Maple Glazed Ham – this is the ham glaze you use when you want to add a special touch to your festive baked ham, but still keep it easy! The most incredible sticky glaze with the subtle fragrance of maple and hint of holiday spices, this is THE Christmas Ham recipe I make to gift and take to gatherings year after year.
New to glazed ham? Start here -> How to Make Glazed Ham. No maple syrup or honey? Make this show stopping Brown Sugar Ham Glaze instead!
Maple glazed ham
There is no reason to be daunted by the thought of making a glazed ham! It’s quite straight forward if you have someone to show you how to do it.
(PS That “someone” is me!😂)
Here’s why this Maple Glazed Ham is my go-to centrepiece for holiday menus:
It makes the most wonderful, regal centrepiece – huge payoff for effort
This maple ham glaze has a touch of special that people love – but it’s 100% dead easy
It’s low risk and forgiving to make
Prep ahead or make ahead (days and days ahead!)
Economical – it’s sliced thinly, a bit goes a long way and leftovers last for ages and ages
When it comes to ham, there’s nothing to the ham glaze recipe – it’s literally mixing up a few ingredients. The part that’s not an everyday step is peeling the skin off – but don’t worry, the visual steps and recipe video below will guide you through it. It’s not a big deal – the skin WANTS to come off!
What you need for Ham Glaze
Here’s what you need for the Maple Ham Glaze. So few ingredients, it’s magical how it transforms once baked! It’s the combination of the glaze, the caramelization of the fat on the surface of the ham and the salt in the ham itself (which is why I don’t use any salt in the glaze).
Maple syrup is what gives this ham glaze a special little touch. No one can put their finger on it – they just know it’s got something magical about it! Sub with honey in a heartbeat! No maple or honey? Make this Brown Sugar Ham Glaze!
Brown sugar adds to the caramelised flavour of the glaze;
Dijon Mustard is a thickener for the ham glaze AND adds a touch of much needed tang to an otherwise sweet glaze;
Cinnamon and all spice for a touch of festive spices;
Oranges – for a bit of liquid in the pan that’s more interesting than just using water, plus a touch of extra natural sweetness. You can’t taste the oranges in the end result once cooked. Orange juice has more flavour than just using water which adds to the flavour of the glaze and also the sauce made using the pan drippings;
Cloves – optional, for studding! I really can’t taste it so I do it for visual / traditional purposes only. Also, they are a bit impractical – you can’t freely baste as you have to dab around the cloves (otherwise you brush them off) and also you need to remove them before carving. No one wants to bite into a clove!
How to make Glazed Ham
Making Glazed Ham is a 3 step process:
Remove rind (skin) from ham;
Slather with maple glaze then bake for 2 hours, basting with more glaze every 20 to 30 minutes;
Baste loads after removing from oven – the trick for a thick, golden glaze!
1. How to remove rind from ham
If this is the part you’re worried about – don’t be! The skin is thick, sturdy and WANTS to come off – so it peels off with little effort, mostly in one piece!
Here’s how to remove the rind from the ham. The recipe video below also provides a visual tutorial – and if you’re new to making Glazed Ham, start here -> Guide: How to Make Glazed Ham.
2. Baste and bake
This part couldn’t be easier – just brush or spoon the Maple Ham Glaze all over the ham, squeeze over the orange juice then pop it into the oven to bake, spooning over reserved glaze every 20 minutes or so!
3. Baste, baste, baste before serving!!
Now here’s the trick for an incredible glaze on your ham – baste LOADS after it comes out of the oven using the syrupy sauce in the baking pan! As that syrupy sauce cools, it will thicken and darken slightly in colour, so as you brush or spoon it over the ham, it creates an incredible thick to-die-for glaze!
Sauce for Ham
While ham itself is seasoned well enough such that it can be eaten plain, nobody ever says no to sauce!
I used to serve ham with sauces like Cranberry Sauce, mustard, caramelised onion jam and even chutney. But then one day it dawned on me – everybody’s favourite part is the glaze. Why not just use the pan drippings which is just the excess glaze that drips down the ham into the pan? Combined with the ham juices and orange juice, it transforms into a fantastic sauce to drizzle over the ham!
