Old Granny Ham Recipes: Brown Sugar Glazed Ham Recipe

This old-fashioned granny-style baked ham is a fully cooked, bone-in ham warmed under foil and finished with a tangy brown sugar, mustard, and clove glaze. Family versions vary—some add pineapple or use yellow mustard—but this straightforward version gives you tender slices, a glossy sweet-savory crust, and useful leftovers.

Ingredients

1 fully cooked, bone-in, unsliced ham, about 8 lb (3.6 kg)
1 cup water (240 ml), for the roasting pan
3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar (150 g)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard (60 ml); yellow mustard works for a milder, more familiar flavor
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (15 ml)
1 tablespoon honey (21 g)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (about 0.5 g)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (about 0.5 g)

Instructions

Heat the oven and prepare the ham. Set a rack in the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Remove the ham from its packaging, including any plastic bone guard, and read the package directions in case they give a specific reheating method. Put the ham on a board with the fat side up. If it has a thick, intact fat cap, use a sharp knife to score shallow diamonds about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Cut through the fat, but do not slice deeply into the meat. Scoring helps the glaze cling; it is optional if the ham has little exposed fat.
Set up the roasting pan. Place the ham cut-side down in a roasting pan, preferably on a rack, and pour the water into the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan snugly with foil. The water creates a little steam and the foil slows moisture loss while the ham warms. Keep the water below the ham rather than pouring it over the meat.
Warm the ham gently. Bake the covered ham for about 1 hour 55 minutes. For this 8-pound ham, plan on roughly 2 hours 25 minutes total in the oven, but use temperature rather than the clock as the final guide. Ham shape, oven accuracy, and how cold it is when it goes in can change the timing. Do not leave the ham uncovered for the whole bake; the exposed surface can dry before the center is hot.
Make the glaze. While the ham warms, stir the brown sugar, mustard, cider vinegar, honey, cloves, and black pepper together in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring until the sugar has mostly dissolved and the mixture is smooth and brushable. Do not boil it hard: a thick, scorching glaze is difficult to spread and can taste bitter. If it becomes too thick while standing, stir in 1 teaspoon of water at a time.
Glaze and finish baking. Remove the foil and brush about half the glaze over the scored surface, working some into the cuts. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, then brush on the remaining glaze and bake for about 10 minutes more. USDA FSIS guidance for reheated leftovers is 165°F (74°C); check the thickest part of the ham with a food thermometer, avoiding the bone, and heat this ham to 165°F (74°C). If it has not reached that temperature after the planned 25 minutes uncovered, continue baking in 10-minute increments and check again. If the glaze is browning too quickly, lay foil loosely over the top.
Rest and carve. Transfer the ham to a carving board and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing. This gives the hot juices time to settle and makes carving easier. Cut along the bone to release large sections, then slice those sections across the grain into portions. Spoon a little glaze from the pan over the slices, if you like, and serve the rest on the side.

Tips

Check the label before you start. This recipe is for a fully cooked, unsliced ham. A fresh, uncooked ham or a ham labeled cook-before-eating needs a different cooking method and timing; follow its package directions rather than treating it as ready to eat.
Keep the thermometer away from the bone. Bone conducts heat and can give a misleading reading. Insert the probe into the thickest meaty area, and take a second reading in another spot if the ham is unevenly shaped.
Adjust the glaze to your pantry. Dijon gives a sharper, slightly wine-like mustard flavor; yellow mustard makes the glaze milder. If you do not have ground cloves, omit them or use 12 to 15 whole cloves pressed into the scored fat, then remove them before carving. Whole cloves give a stronger, more concentrated spice note.
Do not rush the glaze. Brown sugar can burn under high heat, so finish at the recipe temperature and watch the last few minutes. If you want deeper color, use the oven’s broiler only briefly and stay beside the oven; the sugar can go from browned to burnt quickly.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the ham warm with mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, or scalloped potatoes to catch the sweet mustard glaze. Green beans, braised cabbage, glazed carrots, or a simple crisp salad add contrast to the rich, salty meat. For a holiday-style table, add dinner rolls or biscuits and a tart side such as cranberry sauce, applesauce, or vinegar-dressed slaw. The glaze is flavorful, so taste before adding extra salt to side dishes.

