Tasty Glazed Ham with Orange Juice

There’s something about a glazed ham that makes any dinner feel like a celebration. Maybe it’s the way the whole house smells while it’s cooking, or how impressive it looks when you bring it to the table. Either way, ham is my go-to when I want to feed a crowd without spending all day in the kitchen.

The best part? Ham is actually pretty hands-off. You’re not standing over the stove stirring or flipping anything. Just pop it in the oven and let it do its thing. The glaze is where you get to have some fun, and this orange juice version is one I come back to again and again.

I love using orange juice because it adds a little sweetness and helps balance out the saltiness of the ham. Plus, you probably already have it in your fridge. No need to hunt down fancy ingredients or make a special trip to the store.

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What Kind of Ham Should I Use?

For this recipe, you’ll want to grab a spiral-sliced ham from your grocery store, which makes serving so much easier since it’s already pre-cut. You can choose between bone-in or boneless, though bone-in tends to have a bit more flavor and stays moister during cooking. Most spiral hams come pre-cooked, so you’re really just heating it through and adding that delicious glaze – which means less work for you. When shopping, plan on about 1 pound per person, and don’t stress too much about whether it’s labeled as “city ham” or “country ham” – for this recipe, the more common city ham (which is wet-cured and milder) is your best bet.

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Options for Substitutions

This glazed ham recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Spiral ham: If you can’t find a spiral ham, a regular bone-in ham works just fine. You’ll just need to slice it yourself after cooking. City hams and country hams both work, though country hams are saltier so you might want to go lighter on the glaze.
• Fresh orange juice: Store-bought orange juice is perfectly fine here, though fresh does give a brighter flavor. In a pinch, you can use pineapple juice for a tropical twist.
• Bourbon or rum: If you prefer to skip the alcohol, replace it with apple cider or additional orange juice. The glaze will still taste great without it.
• Chicken broth: Vegetable broth or even water will work here since the main job is to keep the ham moist while it cooks.
• Brown sugar: You can swap this with maple syrup (use 1 cup instead of 1½ cups) or regular white sugar mixed with a tablespoon of molasses.
• Ground spices: Don’t have all the spices? You can use 2-3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice as a substitute for the allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and clove combination.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when cooking glazed ham is applying the glaze too early, which causes the sugar to burn and turn bitter – wait until the last 30-45 minutes of cooking to start brushing on your glaze.

Skipping the foil tent during the first part of cooking is another common error that leads to a dried-out ham, so cover it tightly with foil and only remove it when you’re ready to glaze.

To keep your ham moist throughout, baste it every 15-20 minutes once you start glazing, and add a little chicken broth to the bottom of the pan if it starts to look dry.

One final tip: let your ham rest for 15 minutes after removing it from the oven, which allows the juices to redistribute and makes slicing much easier without losing all that moisture.

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What to Serve With Glazed Ham?

Glazed ham is a crowd-pleaser that pairs beautifully with classic sides like creamy mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, or a big scoop of mac and cheese. The sweet and citrusy glaze on this ham works really well with something tangy, so I always make sure to have a fresh green bean casserole or roasted Brussels sprouts on the table. For a complete meal, add some dinner rolls for soaking up that delicious glaze, and maybe a simple coleslaw or mixed green salad to balance out the richness. If you’re feeding a big group, scalloped potatoes or a warm grain salad with cranberries also make great additions to the spread.

Storage Instructions

Store: Leftover glazed ham keeps really well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or store it in an airtight container to keep it from drying out. I like to save any extra glaze in a separate container so I can drizzle it over the ham when I reheat it.

Freeze: Ham freezes great for up to 2 months. Slice it up first, then wrap portions in plastic wrap and place them in freezer bags. This makes it super easy to grab just what you need for sandwiches or a quick dinner later on.