How to serve ham
Here’s how I serve ham – in fact, how I served it on the weekend at a Christmas Party I catered for my mother! (The only “catering job” I do each year – because I can’t say no to her 😂)
Wrap parchment / baking paper around “handle”, and tie with ribbon (practical to hold onto for carving + looks nice);
Cover serving platter / board with green fluffage of some kind. Whatever’s good value at the shops on the day;
Place ham on the green fluff age and place quartered oranges around it (for colour). In the past, I’ve also used cherries – just depends what’s better value on the day (oranges are usually good value!);
Once the glistening ham has been admired enough (yep, I’m really that immature 😂), I start carving!
Leftover ham will keep for a week in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. See How to Store Leftover Ham for directions.
What to make with leftover ham
I always get way more ham than I need (budget 1kg / 2 lb per 6 to 8 people) because Christmas is just as much about leftovers as it is the grand feast on the day! Here are some recipes I deem to be worthy of making using leftover ham!
Recipes worthy of your leftover ham
And don’t forget the bone! SO MUCH FLAVOUR in the bone 🙌. Here are my ham bone recipes:
Ham bone recipes
There’s something so iconic, so sentimental about a shiny, glistening Maple Glazed Ham taking pride of place in the centre of a festive table. It’s completely incomparable to the ham slices slapped between sandwich bread that you get over deli counters. I even know people who hate deli ham who go nuts over Glazed Ham.
Plus, as I said right up front, this is easy, easy, easy! It’s also make ahead or prepare ahead, is fabulous served warm OR at room temperature. Oh – and wait until you see the VIDEO!!! ⬇⬇⬇ – Nagi x
New to Glazed Ham? Start here -> Guide: How to Make Glazed Ham.
Watch how to make it
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Maple Glazed Ham
Ingredients
- 5 kg / 10 lb leg ham, bone in, skin on (Note 1)
- 30 Cloves (for studding the ham, optional – mainly for decorative purposes)
- 2 oranges , cut into quarters (Note 2)
- 1 cup (250ml) water
Glaze
- 3/4 cup (185ml) maple syrup (sub honey)
- 3/4 cup (165g) brown sugar , packed
- 3 tbsp dijon mustard (can sub American or other plain mustard)
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp All Spice (or nutmeg)
Instructions
- Take ham out of fridge 1 hour prior.
- Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F (140°C fan). Arrange shelf in lower third so the ham will be sitting in the centre of the oven (rather than in top half of oven).
- Place the Glaze ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined – use whisk if needed.
Remove ham rind (skin)
- Run small knife around bone handle, down each side of the ham, and under the rind on the cut face. (See video & photos in post)
- Slide fingers under the rind on the cut face of the ham, and run them back and forth to loosen while pulling the rind back. Use knife if needed to slice off any residual rind.
- Lightly cut 2.5cm / 1" diamonds across the fat surface of the ham, about 75% of the way into the fat. Avoid cutting into the meat.
- Insert a clove in the intersection of the cross of each diamond on the surface (optional).
Glaze and Baking
- Place the ham in a large baking dish. Prop handle up on edge of pan + scrunched up foil so surface of the ham is level (for more even caramelisation).
- Squeeze the juice of 1 orange (4 quarters) over the ham. Then place them along with the remaining orange into the baking dish around the ham.
- Brush / spoon half the glaze all over the surface and cut face of the ham (don't worry about underside, glaze drips down into pan)
- Pour the water in the baking dish, then place in the oven.
- Bake for 1.5 – 2 hrs, basting very generously every 30 minutes with remainig glaze + juices in pan, or until sticky and golden.
- Use foil patches to protect bits that brown faster than others – press on lightly, caramelisation won't peel off with the foil.
- Allow to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving. Baste, baste, baste before serving – as the glaze in the pan cools, it thickens which means it "paints" the ham even better – but be sure to save pan juices for drizzling.
Serving and presentation tips
- My favourite sauce: Use pan juices as the sauce – it's loaded with flavour! Pour into a jug and warm so it's pourable. Thin slightly with water if required. Drizzle sparingly as the glaze flavour is intense!
- Other condiments: Dijon mustard, wholegrain mustard, onion jam, tomato chutney, cranberry sauce.
