Maple Glazed Ham – A Must-Have for Your Thanksgiving Table
C’mon In – It’s Ham Time, Friend!
If you’ve ever come to my house around Thanksgiving (or honestly, any excuse for a cozy dinner), you’ve probably gotten a big ol’ slice of this maple glazed ham shoved into your hand before you even settle in. It’s the kind of thing I started making after a little kitchen mishap robbed us of gravy one sad Turkey Day—but honestly, it turned out to be the silver lining no one saw coming. Some folks still whisper about the year of the ham. Also: don’t ask how I managed to coat my dog’s head in glaze, it’s a long story and he’s forgiven me. Sort of.
Why You’ll Absolutely Love This Ham (Trust Me)
I make this when I need a guaranteed crowd-pleaser (or when I’m honestly just tired and can’t face another turkey). My family goes absolutely bonkers for it—like, will sneak leftover slices for breakfast, lunch, midnight snack… you get the idea. Even my cousin, who claims to “not really like ham” (lies), goes for seconds. If you’re worried about it being too sweet, the mustard and vinegar keep things balanced and skipping a basting doesn’t ruin it (I’ve forgotten plenty!).
Here’s What You’ll Need (Plus a Few Substitutes)
- 1 bone-in smoked ham (about 2.5–3kg, but honestly, I’ve done this with anything from a tiny 1kg mini ham to a massive party one—just adjust baking time)
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (I use the real stuff, grade B if I can, but pancake syrup will work in a pinch—sorry, Grandma Lorraine)
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard (stoneground is good too, but sometimes I use yellow if it’s all I’ve got)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark, or, heck, white with some molasses if that’s what you’ve got)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (red wine vinegar worked one time when I ran out—different vibe, still tasty!)
- About 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (sometimes I use a dozen whole cloves stuck in the ham, but picking them out later is a pain)
- Water for the roasting pan (honestly just a good splash)
How I Usually Make This Ham (Sometimes With Slight Chaos)
- Preheat your oven to 160ºC/325ºF. If you’ve got a big, heavy roasting pan, grab it—if not a baking tray and some foil will do. Set your ham in there, fat side up.
- With a sharp knife, gently score the surface in a diamond pattern. Don’t stress about perfect geometry—I’ve had several come out looking like tic-tac-toe. Winning! (Just try not to cut too deep, about 1cm is plenty.)
- Pour a small splash of water into the bottom of your pan, just to stop things scorching. Cover the whole thing loosely with foil.
This is where I usually take a pause to hunt down my basting brush (it has only one home but never stays there.). - Mix together the maple syrup, mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, and ground cloves in a bowl. Keep a spoon handy—I’m not saying you should taste it, but I’m also not saying you shouldn’t.
- Bake the ham for about 1 hour, then pull it out, peel off the foil (spill a little glaze, curse yourself, wipe up, repeat).
- Baste the ham with half your glaze. It will look kind of weird and runny. Trust the process! Put it back in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
- Baste again with the rest of the glaze, then keep baking, basting every 15 minutes or so until it gets sticky and deep golden. For a 3kg ham, that’s normally another 30–45 minutes, but I go by color more than the clock. If it seems to be charring too fast, tent it with foil—I’ve overdone it once or twice. Tastes fine, just more “rustic”.
- Let it rest at least 15-20 minutes before carving, or you’ll have a river running through your board, not in a good way.
Stuff I Wish I Knew The First Time (Notes!)
- That glaze is sticky as all get out, so line your roasting pan if you like easy cleaning (learned the hard way; my pan still has a faint aroma).
- If you use spiral cut ham, gently work the glaze into the slices, but don’t pull them apart too far or the poor thing just falls apart. Ask me how I know…
- If you crank the oven for extra browning, don’t stray far—it changes fast from “caramelly” to “new roof tar” in about 45 seconds flat.
What I’ve Experimented With (Not All Genius)
- Once tried honey instead of maple syrup—it was good, but the flavor’s not as deep or, I dunno, “holiday special”.