Reheat: To warm up your ham, place slices in a baking dish with a splash of orange juice or leftover glaze, cover with foil, and heat at 325°F for about 10-15 minutes. You can also microwave individual portions for about a minute, but the oven keeps it more moist.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3200-3600
• Protein: 170-210 g
• Fat: 110-130 g
• Carbohydrates: 370-420 g

Ingredients

For the ham:

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 spiral ham (1 lb per person)
• 2 oranges (halved for basting)

For the glaze:

• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves (freshly ground preferred)
• 4 tbsp butter (room temperature)
• 1/8 cup bourbon or rum
• 1 cup fresh orange juice (freshly squeezed preferred)
• 1 cup honey (I prefer raw honey)
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (packed)
• 1 tsp ground allspice

Step 1: Prepare and Bake the Ham

• 1 spiral ham (1 lb per person)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 oranges (halved for basting)

Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).

Place the spiral ham in a large baking dish.

Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan and arrange the halved oranges alongside the ham.

Cover the entire dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the ham is heated through and steam is escaping from the foil.

Step 2: Prepare the Orange Bourbon Glaze

• 1 cup fresh orange juice (freshly squeezed preferred)
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (packed)
• 4 tbsp butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup honey (I prefer raw honey)
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves (freshly ground preferred)
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1/8 cup bourbon or rum

While the ham is baking, combine the fresh orange juice, brown sugar, butter, honey, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and bourbon (or rum) in a large saucepan.

Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer.

Stir well and allow the glaze to reduce until slightly thickened, about 10-15 minutes.

I prefer to use raw honey for a richer flavor, and if you use freshly ground cloves and fresh orange juice, the glaze is even more vibrant.

Step 3: Glaze and Bake the Ham Further

• half of the orange bourbon glaze from Step 2
• baked ham from Step 1

Carefully remove the ham from the oven and discard the foil.

Pour half of the prepared orange bourbon glaze evenly over the ham, making sure to get into the spiral slices for maximum flavor.

Return the ham uncovered to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes to allow the glaze to soak in.

Step 4: Broil the Glazed Ham

• glazed ham from Step 3

Increase the oven heat to broil on high.

Place the ham under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until the glaze becomes bubbly and caramelized, watching closely to prevent burning.

Broiling gives the glaze a beautiful, sticky finish.

Step 5: Serve with Remaining Glaze

• remaining orange bourbon glaze from Step 2

Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Serve warm with the remaining orange bourbon glaze drizzled on top or on the side for extra flavor.

Tasty Glazed Ham with Orange Juice

Delicious Tasty Glazed Ham with Orange Juice recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 42 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 2 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 3400 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the ham:

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 spiral ham (1 lb per person)
• 2 oranges (halved for basting)

For the glaze:

• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves (freshly ground preferred)
• 4 tbsp butter (room temperature)
• 1/8 cup bourbon or rum
• 1 cup fresh orange juice (freshly squeezed preferred)
• 1 cup honey (I prefer raw honey)
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (packed)
• 1 tsp ground allspice

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Place the spiral ham in a large baking dish. Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan and arrange the halved oranges alongside the ham. Cover the entire dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the ham is heated through and steam is escaping from the foil.
• While the ham is baking, combine the fresh orange juice, brown sugar, butter, honey, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and bourbon (or rum) in a large saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir well and allow the glaze to reduce until slightly thickened, about 10-15 minutes. I prefer to use raw honey for a richer flavor, and if you use freshly ground cloves and fresh orange juice, the glaze is even more vibrant.
• Carefully remove the ham from the oven and discard the foil. Pour half of the prepared orange bourbon glaze evenly over the ham, making sure to get into the spiral slices for maximum flavor. Return the ham uncovered to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes to allow the glaze to soak in.
• Increase the oven heat to broil on high. Place the ham under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until the glaze becomes bubbly and caramelized, watching closely to prevent burning. Broiling gives the glaze a beautiful, sticky finish.
• Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve warm with the remaining orange bourbon glaze drizzled on top or on the side for extra flavor.