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Spicy Honey Glazed Ham Recipe (Sweet & Savory Holiday Main)

Spicy Honey Glazed Ham

A fully cooked bone-in spiral-sliced ham is gently reheated under foil, then brushed with layers of spicy honey-brown sugar glaze for a glossy, festive holiday centerpiece.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients
  

Ham
  • 1 8-10 pound ham Fully cooked bone-in spiral-sliced ham
  • 1/2 cup Water, apple juice, or cider
Spicy Honey Glaze
  • 1/2 cup Honey
  • 1/2 cup Packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
  • 1-2 tablespoons Hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Frank's RedHot
  • 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves Garlic cloves, finely minced

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Remove the ham from its packaging and discard any included glaze packet; if the ham is not spiral-sliced, score the surface in a diamond pattern.
  2. Place the ham cut-side down in a roasting pan and pour 1/2 cup water, apple juice, or cider into the bottom of the pan. Cover the ham tightly with foil so the slices stay moist during reheating.
  3. Bake for approximately 10–12 minutes per pound, or until the thickest part reaches 140°F. Check with an instant-read thermometer without touching the bone; an 8-pound ham generally takes about 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, while a 10-pound ham generally takes about 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours.
  4. While the ham heats, combine the honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, vinegar, hot sauce, smoked paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and garlic in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring until smooth and slightly thickened, but do not let it boil aggressively.
  5. During the final 25–30 minutes of baking, remove the foil and brush the ham generously with glaze. Reapply another thin layer every 10 minutes so the sugar caramelizes evenly without burning.
  6. Remove the ham when it reaches 140°F and let it rest for 15–20 minutes before serving. Spoon any flavorful pan juices over the slices, then arrange the ham on a platter and serve warm.

Notes

For a milder glaze, use 1 tablespoon hot sauce and omit or reduce the cayenne. For more heat, add extra cayenne or use a hotter chili sauce. Keep leftovers refrigerated and reheat gently with a little pan juice or water.