- Left out the Dijon and used chili mustard—interesting! People still talk about “the spicy incident,” mostly in warning.
- Added pineapple rings one year (very retro!)—they fell off and burned, but the nostalgia was real.
Do You Really Need Fancy Tools? (Short Answer: Nah)
A roasting pan’s great, but honestly, I’ve used a big old Pyrex dish with foil for years. No basting brush? A spoon or even (clean) fingers do the job if you’re in a pinch; just don’t burn yourself. I read this Serious Eats guide once about glazing, and it reassured me that you don’t need fancy kit—really, the ham is the star, not your gadgets.
How To Store (But It’ll Be Gone So Fast…)
Technically, you should refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to a week. In real life? This ham gets raided within 24 hours at my place—especially with people “just grabbing a taste”. It keeps nicely, but if you somehow have extra, it makes an excellent breakfast hash. Just sayin’.
How I Like To Serve Maple Glazed Ham (Aside form just… eating it)
It looks mighty impressive on a platter with some roasted carrots and a little bowl of extra glaze for drizzling. My family demands a pile of buttery rolls on the side—sometimes we do sandwiches at the table (my uncle calls it “Thanksgiving Deluxe”). Also: it’s illegal not to pair with a little sharp mustard, at least in my house. (Isn’t it funny how every family draws their own sauce battle lines?)
Things I Learned The Hard Way (Pro Tips From Trials… And Errors)
- I once tried rushing the resting time—big mistake. The ham was dry at the edges but still squishy in the middle. Now I just force everyone to wait; anticipation is a flavor, right?
- Don’t skip the scoring step; the glaze really needs those little valleys. I skipped once and got less crackle, more sog.
- Actually, I find it works better if you glaze in layers, not all at once—even though I used to think that was fussy nonsense.
- Oh, and no need to peel the glaze drips off the pan mid-cooking. They’ll loosen in the soak. Or just live with “character” bakeware, which is most of what I own.
Questions I Hear All The Time (FAQ Style With Real Answers)
Can I use boneless ham?
Absolutely. It cooks a bit faster, so start checking it earlier. Won’t be quite as juicy, but it’s way easier to slice. (On second thought, I kinda prefer it for sandwiches.)
What if I don’t have maple syrup?
Honey or even agave works in a pinch; just use a smidge less sugar. Fake maple syrup also works, but the flavor’s a little more one-note.
Do I really need mustard?
Technically no, but I think it kinda cuts the sweetness. Hot English is a bit wild for this, but you do you!
How do you reheat leftovers?
Low and slow, covered with a splash of water in the pan so it doesn’t dry out. Or, just eat it cold like my aunt does at 2am. She’s got, let’s say, unique tastes.
Can I freeze this?
Yep, slice it, wrap it well, and tuck away for up to 2-3 months. Though honestly, good luck getting it to last that long. We never do.
(Also—one year I wrapped leftovers in foil and reheated in a slow cooker at the family potluck. Worked a treat, though the edges browning doesn’t happen quite the same.)
On a totally unrelated note, has anyone else noticed ham leftovers make the best late-night grilled cheese? No? Just me. Anyway, let me know how yours turns out—or if you have a glaze combo that trumps mine! Truly, that’s the best part of Thanksgiving: trading stories, not just recipes.
Ingredients
- 1 (8-10 lb) fully cooked bone-in ham
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup orange juice
Instructions
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1Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a roasting pan with foil and set aside.
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2Remove the ham from packaging and pat dry. Score the surface in a diamond pattern.
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3In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, ground cloves, and black pepper. Simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened.
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4Place the ham in the prepared pan. Brush generously with half of the glaze. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 1 hour.
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5Remove the foil, brush with remaining glaze, and bake uncovered for an additional 45-60 minutes, basting every 20 minutes until the ham is caramelized and heated through.
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6Let the ham rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm, garnished as desired.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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