Honey Orange Glazed Ham is a super easy and tasty ham that isn't too far away. With this minimal effort recipe, you can have more time to relax while dinner slowly cooks in the oven.
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Honey Orange Glazed Ham is a mouthwatering dish that is perfect for special occasions, especially during the holiday season. Whether it is Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter, ham always seems to find its way onto the table.
The sweet honey and bright orange glaze adds bold flavor and a beautiful glossy finish. This ham, along with our Honey Baked Spiral Ham, is a holiday favorite, but the citrus notes in this recipe make it especially fitting for festive meals.
Serve this low effort ham with classic sides like roasted brussel sprouts and carrots, garlic mashed potatoes, or a fresh salad for a well rounded meal. Leftovers are just as good in sandwiches or added to soups and casseroles.
This orange honey glazed ham is a true crowd pleaser, bringing rich flavor and a perfectly caramelized finish to any gathering.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Low effort and holiday friendly. This honey orange ham glaze uses just a few simple ingredients and takes about five minutes of hands on effort, making it perfect for high stress holidays.
- Delicious results. You get a juicy ham with a sweet, caramelized glaze that is hard to stop eating.
- Easy prep. Score the ham, bake, glaze, then bake again. The straightforward steps make this recipe great for first time cooks and seasoned home chefs alike.
🛒 Ingredients
Orange Juice. Forms the base of the glaze and adds bright citrus flavor.
Orange Zest. Enhances the orange flavor and adds a fresh, fragrant note.
Honey. Thickens the glaze, helps it cling to the ham, and creates a nicely caramelized crust.
Ham. Use a large bone in ham for the best results. Spiral cut hams tend to dry out more easily. Save leftovers to reuse in Easy Hashbrown Casserole and Air Fryer Grilled Ham and Cheese.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Buy ham on sale. Bone-in hams are often deeply discounted around holidays, making them a cost-effective centerpiece meal. I'm often able to find ham for $0.67lb during the winter months.
Zest before juicing. Zest the orange first to avoid waste and get the most flavor from a single piece of fruit.
Stretch leftovers into multiple meals. Leftover ham can be used for sandwiches, soups, casseroles, or breakfast dishes.
Save the bone. The ham bone adds rich flavor to beans, soups, or stocks, maximizing value.
🥄 Instructions for Honey Orange Glazed Ham
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 325°F.
Step 2: In a saucepan over low heat, combine the honey, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon, and cloves. (Image 1) Stir until warmed and well combined. Remove from heat and set aside. (Image 2)
Step 3: Place the bone-in ham in a large roasting pan, fat side up.
Step 4: Score the ham with shallow diamond-shaped cuts to help the glaze penetrate and improve presentation.
Step 5: Brush the ham generously with some of the honey-orange glaze, reserving the rest for basting. (Image 3)
Step 6: Cover with foil and bake for 15-18 minutes per pound, about 3½-4 hours for a 12-pound ham.
Step 7: Baste the ham with the remaining glaze every 30 minutes to build flavor and caramelization.
Step 8: Check doneness with a meat thermometer. The ham is ready at 145°F internal temperature. (Image 4)
Step 9: Remove from the oven, loosely tent with foil, and rest for 15-20 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
Step 10: Carve and serve, using any remaining glaze for drizzling or dipping.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Bone In Is Best. Choose a bone in ham for the best flavor and presentation.
- Bring to Room Temperature. Let the ham sit at room temperature before baking to promote even cooking.
- Score and Prep. Score the ham with shallow cuts to create a decorative pattern and help the glaze penetrate. Pat the surface dry before glazing so it sticks better.
- Cook Properly. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes per pound and use an in-oven meat thermometer to ensure doneness. An in oven thermometer makes this especially easy and reliable.
- Rest and Slice Correctly. Let the ham rest before carving, then slice against the grain to keep the meat juicy and tender.
- Feast Worthy Pairings. For a turkey option to serve alongside this ham, try my Dry Brined Herb Turkey or Cajun Turkey Breast Recipe.
❄️ Storage, Reheating & Make Ahead
Storage: Store leftover ham in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat slices covered in foil in a 325°F oven or gently warm in a skillet with a splash of water or glaze.
Make Ahead: The glaze can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. The ham can also be baked ahead, sliced, and reheated before serving.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
This honey orange glazed ham pairs well with scalloped potatoes, roasted vegetables, green bean casserole, dinner rolls, or a simple salad for a well-rounded holiday meal.
- Instant Pot Boxed Au Gratin PotatoesRecipe $3.02 / Serving $0.30
- Easy Yeast Rolls for BeginnersRecipe $1.06 / Serving $0.12
- Oven Roasted AsparagusRecipe $4.13 / Serving $1.03
- Instant Pot Brussel Sprouts and BaconRecipe $4.01 / Serving $1.01
❓ Recipe FAQs
Baste the ham regularly, about every 30 minutes, for the best flavor and a beautifully caramelized exterior.
Ham should be cooked to 145 degrees F before being eaten to make sure that it has been cooked properly and is safe to consume.
Absolutely! After your ham has cooled down, cut off all meat from the bone and store it in an airtight freezer container. Freeze for up to 4 months, and reheat or use as desired within that timeframe.
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🐝 If you tried this Honey Orange Glazed Ham, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Honey Orange Glazed Ham
Ingredients
- 10-12 pound bone-in ham - ($8.28)
- 1 cup honey - ($3.84)
- ¼ cup orange juice - ($0.02)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest - ($0.14)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon - ($0.02)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves - ($0.02)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Make the glaze. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the honey, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir until warmed and well combined, then remove from heat.
- Prepare the ham. Place the ham in a large roasting pan, fat side up. Pat dry if needed.
- Glaze the ham. Brush the ham generously with some of the honey orange glaze, reserving the rest for basting.
- Bake. Cover the ham loosely with foil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes per pound, about 2 to 3 hours for a 12 pound ham.
- Baste. Every 30 minutes, remove the ham from the oven and brush with additional glaze to build flavor and caramelization.
- Check doneness. The ham is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 140°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Rest and serve. Remove the ham from the oven, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Slice and serve with any remaining glaze.
Notes
- Ham selection. Bone-in ham provides better flavor and presentation.
- Even cooking. Let the ham sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.
- Glaze adhesion. Scoring the ham and patting it dry helps the glaze cling better.
- Temperature check. Always use a meat thermometer to avoid over or undercooking.
- Resting. Allowing the ham to rest keeps it juicy and easier to carve.
- Storage. Store leftover ham in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Nutritional Information
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