- Presentation: Wrap handle with baking paper and ribbon if desired. Remove cloves. Cover serving platter with lots of green fluffage, then place ham on. Surround with more quartered oranges, for colour. Let people admire before carving!
- Serving: Personal preference whether to serve at room temp or warm, I like either. I also like to drizzle with pan juices – it looks messier but tastes fabulous. Slice thinly! I start slicing at the table, then finish it in the kitchen (towards end when it gets messy!)
- Leftovers: See list in post for recipe using leftover ham and ham bone!
- Storing: Will keep for at least a week in the fridge if properly stored using a water-vinegar soaked ham bag or pillowcase. Otherwise freeze – don't forget the bone! See How to Store Glazed Ham for directions.
Recipe Notes:
- Skin (rind) on ham – Make sure you get the ham with the skin on (rind – thick rubbery skin). Between the skin and the ham is a layer of fat which is what makes this ham gorgeously sticky. There are some hams which come with the skin and fat removed. Though you can use this recipe for those hams too, you won’t get the sticky exterior you see in the photo.
- Half or whole – this recipe can be used for half or whole hams.
- Larger hams – For larger hams, scale the glaze by using the recipe slider (click on the Servings)
- Ham quality – Buy the best ham you can afford. The more you pay, the better the quality. However, for an economical option, I can recommend the Woolworths Smoked Ham Leg for $9/kg (I used a half leg). I was very impressed with how great it was for such good value – I’ve used it for several years now. There is an even cheaper one for $6/kg – I bypassed this because it wasn’t smoked and looked a bit pale.
- Cooked ham – Make sure you get a cooked ready-to-eat ham, not a raw one (also referred to as “gammon”). All ham sold in Australia in supermarkets is ready-to-eat but if you get your ham from the butcher, double check that it’s not raw. If you have a raw ham (gammon), this recipe is not suitable.
- With other main dishes – 6 to 8 people per 1 kg / 2 lb ham (bone in weight). So a 5 kg / 10 lb ham = 30 – 40 people, about 100 – 130g / 3.4 – 4 oz per person.
- As the only main protein – 5 people per 1 kg / 2 lb ham (bone in weight). So a 5 kg / 10lb ham would serve 25 people, about 150g/5oz meat per person..
Nutrition Information:
Recipe originally published December 2016. Updated and reviewed every year or so to improve with things like better photos, recipe video, writing edits. Recipe not amended – I wouldn’t dare, people love it as is!
Life of Dozer
Surely you know Dozer well enough by now to know that there’s only one reason why he wouldn’t be gagging over a giant hunk of meat….
….. food on the Christmas tree, of course!!
Alice says
Hello! I made this a few years ago and it was a hit! I am doing it again this year for Xmas day. We have a 2kg cooked ham (no bone). Would the time in the over be the same? 1.5-2 hours? Thanks! Alice
Nagi says
Hi Alice, I would cut the cook time down to an hour or so but baste every 15 minutes 🙂 N x
sophie says
Hi Nagi, do I need to heat the ingredients of the glaze over stovetop to combine and dissolve the sugar? The instructions says only to mix them on a bowl with a whisk. Thanks!
Nagi says
You only need to whisk in a bowl, no need to heat up prior. You’re going to love it Sophie! N x
Ruby says
Hi Nagi,
This is probably a silly question but when it comes to your ‘Maple Glazed Ham’ does the ham sit directly on the water or raised on a rack above the water?
Kelly Kitto says
Hi Nagi,
First off, I love your recipes – your roast leg of lamb and cottage pie are a family favourite.
Quick question – I’m in the UK so my ham will be arriving as a gammon joint. I plan to boil it first so my question is, after I’ve done that, would I still follow your timings in this recipe for the glaze?
