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Easy Brown Sugar Bourbon Glazed Ham Recipe

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This brown sugar bourbon glazed ham is sweet, smoky, and incredibly easy to make. With a sticky, caramelized crust and tender, juicy meat, it’s the perfect holiday centerpiece that tastes like it took all day but doesn’t.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 (8-10 pound) fully cooked, bone-in spiral-cut ham
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup bourbon
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1/2 cup apple juice or cider (for basting)

Instructions

  1. Take the ham out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before cooking. Remove packaging, rinse under cool water, and pat dry. Score the fat in a diamond pattern if desired.
  2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine bourbon and butter. Stir until butter is melted. Add dark brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cayenne (if using). Whisk until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 5-7 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
  3. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Place ham cut-side down on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour apple juice or cider into the bottom of the pan (not over the ham).
  4. Cover ham loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and brush with about one-third of the glaze. Return to oven, uncovered, and bake for 30 minutes.
  5. Brush with another third of the glaze and baste with pan juices. Bake for another 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining glaze. Ham is done when internal temperature reaches 140°F (60°C), about 2 to 2.5 hours total.
  6. Remove ham from oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes, tented with foil. Carve and serve with pan juices spooned over the top.

Notes

Don’t skip the bourbon reduction—it thickens the glaze and concentrates flavor. Watch the sugar to prevent burning; tent with foil if needed. Use pan juices to make a sauce. Let the ham rest before carving to retain juices.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown sugar bourbon glazed ham, holiday ham, Easter ham, Christmas ham, bourbon ham, glazed ham, spiral ham

Find it online: https://grubella.com/easy-brown-sugar-bourbon-glazed-ham-recipe/