Christmas Ham
It isn’t Christmas without a gorgeous, glazed Christmas ham recipe and this one is perfect! Orange juice, brown sugar, honey and cinnamon make up a delicious glaze for this ham. Orange zest, pomegranate seeds and parsley give this ham it’s festive colors. This ham smells and tastes like Christmas Day and is sure to become your new holiday ham.
Ah, Christmas! The season of joy, family, and… ham. My absolute favorite season of all. Let’s face it—there’s no Christmas dinner without that glorious, glistening centerpiece of porky goodness. But what makes a Christmas ham truly memorable? Yes, I love my Crock Pot Ham, but this one is just…wow.
Is it the glaze that makes a Christmas Ham stand out? The seasoning? The carefully timed oven dance? Maybe it is all of these things combined. But I think it’s more about that one moment when you carve into it, and everyone collectively drools as if you’ve just birthed a small, pink holiday miracle.
Fear not, Wishes and Dishes fans! I’m here to guide you through the simple (yet super amazing tasting) steps of making a Christmas ham that will have your guests singing your culinary praises and maybe even writing poems in its honor. Too far? Sorry.
And the best part about this Christmas Ham? There’s leftover ham for daysssss. Which means you’re only a few steps away from creating leftover ham sandwiches, ham casseroles, and ham on literally everything. You might even start dreaming about ham, and let’s be real here—there are way worse things to dream about.
Why does Christmas Ham always remind me of the musical “Hairspray”? That song at the end – you all know what I’m talking about if you’re theatre geeks like I am.
So this Christmas, give yourself and your guests the gift of a perfectly glazed, perfectly cooked ham, and enjoy all the joy it brings to your table. You’re basically a holiday hero by now. Just don’t forget to save a little for the leftover sandwiches! If citrus glaze is more your thang, check out my Spiral Glazed Ham.
Here are some ideas for using your ham leftovers to make an easy breakfast, lunch, or dinner:
Creamy Baked Ham Fettuccine Alfredo
Tips and Tricks for making this Christmas Ham:
- Before cooking make sure there is no plastic cap on the bone on the cut side of the ham. If there is, remove it.
- Store leftovers in airtight container for up to 5 days.
- You can also store your leftover ham in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- You can also glaze your ham within the last 20-30 minutes of cooking and place it back in the oven for a more caramelized flavor.
- You can also cook this in your slow cooker, just cook on low for 4 hours, remove, and glaze as above.
Christmas Ham
Ingredients
- 1 spiral sliced bone in ham 10-12 pounds
- 2 cups orange juice
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Zest of 1 orange for garnish
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds for garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- Remove your ham from the package and discard most of the liquid from the packaging, saving 1 cup or close to it
- Place your ham cut side down in a large baking dish or roasting pan. Add the cup of reserved liquid to the dish too.
- In a large bowl or measuring cup combine the orange juice, brown sugar, honey and cinnamon.
- Pour half of this mixture all over the ham, reserving the other half.
- Place the ham into the oven to cook for 2 to 2 ½ hours (20 minutes per pound)
- During the last hour of baking, prepare your glaze.
- In a large pot or deep pan pour the remaining orange juice mixture.
- Over medium heat bring the mixture up to a boil and then reduce to medium low.
- Whisk this mixture constantly making sure it does not bubble over.
- You want this to simmer for 10-15 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
- Set aside to cool slightly.
- When your ham is cooked through, remove from the oven and transfer the ham to a serving dish.
- Pour the thickened glaze over the ham.
- Sprinkle the ham with the orange zest, pomegranate seeds and parsley.
- Carve, serve warm, enjoy!
Notes
Tips and Tricks
- Before cooking make sure there is no plastic cap on the bone on the cut side of the ham. If there is, remove it.
- Store leftovers in airtight container for up to 5 days.
- You can also store your leftover ham in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- You can also glaze your ham within the last 20-30 minutes of cooking and place it back in the oven for a more caramelized flavor.
- You can also cook this in your slow cooker, just cook on low for 4 hours, remove, and glaze as above.
