There are many excellent glaze recipes for hams, but this honey baked ham recipe makes a regular smoked ham taste just like a store-bought honey baked ham. It is also a very easy recipe; however, if this is your first time baking a ham, you may want to use a meat thermometer. A meat thermometer lets you know when the ham is done baking.
Honey Baked Ham Recipe
Ingredients:
- One smoked ham
- 1/2 cup of maraschino cherry juice from the jar of maraschino cherries
- 1/2 cup of light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup of honey
- One roasting pan
- Aluminum foil
- Basting brush
- Meat thermometer (optional)
Cooking Honey Baked Ham
First, purchase a smoked ham from your local grocery store or meat market. Make sure to choose a ham that has very little fat, especially in the center of the ham. The size of the ham does not matter. It depends on the number of guests you’re having for the meal. Discard any prepackaged seasonings that come with the smoked ham.
Preheat the oven to the degrees stated on the instructions. Most hams are typically baked at 325 degrees, so they do not dry out, and most are baked for twenty to thirty minutes a pound. Line the roasting pan with heavy-duty foil for easy clean-up. If you bought a spiral-cut ham, make sure to place the ham face down (the side that is cut) on the pan. After the oven reaches the correct temperature, place the smoked ham in the oven. Do not cover.
While the ham is baking, drain the juice from the bottle of maraschino cherries and pour it into a measuring cup. Then mix 1/2 cup cherry juice, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/14 cup honey in a bowl and stir until the ingredients are blended. The consistency of the mixture should be thick. If needed, add additional brown sugar for consistency.
When the smoked ham is halfway through the baking cycle, begin basting the ham with the maraschino cherry juice, brown sugar and honey mixture. Continue to baste the honey baked ham every 10 to 15 minutes until it is finished baking. For best results, use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. A smoked whole or half ham is usually done cooking between 135 and 140 degrees, according to Betty Crocker’s cookbook Holiday Entrees, Sides, Brunches & More.
Let the ham sit on a counter or table for at least fifteen minutes before serving. Even though the honey baked ham is not in the oven anymore, it will continue to bake for a few minutes. Letting the ham sit for a few minutes will also make it easier to carve.
Serve and enjoy your honey baked ham.
Sources: Holiday Entrees, Sides, Brunches & More. Betty Crocker/General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN. 2001.
