Honey Baked Ham is a holiday tradition everyone looks forward to! Sweet and smoky with succulent spices, this copycat recipe tastes just like the original.
Honey Baked Ham was a centerpiece at many Christmas Eve and Easter dinners growing up. Our parents often purchased it at one of our favorite places, the Honey Baked Ham store. What we didn’t realize at the time was how expensive that ham could be. Now that we’re in charge of our own Christmas Eve and Easter dinners, we’ve found a way to make a sweet, sugary copycat honey Baked Ham at home. The price is right, and baking it in our own kitchen makes our house smell absolutely divine!
Buying a ham from the Honey Baked Ham store can cost well over $100! Sure, they’re tasty, but you can make the same delicious baked ham at home for a fraction of the cost. A similar sized ham from the grocery store will cost you less than $30, and the ingredients for the rich, sweet honey glaze are pantry staples you probably already have! Save that money AND make your house smell yummy all at the same time.
For this recipe we use a cooked spiral cut, bone-in ham. A spiral cut ham is super easy to use and glaze because it has been pre-cut into nice, thin slices. Spiral hams are super easy to find at most grocery stores, especially around Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. If you prefer, you can also use a boneless ham, however I prefer bone-in because the ham slices are more tender and I love using the ham bone to make soups like split pea soup and ham and bean soup.
I actually love the process of glazing this Honey Baked Ham. The rich sauce is easy to make and I love how it seeps into the crevices of the ham and creates a slightly crispy golden crust. Here’s what you do:
Baking a ham is the best way to get that perfect caramelized crust while keeping the ham plump and juicy. Check out the recipe card below for all the details. But the trick here is low and slow. Since ham comes precooked, all you really need to do is warm it through and allow the honey and brown sugar mixture to coat the meat thoroughly. It’s a lengthy process but it’s easy. One heavenly slice of ham is worth all that patience.
For this copycat honey baked ham recipe, we cook the ham for 5 hours at 200-degrees F. However, if you are in a hurry, you can speed up the process by raising the temperature to 275-degrees and cook for 2-3 hours. No matter the temperature or the amount of time you cook it, you want to check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer before serving. You want the internal temperature of the thickest part of the ham to be 140-degrees F.
Don’t be intimidated by cooking a ham. It’s really very simple. But here are a few tips to making the best Christmas ham ever!
If you want to go for the ease of cooking your ham in the crock pot, you can! Just make sure to line your crock pot because it’ll get messy with all of that delicious sauce. Cook on low for 5-6 hours and then pop it in the oven under the broiler to crisp up the top. Try our Slow Cooker Ham with Maple and Brown Sugar too. It’s so delicious!
An uncooked ham can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to seven days. After it’s been baked, you can store leftovers for up to a week. Wrap the ham well in plastic wrap, in a resealable bag, or in an airtight container. If you know you won’t use you leftovers that quickly, consider freezing them for later use in casseroles or soups.
Absolutely! Freeze any leftover ham in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to four months. It will still be safe to eat after that time, but may not taste as good. To reheat, let it thaw in the refrigerator completely, then microwave or put in the oven, covered, for about 30 minutes.
Ham leftovers make some of our favorite meals! Yes, sandwiches are always a solid choice, but sometimes it’s fun to try something new like our Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes. Try your leftover ham in one of these other delicious dishes too:
This ham is so delicious and versatile, the possibilities of what to serve alongside a thick slice are endless! Recipes like Russet Potato Mashed Potatoes and Whipped Sweet Potato Casserole are great with our honey ham. Here are a few more tried and true combinations we love:
Still want more side dish ideas? HERE is a quick link to ALL of our easy side dishes and our Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Sides.
You want to cover the ham tightly with foil or in a roasting pan with a lid. This helps keep all the juices inside. You also want to check the temperature and remove from the oven when the ham reaches 140 degrees F. If the ham gets too hot, it will start drying out.
How do you add flavor to ham after baking?This ham is very flavorful on its own. If we are serving the ham as leftovers on a ham and cheese board, you can serve with dijon mustard, pepper jelly, or hot honey.
What internal temperature should a precooked ham be?If your ham is pre-cooked, it should be heated to 140-degrees F before serving.
Honey Baked Ham is a Christmas and Easter tradition everyone looks forward to! Sweet, smoky with succulent spices, this copycat recipe tastes just like your favorite holiday ham, but made right at home.
