This southern brown sugar glazed ham is the kind of holiday main that makes folks think you fussed all day, when really you just brushed one sticky, fragrant glaze over a store-bought spiral ham and let the oven do the work. The brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, and ground cloves melt together into a shiny coat that seeps down into every slice, reminding me of the church basement potlucks and small-town Christmas dinners I grew up with in the rural Midwest. It’s simple, dependable, and full of the sweet-smoky flavor that never goes out of style.
Serve this ham warm with classic sides like buttery mashed potatoes, green beans, and soft dinner rolls to soak up the extra glaze from the roasting pan. A simple tossed salad or a tangy coleslaw helps cut through the sweetness, and scalloped potatoes or cheesy hash brown casserole make it feel extra festive. Leftovers are wonderful piled onto soft white bread or biscuits with a smear of mustard, or diced into eggs, bean soup, or fried potatoes the next morning.
Southern Brown Sugar Glazed HamServings: 10-12
Ingredients
1 fully cooked spiral cut ham (8–10 pounds), bone-in
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup water (plus more as needed)
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray or 1 tablespoon neutral oil (for greasing pan)
Aluminum foil (for tenting the ham)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Lightly grease a large roasting pan with cooking spray or a little oil so the ham doesn’t stick.
Remove the spiral ham from its packaging and discard any plastic disk from the bone. Place the ham cut-side down in the roasting pan so the slices fan upward. Let it sit at room temperature while you make the glaze.
In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, water, ground cloves, black pepper, and salt. Stir well to blend.
Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring often. Cook for 3–5 minutes, just until the sugar is fully dissolved and the glaze looks smooth and shiny. If it seems too thick to brush, stir in a tablespoon or two more water. Remove from heat.
Brush a generous layer of the warm sticky glaze all over the outside of the spiral ham, making sure to get between the slices as much as you can. This is where the flavor seeps into every bite.
Cover the ham loosely with aluminum foil, tenting it so the foil does not stick to the glaze. Transfer the roasting pan to the preheated oven.
Bake the ham for about 10–12 minutes per pound, or until heated through to an internal temperature of 140°F (60°C). For an 8–10 pound ham, this is usually 1 1/2 to 2 hours. About every 20–30 minutes, carefully pull the pan out, peel back the foil, and brush more of the sticky glaze over the ham, then re-cover and return to the oven.
During the last 20–30 minutes of baking, remove the foil so the surface can caramelize and get a little bit of that golden, sticky crust. Brush on any remaining glaze, letting it drip down into the spiral cuts.
Once the ham is nicely browned and glossy, remove the pan from the oven and let the ham rest, loosely tented with foil, for 10–15 minutes. This helps the juices settle back into the meat.
Transfer the ham to a serving platter. Spoon some of the warm pan juices over the top, then let guests pull slices from the spiral or carve thicker pieces near the bone. Serve warm, passing extra juices from the roasting pan at the table.
Variations & Tips
For a slightly different sweetness, you can swap part of the honey for pure maple syrup, which gives the glaze a deeper, woodsy flavor without changing the simple brush-and-bake method. If you prefer a little more tang to balance the brown sugar, add 1–2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or orange juice to the glaze as it simmers. Orange zest or a splash of pineapple juice can also bring a gentle fruitiness that feels right at home on a holiday table. To lean into a more old-fashioned spice profile, increase the ground cloves to 3/4 teaspoon and add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. If your ham is smaller, simply make the full batch of glaze and use the extra for brushing on after slicing, or for drizzling over roasted carrots or sweet potatoes. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for several days; store them tightly wrapped and reheat gently with a spoonful of pan juices or a bit of water so the meat stays moist. This same one-pan, one-glaze approach works nicely with a smaller half-ham or even a thick ham steak—just reduce the baking time and keep brushing with the sticky glaze until heated through and caramelized.