For a buffet, slice only what you expect people to eat soon and keep the remaining ham whole and covered. Arrange slices on a warm platter, spoon over a small amount of pan glaze, and offer extra glaze separately so guests can choose how much sweetness they want. A bone-in ham also provides a useful base for next-day meals: chop the meat for sandwiches, fold it into eggs, or add it to a pot of beans or soup.

Variations

Pineapple-glazed ham: Arrange drained pineapple rings over the ham during the final 25 minutes and brush them with the glaze. Secure rings with toothpicks if needed, then remove every toothpick before serving. Pineapple adds fruitiness and moisture at the surface, but it also makes the finished dish sweeter.
Brown sugar and orange: Replace the cider vinegar with 1 tablespoon orange juice (15 ml) and add 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest. The citrus softens the sharp mustard edge and gives the glaze a brighter aroma.
More savory, less sweet: Reduce the brown sugar to 1/2 cup (100 g), leave out the honey, and add 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (5 ml). The glaze will be thinner and less candy-like, with a deeper savory note.
Clove-free version: Leave out the cloves and add a pinch of cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg, or simply use black pepper alone. Those spices are not identical to cloves, but they give the glaze warmth without the strong clove aroma.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate cooked ham within 2 hours of serving. Remove the meat from the bone if that makes it easier to store, then pack it in shallow, airtight containers with a little pan juice or glaze to help keep the slices moist. Refrigerated cooked ham keeps for 3 to 4 days. Keep the bone separately in a covered container and use it within the same period; do not leave the ham sitting out while guests serve themselves for an extended stretch.

For longer storage, freeze slices or small portions in airtight freezer-safe packaging. Use within about 1 to 2 months for best quality, and thaw in the refrigerator rather than on the counter. Reheat only the amount you plan to serve: cover it in an oven-safe dish with a spoonful of water or pan juice and warm in a 325°F (163°C) oven until it reaches 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer. Thin slices can also be reheated in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water. Avoid repeated cooling and reheating, which can dry the meat and make it harder to handle safely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a spiral-cut ham?
Yes, but it will usually warm and dry out faster because the slices expose more surface area. Follow the package’s reheating directions, keep it covered for most of the warming time, and start checking its temperature early. Brush the glaze between some of the slices as well as over the outside, but avoid prying the slices apart so much that the ham loses moisture.

Do I need to soak the ham before baking?
Not for a typical fully cooked ham sold ready to heat. Soaking is sometimes used for particularly salty country-cured hams, but that is a different product and the package or producer should guide preparation. If your ham tastes saltier than expected, serve it with unsalted sides rather than soaking a ready-to-cook ham without checking its instructions.

Why is my baked ham dry?
Common causes are baking it uncovered for too long, using a spiral-cut ham with a long cooking time, or relying on minutes per pound instead of checking the center. Cover the ham during most of the bake, add the measured water to the pan, and remove it once the required internal temperature is reached. Slicing only what you need also helps keep the unsliced portion moist.

Can I make the glaze ahead?
Yes. Mix the glaze up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Warm it gently in a saucepan before brushing so it spreads easily; if it has thickened, stir in a teaspoon of water. Do not brush glaze that has touched raw meat onto ready-to-eat slices unless you bring it to a boil first.

Can I cook the ham the day before serving?
You can, although freshly warmed ham is generally easier to serve attractively. If making it ahead, cool and refrigerate the meat within 2 hours, preferably in smaller portions. Reheat covered with a little liquid to 165°F (74°C), and add a fresh light brushing of glaze near the end so the surface tastes bright instead of repeatedly baked.

What can I do with the ham bone?
Refrigerate the bone promptly and use it within 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for later. It can add smoky, salty flavor to bean soup, split pea soup, or a pot of greens. Taste the broth before salting because the bone and any remaining ham can contribute plenty of salt; remove the bone and pick off any remaining meat before serving.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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