Go Back
–+ servings
bourbon glazed ham on a white platter sliced garnished with fresh thyme.
Print Recipe Add to Collection
4.77 from 21 votes

Bourbon Glazed Baked Ham

This Baked Ham is glazed with a bourbon, orange juice and brown sugar glaze and studded with cloves. It's delicious and incredibly flavorful, the perfect sweet and savory holiday dinner!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bourbon glazed ham, glazed ham, ham recipe
Servings: 12
Calories: 644kcal
Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 6 pound ham fully cooked
  • 40 cloves give or take a few
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • ¼ cup bourbon or other whiskey
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 medium orange zested and juiced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Prepare ham: Remove ham from packaging and pat it dry with paper towels and bring to room temperature at least 2 hours before baking.
  • Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a roasting pan with foil. Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven and remove the upper racks.
  • Place and score ham: Using a sharp knife, score a diamond pattern in the fat , about ¼-½ inch deep or as deep as the fat is. Place the ham in the prepared roasting pan, fat side up.
  • Place cloves in ham: Place the cloves in the center of the diamonds all around the ham. You can also place the cloves in the intersection points of the score, up to you.
  • Make the glaze: In a small saucepan, add the brown sugar, bourbon, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, orange zest and juice, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder. Bring to a low simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar has fully dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Glaze the ham: Using a pastry brush, brush the glaze generously over the ham and in between the scored lines, but only use about a third of it.
  • Bake and glaze ham: Transfer the roasting pan in the oven. Bake for 2 hours or about 20 minutes per pound, brushing the ham with remaining glaze every 20 minutes. The ham is ready when the internal temperature of the ham registers at 145°F.
  • Finish glazing: Take the ham out of the oven and baste it again with remaining glaze. Place the ham under the broiler for a few minutes to get some nice browning on top, if not browned enough.
  • Finish and serve: Take the ham out of the oven again and baste it with remaining juices in the roasting pan. Cover it with aluminum foil and let the ham rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Video

Notes

  1. Adding a little water to the roasting pan will help retain moisture in the meat.
  2. If you're using a spiral cut ham, wrap the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil before placing in the oven, to avoid the ham from drying out while cooking.
  3. If during cooking, the ham looks like it browns too much, cover it with foil to avoid it getting looking burnt.
  4. A meat thermometer works the best to determine internal ham temperature.
  5. Cooked ham will last for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 644kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 2733mg | Potassium: 719mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 83IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg