Classic Baked Ham
The classic, perfect baked ham — shiny with a tangy sweet glaze, crosshatched, ideal for Christmas, Easter, and any large gatherings that call for a ham.
Servings: 20 People
Calories: 395kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 10-pound smoked or cured bone-in ham , approximately
- 1 cup light or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 5 teaspoons whole cloves (optional)
Instructions
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven making sure there is room for the ham to fit. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Cut off the ham’s tough outer skin and any excess fat and toss. Score the ham, which means to make crosshatch cuts all over the surface (see photos), about ½ inch deep and 1/2 to 1-inch apart. Place the ham in a roasting pan.
- Bake the ham for 1 ½ hours.
- Stir the sugar, mustard and maple syrup together in a bowl. Remove the ham from the oven, and raise the temperature to 375°F. Use a brush to coat the ham with the brown sugar glaze, using about half of the glaze. Carefully (the ham is hot! Rubber cloves are helpful here) insert a clove into the center of each cross hatched diamond, if desired.
- Return the ham to the oven and bake for another 60 to 90 minutes, brushing on some additional glaze every 30 minutes or so, if you have the time and are in the kitchen. The ham should have an internal temperature of 165°F; check with a meat thermometer.
- Transfer the ham to a cutting board and let sit for at least 20 minutes. You are welcome to let the ham cool for longer, or even come to room temperature as well.
- Slice the ham, thinly or thickly, and serve warm or at room temp.
Nutrition
Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 2694mg | Potassium: 672mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg