Honey Glazed Ham Recipe (Oven and Slow Cooker)

Y’all my honey glazed ham is something else. Completely tender, moist and perfectly sweet, it’s cooked up in its own juices and hit with a killer glaze made of honey, pineapple juice and brown sugar. It’s got that sweet, salty, buttery, sticky vibe going on that makes it the star of any holiday feast you make it for. Forget buying a honey baked ham this year and get into this homemade honey glazed ham. And bonus, I’ve got slow cooker instructions for ya too!

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Perfectly roasted honey glazed ham recipe in foil in a white pan ready to enjoy

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Five star review

โ€œI LOVED this glaze! I followed the directions and it turned out perfect.โ€

โ€”ERIKA

Let me just tell ya, this honey glazed ham recipe makes a main course that will get rave reviews for holidays and special occasions boos. Instead of picking up a honey baked ham from the store, make this right at the crib for your next Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas celebration! It’s perfectly sweet yet salty, always tender and sticky on the fingers. Let’s get into it.

The Lowdown of This Honey Glazed Ham Recipe

Closeup of Jocelyn in pink dress smiling

Cuisine Inspiration: Southern Comfort

Primary Cooking Method: Baking (with a Slow Cooker option too!)

Dietary Info: Gluten-Free

Key Flavor: Sweet, Sticky, Perfectly Flavorful Tender Ham Vibes

Skill Level: Easy y’all (No Sweat Fam!)

A sticky, sweet, and salty glaze thatโ€™ll have everyone reaching for seconds ya dig? Plus as the ham cooks in its own juices, it gets super juicy, tender and irresistible.

When you need the perfect centerpiece for your holiday menu, this honey ham is the one you pull out. Before you reach for the number to order a honey baked ham, try this one and see how much more you love it!

You can either slow cook this baby or roast it in the oven. You can do you boo! It’s your world. Both options are super stress-free and no-fuss too.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Honey Baked Ham

Ham, butter, brown sugar, honey and spices to make honey glazed ham on white countertop
  • Unsalted Butter: Ham is already a bit salty so we go with unsalted. The butter aids in melting the sugar and adds a richer flavor to the ham glaze.
  • Brown Sugar: The sugar helps create that sweet, caramel-like glaze with it’s molasses-ey and super sticky notes.
  • Honey: It adds floral, fruity and sometimes, buttery essence as well as more stickiness when paired with the sugar sticking to the skin of the ham.
  • Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard is a milky mixture of onion, garlic, salt, white wine, mustard powder and a touch of honey. It adds a little heat and brightness to the mix.
  • Pineapple Juice: This gives necessary acidity cutting through all the sugar.
  • Ham: Let’s not forget the ham y’all. Choose a precooked, spiral-cut, bone-in ham. It’s crucial to make sure you get one that doesn’t already have a glaze on it.

WARNING: Pork is inherently a very salt-forward protein. Some store-bought hams will have also already been brined in salt water. As with any other recipe, salt and pepper your ham as needed. Just go easy on it so you don’t get too salty with it.

How To Make Honey Glazed Ham

Brown sugar and honey and spices in a pot to make a glaze on white countertop
1
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in the brown sugar, honey, mustard, pineapple juice, garlic powder and paprika until combined.ย 
Ham glaze in pot being thickened and cooked down on white countertop
2
Allow the mixture to cook for about 5-7 minutes or until it bubbles and somewhat thickens.ย Remove the saucepan and allow to continue thickening.
Spiraled ham on a foil lined baking sheet on white countertop
3
Place the ham cut side down in the pan (or slow cooker). Score the ham by making shallow cuts along the top of the thicker skin. This allows the delicious honey glaze for ham to penetrate the skin of the ham.
Honey glaze poured over top of a honey baked ham on foil lined baking sheet on white countertop
4
Brush one-third of the glaze over the top of the ham.
Honey glazed ham after being baked on a foil lined baking sheet on white countertop
5
Bake the ham for 1 ยฝ hours. Then turn the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
Glazed and baked ham on a foil lined baking sheet
6
Brush Brush the ham again with half of the remaining glaze. Bake for an 15 additional minutes, then finally brush ham with remaining glaze you have.
Perfectly roasted ham on white baking sheet in white background
7
Place the ham under broiler for 3-5 minutes to allow glaze to get sticky. The brown sugar glaze should be super seeped in and delicious.

How to Make Slow Cooker Honey Ham

As if this recipe couldnโ€™t get any easier, this baked ham recipe is a slow-cooker friendly.

The low, slow heat of the slow cooker gently braises the ham which makes for the best melt-in-the-mouth pork youโ€™ve ever had.

TOP TIP: Use the Right Ham! You donโ€™t wanna use a boneless ham in a slow-cooker. Instead, buy a spiral-cut ham that is fully cooked and has the bone in. Butt-end hams fit into slow-cooker a bit more easily. A 10-pound ham is as big as you can fit into a 6-quart slow-cooker.  Make sure you spray it completely with non stick spray.

  1. Place the ham in the slower cooker. Make sure you’ve already prepped it!
  2. Once the ham is cozy in the slow-cooker, pour the glaze over the ham and try to cover as much ground as possible. Donโ€™t worry if there are uncovered portions.
  3. The key here is LOW AND SLOW. Set a timer for about 8 hours (it might take 5 depending on size of ham) and cook on the low setting. Do your best to baste the ham with glaze every hour or so. I would also suggest flipping the ham halfway through cooking.

What to Serve with Honey Bake Ham

Casserole dish of southern cornbread dressing with a spoon scooping a serving up.
Southern cornbread dressing is the ultimate side for any holiday dinner menu.
Overhead of three white bowls filled with Southern Collard Greens with hamhock against gray background
Mama’s collard greens are essential for your soul food menu. Plus that potlikker is the perfect thing to serve with honey ham.
Sliced candy sweet potatoes being lifted fro white bowl ready to enjoy
Candied sweet potatoes add so much flavor and perfect sweetness to compliment this ham.
Baked corn spoonbread being served during a meal
A southern corn spoonbread is the ultimate twist on cornbread that has a wonderful texture.

Recipe Substitutions

  • Unsalted Butter: Go with ghee which will give you that butter flavor.
  • Honey: Swap in maple syrup for some more intense and deep notes.
  • Dijon Mustard: Go with plain yellow mustard or even a honey mustard if you wanna add even more sweetness to the mix.
  • Pineapple Juice: Replace with orange juice or apple cider for some wonderful fruity vibes that add brightness.

Recipe Variations and Additions

  • Spice It Up: Just a bit of sriracha or even some cayenne added to the glaze can add some heat to the sweet.
  • Brighten: Adding in some fresh orange or lime zest can really add a contrast to the sweetness in the glaze.
  • Booze It Up: Just a little bourbon or whiskey add to the glaze will add some complexity and grown up vibes.
  • Get Smoky: Swap in smoked paprika for the paprika and add a little liquid smoke to the glaze to add some bomb smokey notes.
A honey glazed ham on a white platter in white background

Expert Tips and Tricks

  • Slow Cooker Tips: Butt-end hams fit into slow-cooker a bit more easily. Above all, take into consideration the size of your slow-cooker. A 10-pound ham is as big as you can fit in
  • Choose a spiral cut ham for the best pineapple honey glazed ham.
  • Score the ham before adding the glaze so the flavors penetrate more of the meat.
Sliced spiral honey ham on white platter ready to serve

How to Store Honey Ham

Leftover ham is rare because for reals, it goes quickly. But, if you find yourself with a few extra slices, itโ€™s important to store it properly. Store the ham (in its juices) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

BONUS TIP: This ham makes for the best next-day ham sandwiches. Make sure youโ€™ve got good bread and some extra mustard on hand. Dipping the sandwiches in the juices takes it to a new level.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you put glaze on ham before cooking?

Yes, definitely. In this recipe, the glaze is added three different times which creates a perfect layer of brown sugar glaze over the top of the baked ham.

How much ham per person?

When cooking a bone-in ham, allow about a half pound per person. This takes into consideration the weight of the bone. If you want to have leftovers select a larger ham. Just be sure your ham will fit into your pan or slow cooker depending on the preparation method you plan to use.

What’s the best ham for making honey baked ham?

My preference is a spiral cut, bone-in, precooked ham. The bone adds flavor and helps retain moisture in the ham while the spiral cut makes serving easier and also allows the glaze to penetrate the ham. You can also use a boneless ham but it’s not the best!

Can I make this honey glazed ham ahead?

Absolutely boos! The glaze can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge.

Honey glazed ham on white platter ready to serve with bread in background

More Holiday Recipes

Honey glazed ham on white platter ready to serve with bread in background

Honey Glazed Ham Recipe

This tender, moist and perfectly sweet Honey Glazed Ham recipe is cooked in its own juices and glazed with a mixture of honey, pineapple juice and brown sugar.
4.87 from 30 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Servings: 25 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • Cooking spray
  • 8-10 lb Plain fully cooked spiral sliced bone in ham make sure it does not already have a glaze

Instructions

  • In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter then whisk in brown sugar, honey, mustard, pineapple juice, garlic powder and paprika until combined. Allow the mixture to cook for about 5-7 minutes or until it bubbles and somewhat thickens. Take off heat. It will continue to thicken as it stands.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover a 9" x 13" pan with lots of foil going up the sides as well then thoroughly spray with cooking spray.
  • Place the ham cut side down in the pan. Next score the ham if you desire. To score, simply make shallow cuts along the top of the thicker skin to get the glaze to seep through even more.
  • Brush the โ…“ of the glaze over the top of the ham.
  • Bake for 1 ยฝ hours then turn oven to 425 degrees F and brush ham again with half of the remaining glaze.
  • Bake 15 additional minutes, then finally brush ham with remaining glaze you have. Place ham under broiler for 3-5 minutes to allow glaze to get sticky. The sugar should be super seeped in and delicious.
  • Rest ham for 10 minutes and then serve.

Slow Cooker Instructions

  • Thoroughly spray the inside of a 6 or 7 quart slow cooker with your cooking spray.
  • Carefully place the ham inside. Prepare ham according to instructions.
  • Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Notes

Slow Cooker Tips: Butt-end hams fit into slow-cooker a bit more easily. Above all, take into consideration the size of your slow-cooker. A 10-pound ham is as big as you can fit in
Make ahead: The glaze can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Choose a spiral cut ham for the best pineapple honey glazed ham.
Score the ham before adding the glaze so the flavors penetrate more of the meat.

Nutrition

Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 1740mg | Potassium: 435mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @GrandbabyCakes or tag #grandbabycakes!

This post was originally published March 2020. It has been republished with new content.

Filed Under:  Christmas, Easter, Holidays, Main Dishes, Mother's Day, New Year's, Oven, Pork, Slow Cooker, Thanksgiving

Comments

  1. I made this for Thanksgiving today! My ham is done and it is gorgeous and the glaze id perfect. It’s the prettiest ham I have ever made!

  2. So I purchased a boneless ham prior to finding this recipe. You only mention not using the boneless ham in the crockpot. Can I follow this recipe for cooking it in the oven still?

  3. I purchased a ham with a glaze packet. I just want to make sure I have this correct. Prepare the ham according to instructions and do the glaze according to these instructions, correct?

  4. This sounds good. I am going to try it for Easter this year. I will probably add in some ground cloves the glaze since I like the flavor and I have a large container of it for some reason! I love doing hams in the crockpot. I would recommend using the crockpot liners. They help make clean up so much simpler. Thanks again for the wonderful recipes.

    1. This is to baby cakes just to say my son demands your caramel homemade cake every year for his birthday and it blows everyone away!!โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ

  5. Now this is what a honey baked ham recipe should be – delicious, inviting and loking absolutely amazing. Yum!

4.87 from 30 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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