The Heavenly Ham You’ll Want to Make Year After Year for the Holidays

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I’m just going to come out and say it: I look forward to ham more than turkey during the holidays.

Maybe it’s because I’ve cooked dozens of turkeys over the years (usually in steamy July, when test kitchens are prepping their holiday recipes). Perhaps it’s the post-event dishes I’m most excited about—ham piled high on buttery biscuits, old-fashioned ham spread (a Midwestern fav of mine), and split pea or ham and potato soup just to name a few. Or is it that ham just… tastes better? Whatever it is, ham is my jam.

Also: Cooking ham is seriously so easy. (Yes, there are fresh hams, but I’m talking about the fully cooked, spiral-cut variety that just needs to be reheated.) Simply remove it from the packaging (which is often gold foil, a fun ham attribute that makes you feel like you’re in a scene from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory), place it cut-side down in a roasting pan, heat it through, and glaze.

In the end, you have a glistening centerpiece that looks like a labor of love and tastes, well, heavenly.

How to Keep a Ham Juicy

Ending up with a dry ham is a hazard—but it doesn’t have to be. For a juicy ham, just follow a few easy steps. First, heating it low and slow is key; you’ll need 15 to 20 minutes per pound at 325°F for a bone-in, spiral-cut ham. Reserve the high heat for the end when you’re ready to glaze it.

Additionally, it’s important to keep your ham tightly covered to trap all the moisture—you’ll uncover it in the final step. As a safeguard, add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the roasting pan.

Tips for Making Glazed Ham

While ham quality can make a difference in flavor and texture, a glaze can be the wow factor. My take: Ditch the glaze packet (if your ham comes with one) and make a simple glaze from scratch. There’s plenty of time to do this while the ham is reheating in the oven. (Some hams come pre-glazed; in this case, brush the homemade glaze right over it.)

A handful of pantry ingredients is all you really need for a ham glaze. Maple syrup offers a nice seasonal touch and pairs well with the smoky and salty ham—just be sure to use the pure variety and not pancake syrup—but feel free to swap it with honey. Adding light or dark brown sugar brings out the caramel notes and helps further thicken the glaze.

The sweeteners are balanced with Dijon mustard, orange juice, and a splash of vinegar. For added flavor, I like to include a strip of orange peel and whole cloves and peppercorns, but you can add any of your favorite warm whole spices, including cinnamon, star anise, and cardamom.

These ingredients simmer until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Once this happens, stir in cold, cubed butter to thicken the glaze and make it glossy. When the ham is ready to glaze, pour and brush the glaze all over, making sure it drips between the slices. It’s a lot of glaze, but you’ll want to use every drop for a nice coating and a golden-brown hue. With the heat cranked, return the ham to the oven and bake until the glaze is bubbly and starts to darken in spots.

Lastly, it’s important to let the ham rest at least 15 minutes before serving. This final step allows the juices to redistribute so the meat remains juicy and tender. Waiting might be the hardest part, but following this advice—along with these simple instructions—will result in a ham that you’ll want to make year after year.