Brown Sugar Mustard Glazed Ham
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The year the sugar went black before the ham was even warm, we learned to glaze at the end. Now it heats low under foil, gets its glaze in a hot oven, and comes out lacquered and crackling.
The short version
Score the fat, wrap a 6- to 8-pound fully cooked bone-in half ham in foil and bake at 325°F until the center reads 120°F, about 1½ to 2¼ hours. Uncover, brush with a simmered brown sugar–mustard glaze, and finish at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes to 140°F. Don't glaze until the end.
What makes ours better
what we fixed so you don’t have to
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Warm it low, covered, cut side down. A fully cooked ham only needs heating through. A low oven and a foil tent with a little water in the pan keep the outside from drying out before the center is warm, and setting it on its cut face protects the most exposed meat.
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Glaze only at the end, in a hot oven. Sugar brushed on at the start burns long before the center is warm. Two coats over the last 20 to 25 minutes at high heat give you a glossy, caramelized crust without a scorched one.
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Simmer the glaze for 2 minutes. Cooking the brown sugar, Dijon and vinegar into a thin syrup dissolves the sugar and thickens it slightly, so it clings to the ham instead of sliding into the pan.
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Score the fat in diamonds. Shallow cuts let the glaze settle into the ham and give you more crisp, caramelized edges per slice.
What you need
the usual suspects
- Fully cooked bone-in half ham1
- Packed light or dark brown sugar1 cup
- Dijon mustard¼ cup
- Cider vinegar2 tablespoons
- Ground cloves¼ teaspoon
Ham
Glaze
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
deep breath. you’ve got this.
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Heat the oven, score the ham
Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat it to 325°F. If the ham has a tough rind, slice it off, leaving about ¼ inch of fat. Score the fat in a diamond pattern with lines about 1 inch apart and ¼ inch deep, cutting through the fat but not deep into the meat.
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Wrap and bake low
Set the ham cut side down in a roasting pan or a large baking dish and pour the water into the pan. Cover the pan tightly with foil, or tent the ham and crimp the foil around the pan edges. Bake until a thermometer pushed into the center, near but not touching the bone, reads 120°F, about 1½ to 2¼ hours. Start checking at 1¼ hours.
Weigh your ham before it goes in. Plan on about 20 minutes per pound in total, glaze included.
About 75 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Make the glaze
While the ham bakes, stir the brown sugar, Dijon, vinegar, dry mustard, cloves and pepper together in a small saucepan. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat and let it bubble gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and it looks like thin syrup, about 2 minutes. Take it off the heat; it thickens as it cools.
About 2 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Turn up the heat and glaze
Take the ham out of the oven and raise the temperature to 425°F. Remove the foil and brush half the glaze all over the top and sides, working it into the scored cuts. If the pan is dry, add a splash of water so the drips don't burn. Return it to the oven for 10 minutes.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Glaze again and finish
Brush on the rest of the glaze and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until the glaze is bubbling, glossy and deep amber at the edges and the center reads 140°F.
Stay close for the last 5 minutes. Sugar goes from amber to burnt very quickly at this heat.
About 12 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Rest 15 minutes
Move the ham to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes so the glaze sets and the juices settle. Spoon off the fat from the pan juices if you'd like to drizzle them over the slices; they're salty, so a little goes a long way.
About 15 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Carve
Cut a few slices off one side of the ham and turn it onto that flat side so it doesn't roll. Slice straight down to the bone, about ¼ inch thick, then run the knife along the bone to free the slices. Keep working around the bone, and save it when you're done.
Good to know
the stuff I’d tell you over the phone
- Read the label. "Fully cooked" or "ready to eat" is what this recipe is for. A "partially cooked" or "cook before eating" ham must reach 145°F; cook it the same way, just to 145°F. Country hams are dry-cured and salty and need a soak first, so this isn't the method for them.
- Spiral-cut ham? Skip the scoring, wrap it tightly in foil so the slices don't dry out, and start checking the temperature after 1 hour. Brush the glaze between the slices as well as over the top.
- Shank or butt? The shank half has one straight bone and is easier to carve. The butt half is meatier but has an awkward hip bone, so carve around it.
- Plan on about ⅔ pound of bone-in ham per person, which leaves enough for sandwiches. Save the bone for split pea soup, beans or greens.
- Storage. Sliced and refrigerated in a covered container, 3 to 5 days. Frozen in portions, up to 2 months. Reheat slices covered with a splash of water at 325°F, or eat them cold.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
How long do you cook a fully cooked ham?
For a bone-in half ham at 325°F, plan on about 20 minutes per pound, glaze included, so 2 to 2¾ hours for a 6- to 8-pound ham. A thermometer is more reliable than the clock; you want 140°F in the center.
What temperature should a fully cooked ham be heated to?
140°F in the thickest part, measured near but not touching the bone. It's safe to eat cold, so the target is about warmth and texture, not safety. A partially cooked ham needs 145°F.
When should I put the glaze on a ham?
In the last 20 to 25 minutes, with the oven turned up to 425°F. Glaze put on earlier burns before the ham is warm through.
Can I make the ham glaze ahead?
Yes. Simmer it up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it covered. Warm it gently until it's brushable before using it.
Why is my ham dry?
It got too hot or sat uncovered too long. Keep it under foil with a little water in the pan until the glaze goes on, take it out at 140°F, and let it rest before slicing.
From the table
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Published October 26, 2026.