This is without a doubt the best ham I have ever tasted. The secret is all in his three-ingredient ham glaze. (The ham recipe I’m sharing today deserves an exaggeration. I gave up writing this post without it.)
Do you ever make something so good that even after you’ve finished eating dinner, when you clean it up later, you find yourself eating a little snack?
Tender and juicy, they’re covered in a tangy glaze that’s just slightly crispy and sweet, making each bite more delicious than the last.
Balsamic Dijon Glaze is a wonderful tribute to ham. With just a few ingredients, you can create a very impressive meal that is suitable for everyday dinners as well as special occasions.
3 ingredients ham glaze
Only three ingredients are required for the glaze, so for years we’ve recommended using the highest quality ingredients you can manage. I now use high quality aged balsamic whenever I have it on hand.
Guess what I learned? It absolutely doesn’t matter which balsamic vinegar you use to make this ham glaze. Balsamic works well as long as it tastes good on its own.
When I was roasting ham last Thanksgiving, I ran out of fancy balsamic, so I grabbed the store brand I use for my salad dressing. I’m happy to tell you that the ham turned out to be as good as any glaze made with expensive vinegar.
For Dijon, choose one with plenty of sourness and umami. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive Dijon on the shelf, but it should be delicious on its own. You definitely don’t want to substitute basic yellow deli mustard here.
You can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar for the glaze. Darker brown sugar produces a slightly more molasses-heavy flavor if that’s your jam. Substitution with white sugar or sugar substitutes is not recommended.
how to glaze ham
Prepare the meat several times so that the ham is well seasoned. This recipe may sound time-consuming, but I promise you it’s super easy.
A generous brushing of the glaze every 10 minutes towards the end of the cooking process keeps every slice of ham moist and flavorful. Gives a beautiful “magazine-worthy” glazed look that creates a
This flavorful ham glaze is so ridiculously easy and delicious that you’ll never imagine using the package of glaze that comes with your store-bought ham. Try it once and I’m sure you’ll agree.
oh! And for a real treat, toss this easy corn casserole in the oven with ham or start a crockpot of the best creamed corn ever and you’ll be ready for one of our favorite dinners in no time.
This ham glaze produces a company-worthy ham that is savory, sweet, tangy, juicy and has everything you want in the perfect ham. I hope you can!
ham glaze recipe
- ham
- brown sugar
- balsamic vinegar
- dijon mustard
- Remove the ham from the refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before putting it in the oven. This will allow the meat to come to room temperature a bit before putting it in the oven.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a large roasting pan or heavy-rimmed baking sheet with foil and place the ham cut side down in the pan. Roast for 45-50 minutes. While the ham begins to roast, combine sugar, vinegar, and mustard in a small cup or bowl. Keep it next to the stove.
- Remove the ham from the oven and liberally glaze it using about ¼ of the glaze. Continue roasting until the ham is deep brown and shiny, glazing the ham every 10 minutes.
- Transfer the ham to a platter and rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Ham scoring method
Place the ham on a large cutting board and make diamond-shaped cuts in the ham 1/2 inch deep. If that seems confusing, look down at the ham and start in a straight line from one end to the other, making a 1/2 inch deep cut across the top of the ham.
Then repeat this cut about 1 inch apart, slicing the ham from one side to the other. Then rotate the ham 90 degrees and cut straight across the ham.
When you’re done, it should look like a checkerboard. This process allows the glaze to penetrate deep into the ham. Well worth the effort and only takes a few minutes. (This step can be omitted for spiral cut ham.)
How to use leftover ham
Sean and his sons love this ham, too. I usually plan a whole list of meals to use up leftovers and I rarely make them! Reheat the ham and eat as is.
Assuming you have more self-control than us (it’s not hard), you can even use leftovers of this ham for lunches and dinners for the rest of the week. It can be enjoyed hot or cold.
Chop the leftover ham into fluffy ham and cheese biscuits and serve with a bowl of steaming hot soup.Cheesy Potato, Egg and Ham Breakfast Casserole is also good.
If you manage to get rid of a little ham, you should also try the best ham sandwich of your life.
Perhaps my favorite use of leftover ham, ham balls have been on my “must make” list every holiday season since my friend. Rebecca Pointed me to them a few years ago. (She loves them so much that she serves them instead of traditional ham on holidays!)
Serve as a main dish or as a party food with toothpicks. Everyone loves these easy meatballs.
I also love the simple sweet and sour fried ham balls. In fact, it’s so popular in my house that I often keep half batches of ham balls in the freezer just to make this recipe.
(Did I mention that ham balls also freeze beautifully?)
If you find yourself with leftovers after making this glazed ham recipe, I suggest you try ham balls.
I have been making this balsamic glazed ham for every occasion for over 10 years. I like to serve ham with vanilla bean sweet potatoes or garlic smashed potatoes, slow cooker creamed corn, and skillet green beans.
You can make this recipe over and over without getting bored. But if you love ham as much as I do, I think you’ll fall head over heels for some of our other ham favorites as well.
Ham and cheese waffles are a new way to enjoy ham for breakfast or brunch. Perfect for a big weekend morning meal or a quick breakfast anytime.
If you want a hot, comforting, rib-sticking meal that you can cook in your crockpot all day, slow-cooker potato ham chowder, or ham and corn soup, is the way to go. Served with some crispy bread, it’s a perfect quick meal on a cold day.
Last but not least, don’t forget to save the ham bones to make a pot of pea soup. .
{First published 11/30/12 – recipe notes updated 3/13/23}
Recipe loosely adapted from Bon Appetit via Epicurius
