Spicy Maple Glazed Ham with Honey and Brown Sugar
This Spicy Maple Glazed Ham with Honey and Brown Sugar brings a bold twist to classic holiday ham. A glossy maple glaze infused with red pepper flakes adds gentle heat to the sweet richness of honey and brown sugar for a beautifully balanced, crowd-pleasing main dish.
Ingredients
- 6 pound bone-in ham, shank cut* Bone-in ham: Look for a fully cooked or smoked ham. That’s the standard for most supermarket hams, and it ensures tender results since you’re reheating, not cooking from raw.
- 2 cups honey
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat to 325°F. Place ham on a rack in a roasting pan, cut side down. Add about 1 cup of water or apple cider to the bottom of the pan to keep it moist.
- In a saucepan, combine honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, vinegar, red pepper flakes, Dijon, and smoked paprika. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until smooth and slightly thickened (about 5–7 minutes).
- If desired, score the ham in a diamond pattern. Brush the ham generously with glaze.
- Loosely cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 2-½ hours (about 15 minutes per pound), brushing with glaze every 30 minutes. Since this is a fully cooked ham, you’re just reheating it. For best texture and food safety, warm it to an internal temperature of about 140°F as measured by a meat thermometer.
- Remove foil during the last 20–30 minutes so the glaze caramelizes and gets sticky. Let rest 15 minutes before carving.
Notes
- I used a fully cooked, bone-in shank portion ham in this recipe, which is naturally a bit leaner and easier to carve. You can substitute the butt portion if you prefer a richer, more marbled texture.
- Keep the ham loosely covered until the final 20–30 minutes.
- Rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing to lock in juices.
- And don’t forget the good stuff at the bottom of the pan, those drippings and any extra glaze are liquid gold. Spoon a little over your sliced leftovers before storing them to keep every bite moist, flavorful, and just as delicious the next day.”
Nutrition
Calories: 535kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 40gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 2232mgPotassium: 581mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 264IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!