Maple Glazed Ham – this is the ham glaze to 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! Want to get ahead? Glaze your ham the day before!
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
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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!!
I have been looking for a recipe with these flavors for forever! Okay about a month but still.
Quick question though, can I cook mine in a slow cooker?
For thanksgiving this year we are doing several smaller sized meats instead of a main course so we try to save the oven for all of our many sides.
I fixed this for Easter and it was the best ham I’ve ever made! Thank you for this delicious recipe. I will be using it for every ham from now on!
My 3 year old grandson couldn’t get enough.
We did a breakfast this year and it was a hit.
Thank you so much!
Love hearing that Melissa! So pleased you enjoyed this so much! N xx
How to make lamb chop?
25 STARS⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is THE BEST ham recipe I’ve ever tried and my family was making lots of ummmms and wows during supper tonight. I was so impressed with the moistness and the flavor was outstanding!!!!!!! I highly recommend this recipe for anyone. Not expensive, not time consuming, not dry and not much was left for leftovers 👍 This will be my go to recipe for every occasion. Thank you for sharing.
FANTASTIC to hear Regina!! Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed this 🙂 N xx
Hi! Quick question- I have never cooked a ham before and was wondering if it would be helpful to put the ham on a small baking rack inside the baking dish? I wasn’t sure if it would make it dry out or not? Thank you again for your wonderful site. You are my go-to for trustworthy recipes!
Hi Sarah! No need to do that, ham’s are solid enough not to need to be elevated and also, the flavour the base sucks up while cooking is so terrific! So glad you enjoy my recipes, thank you for trying them! N xx
Thank you! I’m making your maple glazed ham AND your slow cooker garlic butter turkey tomorrow!!
OMG I want to be at your house tomorrow
Just read your post on Easter food, just after clearing out my freezer and eating the last of the 2017 Christmas maple glazed ham. (To be honest, it got lost in the depths of my ‘well ordered’ freezer for the past few months, or would never have survived that long.) It was so good! It truly was the best ham I have ever eaten. Brushing each slice with the glaze before serving sent the tastebuds hurtling into complete overdrive! If you are humming and haaaing over the masses of ham glaze recipes that appear every Christmas, don’t bother. This is it! This ham reigned supreme in our outside barbq at the correct temperature, and turned out perfectly. It also meant the kitchen oven was free to accept things like the stacked potato dish! Christmas done and dusted.
I have never made a glazed ham before and oh my this recipe is simply the best! Turned out perfectly definitely making again
Thanks heaps
HIGH FIVE! So glad you enjoyed this Maryanne, thanks for letting me know! N x
I’ve never made a ham for Christmas and your recipe and instructions where perfect. I used honey instead of maple syrup and the taste was amazing and the ham looked stunning on the table. Even tied a bow at the end like yours. I’ll be using this recipe again next year for sure.
So pleased to hear that Natalie! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️
I did the glazed ham for Christmas lunch. Amazing! It was the talk of the table. I had never done this before . The maple syrup is quite expensive
but well worth the money given the beautiful marinade. Thanks Nagi, this recipe is definitely on the list for next year as well as any other special function. Loving your recipes and the videos make it easy and give the confidence that I needed to take it on.
Of course it’s five stars from me .
Sorry forgot to rate the recipe.
I just wanted to let you know this was the best glazed Christmas ham we have ever had. Absolutely delicious. I am now going through all your recipes as going away with the family for a week and (8 of us) just bought the Weber q and want to prepare loads of your recipes as they are always so beautiful and yum. Thank you. Happy New Year.
Sarah
Oh WOW I love hearing that Sarah, thank you so much for letting me know you enjoyed it. 🙂 HAPPY NEW YEAR! N x
Hi Nagi your easy steps and helpful commentary gave me the courage to try glazed ham for the first time. My family and friends raved about it and it was so easy to cook. Thanks to you it was the star of our Christmas meal
That’s so great to hear Angela! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️
I’ve never rated a recipe before, but this ham was SO GOOD I feel compelled to do so! I asked my dad, as a bit of an afterthought on Christmas morning, to “maybe glaze the ham?”. It smelled incredible while it was cooking and when the finished ham was revealed we all “ooh’d and ahh’ d” . The flavour was incredible! Deep, sweet, smokey, spiced and rich but delicate. The sauce that is created as you cook it , is divine. Will be doing this again and again! Note: Please use free range ham if you can 🙂
Khaseem – I’m with you on the ham, always 🙂 Free range is always better!! So glad you enjoyed this, thanks so much for letting me know! N xx
This is the easiest and most tastiest Ham I have ever had. I’m Lebanese so we weren’t brought up on traditional Christmas meals. I love mustard so added extra and 1/2 cup sugar. The sauce poured over sliced ham was delicious. My husband loved the cooked oranges. We change our Christmas menu every year but this recipe will always be included. Thank you Nagi
I did your maple glazed ham for our Christmas celebration (on Christmas Eve this year as I am working Christmas day – I am a nurse working in a nursing home). The only issue I had was that my oven was out of action due to upcoming renovations to my kitchen, so I did the ham on the BBQ. My BBQ has a hood so it was almost like an oven. Got it up to 150degrees C with all burners going then turned off 2 of them and had only one burner going, put the ham away from the burner and let it go for approx 2 hours with lots of checks and lots of basting to make sure it didn’t burn. and voila maple glazed ham. The temperature may have dropped a little but that didn’t matter as the edges were starting to brown a little toward the end. The smell was mind blowing and the taste was just the best.
I did it! I did it! 😃 Like you Nagi, I had always thought that glazed ham was too difficult until I saw your recipe and in particular your video. I was wary about heating up the house on a hot day with the oven but started about 9.30am to minimise that and it was soooo worth it. The ham was definitely the hero of our Christmas lunch and I’m not sure I could ever serve straight ham again for that occasion. That glaze is the best! I hope you and Dozer enjoyed your lunch after all your work and his salivation! 😆 Merry Christmas 🍗🍖🎄
Hi Nagi!
I’ve never cooked a ham before and I came across your recipe after deciding to attempt on won Xmas day. Now I’m almost 40 years old and I have to say that was absolutely the tastiest thing I’ve ever cooked! I nailed it! Will definitely be making this recipe Xmas tradition at my house! Thank you!
Hi Nagi, I was wondering if this would work in a slow cooker?
unfortunately no Dave, need the oven to get that sticky surface!
Hi Nagi, can this work with boneless ham?
As long as it’s got skin that can be removed, then absolutely!! You need the fat on the surface to get that sticky glaze on the surface 🙂
Merry Christmas Nagi! We did this on boneless ham today Nagi. We have around a quarter of the surface with skin and it was yummy! The sauce is really nice! But next year I will do leg ham with bone, it is much nicer with that fat surface and the glaze.
HI Nagi. I just wondered if you were doing any new recipes for Christmas this year?
Hi Janice! I sure am 🙂 I have a post coming out tomorrow about this!
Oh my!!!! I had a regular ham recipe, but decided to give yours a try. It was fabulous and with the pan juices used as a sauce, it was addictive! This is my new ham recipe. I used a cheap ham and it still was so good. (Thanks for the tip of propping up the bone on a ramekin-I used 2 to keep it secure)
WHOOT! So pleased to hear you enjoyed this Tammy, thanks so much for letting me know! N xx