds (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
  2. Remove ham from packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Place on cutting board, fatty side up.
  3. Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern, cutting about 1/4-inch deep.
  4. Press a whole clove into the center of each diamond (about 40-50 cloves).
  5. Place ham in a large roasting pan, flat side down. Tent loosely with foil.
  6. Bake for 1 hour (about 10 minutes per pound if ham is larger or smaller).
  7. While ham bakes, combine honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened.
  8. After 1 hour, remove foil and brush glaze generously over ham, reserving about 1/3 of the glaze.
  9. Return ham to oven and bake uncovered for another 30-40 minutes, basting with glaze every 10-15 minutes. Tent with foil if glaze darkens too much.
  10. Check internal temperature with a meat thermometer; ham should reach 140°F (60°C). If not, bake another 10 minutes.
  11. Remove ham from oven and let rest, tented with foil, for at least 20 minutes.
  12. Carve ham thinly against the grain. Arrange on platter with garnishes if desired.

Notes

For best results, use a ham that is not pre-glazed or spiral cut. Baste frequently for a glossy crust. Let the ham rest before carving to keep it juicy. If glaze darkens too quickly, tent with foil. For crispy bits, broil briefly before serving. All ingredients are naturally gluten-free; check mustard and vinegar labels if sensitive.

Nutrition

Keywords: Christmas ham, honey glazed ham, holiday main, cloves, festive ham, oven baked ham, glazed ham, easy ham recipe

Find it online: https://yumyep.com/honey-glazed-christmas-ham-recipe-best-festive-main-with-cloves/