Many thanks and a Merry Christmas to you and your family,
Kelly
Nagi says
Hi Kelly! If you are glazing it straight away after boiling (ie while inside is still hot), I would increase the oven temp to 180C (160C fan) so the glaze caramelises faster as there is no need for you to cook the centre all the way through again, you just need good caramelisation on the glaze. Don’t go hotter than this – you will get overly burnt edges – and be sure to level the surface of the gammon as best you cab (I prop it on pan edge and use foil balls as well) to encourage even caramelisation. If you cook it in two stages ie boil one day, fully cook then refrigerate then glaze, follow the recipe as written as you will need to ensure the inside heats up sufficiently while outside caramelises. Hope that helps! N x
Kelly Kitto says
Super – thank you, will let you know how it turns out x
Ni says
HiNagi,
I want to make my ham today. In terms of storing should I use a ham bag? My ham is 6kgs so not going to be easy to find a container that large.
Also in terms of re-heating on the Christmas Day, just wondering whether 50 mins ( foil on and off ) is too long ( as it has already glazed well for almost 2 hrs
CC says
I made this last night for Xmas dinner along with your slow cooked Turkey. Amazing! I used a quarter ham.. It took a little longer than it stated however I’m not used to this oven. The glaze was to die for… Everyone was talking about it.
Patrick says
HiNagi
Is it possible or practical to inject the glaze into the meat of the ham as it is cooking.
Nagi says
Hi Patrick, I wouldn’t bother, you really want the glaze to caramelise on the skin – it is what gives it that delicious flavour! N x
Lynne Donnelly says
Hi Nagi
I will be making this in the Weber for Christmas. Just wondering if the ham is elevated on a rack in the baking dish?
Cheers
Nagi says
Hi Lynne, I’ve done it both ways and both ways work fine 🙂 N x
Eustacia Smith says
I’m doing this recipe for Xmas, does the ham need to be on the bone? Butcher only has boneless
Bev hackett says
Hi Nagi, iv been a chef in Australia for a long time and would like to say this glazed ham recipe is one of the easiest tastiest I’ve ever made! Just simple and straightforward just simplicity, thank you!
Nagi says
I’m so glad you love it Bev – thanks so much!! N x
Jen Finikin says
OMG! Cooked this yesterday on our hooded BBQ, with the addition of the zest of the orange. Inhaled by one and all, thank you.
(Who knew $8 per kg ham could taste so divine?)
Kumi says
Do you skin both sides of the ham or just the top part?
Kirsty Magro says
Hi Nagi, thank you for all the receipes. Can this receipes used for gammon as well?
Jackie says
Hi lovely,
I would LOVE to use your recipe using the Woolies “Natural Leg Ham Portion” because we have a small family.
Do you think using a 700g ham would work if I portioned the recipe to how heavy the ham is?
Would love your thoughts.
Thanks a million x
Nagi says
Hi Jackie, 100%!! Just use the recipe scaler 🙂 N x
Lucia says
Hi, we don’d cook the han like that in Spain, so I was just wondering, has that han been boiled first? Thanks for your help.
Sonia says
Hi Nagi, I want to cook this on Christmas day, however I am also doing a turkey buffe and your truly crunchy roast potatoes, The ham will be getting cooked first so that the turkey can rest while I roast the potatoes. Unfortunately I only have a 90cm oven and not two separates, so due to cooking temps they have to all be done separately. My question to you is, how long will the ham stay warm for. Can I cover in foil and let sit for 2.5 hours??
Also going to serve your pomegranate salad and waiting in anticipation for another one of your Marathon salads to add to the table. Just love your food, and believe me I have cooked a lot of it and have had nothing but happy bellies.
Sarah McKechnie says
Hello Nagi, I will be doing this on Saturday night for tea sounds amazing. Do you have a sweet ham gravy recipe? I usually make a plum sauce but I would love a ham gravy made with the juices, maybe with a little bit of pineapple juice or something…
Rhea says
Hi Nagi,
This looks delicious! Just wondering why this recipe isn’t suitable for Gammon? If I boil the Gammon beforehand, is it okay then? Sorry if it’s a silly question! I’m just a little confused!
Leeanne says
This is on my menu for Christmas in July on Saturday (just us at home since we are back in lockdown 😒) can’t wait to try it!!!! Just need to find a ham 😅
Coral says
My uncle usually makes the ham but last Christmas (I’m way late with this review) he said he wasn’t going to and told me to make it if I wanted. He printed out your recipe, handed it to me, and that’s the story of how I fell in love with your website/recipes/dog. It’s the best ham I’ve ever had in my life!