Holiday meals are a time to catch up with loved ones, celebrate the warmth of the season and prepare recipes, both old and new. One iconic staple of the holiday season? The brown sugar glazed ham. We’ve rounded up a few excellent brown sugar glazed ham recipes for all diets, skill levels, and flavor preferences. Enjoy!
The Classic Balsamic Brown Sugar Glaze
This delicious recipe from Betty Crocker keeps things simple — and classic. Without a doubt, the vinegar-based brown sugar glaze’s perfectly balanced combination of flavors will keep you licking your lips long after you’ve cleared your plate. Another pro? Prepping for this recipe requires minimal effort.
A little while before the ham is fully cooked, you’ll prepare the brown sugar and mustard ham glaze, apply it to the exterior of the ham and let the whole thing cook for another 20 minutes. A lack of prep time certainly doesn’t mean a lack of flavor, though. With a four-and-a-half star ranking, this recipe is sure to please fans of the dish, all while tasting homemade.
First-Timer? Try This Easy-to-Make Brown Sugar Glaze
Trying a recipe for the first time can be daunting, especially if you don’t find yourself in the kitchen very often. This is especially true when you’re attempting a meal as well-known as brown sugar glazed ham. If you aren’t savvy in the kitchen, fear not. The folks at The Kitchn put together a recipe that really takes the pressure off.
Although there’s a decent amount of ingredients, don’t be intimidated; each one adds to the ham’s flavor profile — and the instructions are laid out in an easy-to-follow way. So what’s in the mix? Light brown sugar, honey, dijon mustard, butter and apple cider vinegar. In other words, it’ll turn out delicious no matter what. Plus, it’s likely you have many of these common ingredients on hand already.
Get Adventurous with This Tangy Honey Glaze
While brown sugar ham is known for its sugary outer glaze, not everyone has that same sweet tooth. For a refreshing twist on this dish, a bit of tang is the perfect solution. This recipe from All Recipes calls for dark brown sugar, pineapple juice, honey, dijon mustard, orange juice, orange zest and cloves. Unique, right?
Boiling these ingredients together creates a semi-sweet, semi-tangy reduction to coat your ham with during its cooking cycle. This recipe does require more hands-on preparation time than others on our list, namely because you need to glaze the ham a few times once it’s back in the oven. Still, all that extra work only makes for an even more stunning flavor.
Need a Healthier Spin? Try This Keto-Friendly and No-Sugar-Added Recipe
Although the holidays are filled with yummy meals and dishes, those who are trying to maintain a healthier diet are often forced to choose between something that fits their meal plan and what’s truly delicious. Fortunately, this brown sugar glazed ham recipe from This Mom’s Menu takes health-aware diners into account. This keto variation doesn’t add any additional sugars or carbohydrates to the plate.
Instead, the glaze recipe calls for a brown sugar substitute, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg and dijon mustard, all of which combine to create a tasty, artificial sugar-free mixture. You won’t be able to tell the difference between this healthy variant and the real deal. Pro tip: Since this recipe requires no added sugar, that also means seeking out a ham that isn’t already cured in sugar.
