This Bourbon Glazed Ham is savory and sweet with a hint of warmth from the bourbon. Cinnamon and clove give it that distinct holiday flavor that just makes everything feel a little more special. It’s the perfect star for a holiday spread.
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When it comes to holiday ham, I've got so many to choose from and to be honest, I love them all!! From this Dr. Pepper Glazed Ham to my Honey Mustard Ham, Boneless Spiral Ham and Instant Pot Spiral Ham -- you simply can't go wrong.
They all work with your favorite holiday side dishes for a spread everyone will love!
If you're looking for ways to use your leftover ham, try our delicious Ham and Bean Soup (Crock Pot) recipe!
Why You Will Love This Ham with Bourbon Glaze
- Easy to Make. This bourbon glazed ham recipe goes together with minimal effort and a handful of simple ingredients.
- Great Tasting Holiday Ham. The bourbon, spices, brown sugar, and maple syrup add complex flavors to your glazed ham, making each bite divine!
- Enough for a Crowd. This baked ham recipe makes enough to feed a large group or to have leftovers to repurpose into another meal.
Ingredients
- Ham: Use a fully cooked bone-in or boneless ham.
- Chicken Broth: Infuses more flavor into the brown sugar and bourbon glaze to coat the ham. It also keeps the ham hydrated as it cooks so it doesn't dry out.
- Bourbon: The vanilla, caramel and oak flavors of bourbon add so much to the simple ham glaze. You can use other spirits such as whiskey, spiced rum, scotch or even your favorite dark beer. Each one will add a different flavor profile.
- Orange juice: For a bit more sweetness and flavor. Leave this out if you like or replace it with pineapple juice.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Sugary sweetness to coat the ham with a complex flavor and darker color from the molasses added to it.
- Maple Syrup: For sweetness and flavor.
- Spices: Cinnamon and ground cloves add warmth to the maple bourbon glaze.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use Ham Steaks. These work great if you want to serve a smaller group. Place the ham steaks in a baking dish and add the glaze on top. Cover and cook until heated through.
- Honey Bourbon Glaze. Replace the maple syrup with two tablespoons of honey.
- More Orange Flavor: Add the zest of a whole orange along with the orange juice for a more intense orange flavor.
- Spicy: Add a bit of chili pepper flakes or jalapeno powder to the bourbon ham glaze.
How to Make Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Bourbon Glaze
Step 1: Prep the ham. Place your ham on a cutting board, flat side down. Use a sharp knife to make horizontal and then vertical cuts into the ham, pressing about 1 - 2 inches into the ham, creating a diamond pattern.
Step 2: Add the ham to a roasting pan. Place your ham in a roasting pan, flat side down. Add the chicken broth to the bottom of the pan. Brush the ham with a mixture of bourbon and orange juice. Cover with foil or a roaster lid and cook for about 90 minutes.
Step 3: Make the brown sugar bourbon glaze. Whisk together the remaining bourbon, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside until the ham is done cooking.
Step 4: Glaze the ham. Brush and pour the glaze mix over the cooked ham. Return it to the oven to cook uncovered for another 30 minutes.
⭐️ Hint: Bring the ham to room temperature. Allow your ham to sit covered on the counter for about 45 minutes to allow it to come to room temperature for more even cooking.
If you love the flavor of bourbon, try this maple bourbon salmon recipe next!
Storage Directions
- Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container or a resealable bag in the refrigerator. Your ham will stay its freshest for 3-5 days or you can freeze it for up to three months.
- Reheat: Place the ham in a pan with a ¼ cup of chicken broth or water over medium heat. Cover and allow the ham to warm for about 5 minutes or until warmed throughout.
Serving Suggestions
For the holidays I love serving this ham with this old-fashioned zucchini casserole, scalloped corn casserole, and some cheesy potatoes! Don't forget this holiday pretzel salad or some pistachio fluff too!
Serve with this jalapeno cranberry jam for some spicy tart flavors or this cranberry balsamic sauce.
I love leftover ham so I can make some ham salad pinwheels and cheesy ham roll ups with them!
Recipe Tips
- Rest Before Slicing. Allow the ham to rest for 10 minutes before slicing it up and serving.
- Cut Into the Ham. Make 1-2 inch cuts in the ham to allow the marinade and glaze to seep down into the ham and make it more flavorful.
Recipe FAQs
The alcohol does not completely cook out because we add the glaze towards the end of cooking. To keep it alcohol free but still flavorful you can use rum extract. The other option is to simply leave it out.
For this recipe, yes. The ham needs to be fully cooked so that we are only cooking the ham to reheat it. This keeps the sugars in the glaze from burning. If you want to use a ham that is not already cooked, I suggest seasoning and cooking first before applying the glaze and finishing.
Yes, you can. Prepare the ham as instructed, however, instead of placing it into a roasting pan, place it into a 10-quart crockpot. Make sure you choose a ham that will fit into your crockpot before starting! Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Always test the internal temperature of the ham before removing it from the crockpot.
To reheat a fully cooked ham you want to allow 9-10 minutes per pound. Cook it until the ham reaches 140°F in the center.
More Delicious Ham Recipes
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Bourbon Glazed Ham
Equipment
- roasting pan An 18-inch roaster worked for my 10lb ham but each roasting pan is shaped differently so double check first to make sure your ham fits.
Ingredients
- 1 10 pound ham fully cooked, bone in or out
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup bourbon divided
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Allow your ham to sit covered on the counter for about 45 minutes to allow it to come to room temperature for more even cooking.
- Preheat your oven to 325°F.
- Place your ham on a cutting board, flat side down. Use a sharp knife to make horizontal and then vertical cuts into the ham (about 1 - 2 inches into the ham) creating a diamond pattern.
- Place your ham in a roasting pan, flat side down. Add chicken broth to the bottom of the pan to help reduce moisture loss during cooking.
- Using a small bowl, mix ¾ cup bourbon and the orange juice and drizzle evenly over the ham allowing it to reach deep into the cuts while cooking.
- Cover with foil or a roaster lid and cook for about 90 minutes ( 9-10 minutes per lb until the ham reaches 140°F in center). While the ham cooks, stir or whisk together the remaining ¼ cup of bourbon, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and cloves in a medium sized bowl and set aside until the ham is done cooking.
- Remove the ham from the oven, uncover it, pour the glaze mix over the ham, and then cook uncovered for another 30 minutes.
- Once done, remove and let the ham rest for 15-30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Rest Before Slicing. Allow the ham to rest for 10 minutes before slicing it up and serving.
- Cut Into the Ham. Make 1-2 inch cuts in the ham to allow the marinade and glaze to seep down into the ham and make it more flavorful.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in March 2021. It's been updated with new content, images, and an updated recipe.
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