Must-Make Holiday Hams

March 07, 2018
Serve a main dish guaranteed to garner rave reviews. Ham is a great entree option year round, but typically hits the menu around Christmas and Easter. There's no need to splurge on a store-bought glazed ham. You can pick up a ham at your grocery store and we'll help you bring out the best of its flavor with simple ingredients. Once you've picked your perfect ham recipe, don't forget the ideal side dishes to go with it. 
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Chutney-Glazed Ham

Stacey Ballis
Chutney-Glazed Ham Recipe

I wanted to make a glaze that was a bit punchier than the usual basic brown sugar or honey mustard, so I experimented with some of my favorite ingredients. Mango Chutney, with its sweet and sour base. Savora, a French condiment that was like a spiced Dijon, for mustard heat with a bit more oomph. Asian honey ginger jam for sweet, and garam masala for musky depth. Raw ginger and garlic and Thai chile to bring freshness to the party, and orange for familiarity and acid. The result was a ham that got demolished at the party.

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"Ham" for Two 

Photo: Kelsey Hansen
"Ham" for Two  Recipe

Holiday ham leftovers take weeks to finish. Instead, prepare a basic one pound pork tenderloin just as you would prepare a ham. The result is a traditionally brined, brown-sugar-coated "ham" for two in just one day. It even comes out pink! This recipe uses pink brining salt from Williams Sonoma, but you could use Prague #1 instead. 

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Honey-Port Lacquered Ham with Whipped Dijon Cream

PHOTO: HECTOR MANUEL SANCHEZ; PROP STYLING: CAROLINE M. CUNNINGHAM
Honey-Port Lacquered Ham with Whipped Dijon Cream Recipe

This isn’t your salty, pink smoked ham that’s typical of a holiday event. Covered in a shiny cracklin’ shell, it’s a showstopper worthy of the center of the table. This delicious cream is great over ham, but it also works well over grilled meats, such as steak or pork. Add your favorite herbs to personalize the taste.

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Maple Mustard-Glazed Ham

Photo: Helen Dujardin; Styling: Mindi Shapiro-Levine
Maple Mustard-Glazed Ham Recipe
The maple syrup and mustard glaze elicits a tangy but sweet flavor that compliments this dish well.

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Ham Steak with Cranberry-Mustard Glaze

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
Ham Steak with Cranberry-Mustard Glaze Recipe
This flavorful ham dish comes together in just 35 minutes.

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Baked Ham Glazed with Champagne

Photo: Jennifer Causey
Baked Ham Glazed with Champagne Recipe

We use the term "Champagne" loosely: Feel free to use a less expensive bubbly such as prosecco, cava, or crémant. The sparkling wine lends a little razzle-dazzle to the retro-chic combo of ham and pineapple. If you're using maple syrup, try Grade B--it has more intense maple flavor than Grade A.

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Ham with Spiced Cherry Sauce

Photo: David Malosh; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
Ham with Spiced Cherry Sauce Recipe
Drizzle the spiced cherry sauce on top of this dish and garnish with orange zest if preferred.

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Classic Baked Ham with Maple-Mustard Glaze

Victor Protasio
Classic Baked Ham with Maple-Mustard Glaze Recipe
Bake this ham for about two to two-and-a-half hours (about 20 minutes per pound), basting with the ham's juices. Add a glaze in the final minutes of baking and watch carefully—the glaze should brown but not burn.

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Holiday Ham with Apricot Glaze

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Holiday Ham with Apricot Glaze Recipe

Refrigerate any leftover ham in individual servings. In the days after Christmas when your house is still full and your energy is waning, this will make it easy for guests to fix a meal on their own.

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Brown Sugar-Bourbon-Glazed Ham

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Brown Sugar-Bourbon-Glazed Ham Recipe

Choose a bone-in half-ham brined with natural juices. Leaving a thin layer of fat after trimming amps up the flavor and keeps the meat moist.

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Gingersnap-Crusted Ham with Apricot-Mustard Sauce

Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
Gingersnap-Crusted Ham with Apricot-Mustard Sauce Recipe
Serve a entrée with a crisp bite and a sweet sauce. A gingersnap crust, made from crushed cookies and brown sugar, adheres to the apricot preserve and Dijon mustard glaze. Pair with a five-minute sauce, made with Marsala wine, for an easy and elegant dish.

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Honeycomb Spiral Ham

Photo: Jean Allsopp
Honeycomb Spiral Ham Recipe
Guests are sure to love the hint of sweetness the honey and dried cranberries add to this savory smoked ham. Serve with honeycomb tucked between the slices for top-notch presentation, or simply garnish with orange zest and rosemary.
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Ham with Bourbon-Peach Glaze

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Ham with Bourbon-Peach Glaze Recipe
To bump up the presentation of your main dish, score the outside of the ham in a diamond pattern and stud with cloves before baking. It looks beautiful and provides welcome nooks and crannies for the peach glaze to hide.

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Fresh Ham with Cloves and Grilled Pineapple

Jim Franco
Fresh Ham with Cloves and Grilled Pineapple Recipe
Pineapple is a natural pair with ham and is often found on favorite pizzas and Hawaiian-themed dishes year-round. Bring the warm, fragrant dish to the table this year and pump up the flavor by adding fresh rosemary and sage to the ham before baking.

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Simple Baked Ham

Randy Mayor
Simple Baked Ham Recipe
If you're a ham beginner, start with a simple five-ingredient recipe that pairs with any side on your table. Start the night before and let the ham soak in water for 24 hours before cooking, then cook in a water bath of apple juice. Baste with brown sugar and Dijon mustard during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
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Baked Ham with Bourbon Glaze

Photo: William Dickey; Styling: Mary Lyn Hill Jenkins
Baked Ham with Bourbon Glaze Recipe
When your stovetop is full, turn to this top-rated recipe for a microwave-friendly molasses-and-honey glaze. Reserve the drippings and cook them in a saucepan just before serving for a delicious bourbon ham sauce.

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Sweet-Hot Plum-Glazed Ham

Photo: Ralph Anderson; Styling: Lisa Powell Bailey
Sweet-Hot Plum-Glazed Ham Recipe
Slice into a spicy-sweet main dish glazed with a vibrant mixture of plum preserves, crushed red pepper, citrus juices, and honey. Garnish with fresh tropical fruits like pineapple and kiwi to signal guests that this is no ordinary ham.

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Blackberry-Mustard Glazed Ham

Blackberry-Mustard Glazed Ham Recipe
Four ingredients are all you need to prepare this five-star ham. Our users raved, calling it a "big hit," "a WINNER," and "one of the best tasting hams" ever tasted.
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Brown Sugar and Spice-Crusted Ham

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr
Brown Sugar and Spice-Crusted Ham Recipe
Give your ham a tender-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside treatment with a sweet and savory rub made with brown sugar, cumin, allspice, and cinnamon. Brush with a honey-citrus mixture in the final minutes of baking to add a hint of sweetness to the main dish.

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Red-Currant-Pomegranate Glazed Ham

Photo: Kate Sears
Red-Currant-Pomegranate Glazed Ham Recipe
This holiday-ready ham calls for just five ingredients (ham included!) to create a mouthwatering, flavorful main dish. As a bonus, this ham cooks in a slow-cooker, freeing up your oven for savory side dishes and dessert.

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Peach Jam-Glazed Ham

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
Peach Jam-Glazed Ham Recipe
Peach Jam-Glazed Ham is a delightful mix of sweet and savory. With only 5 ingredients, Peach Jam-Glazed Ham is an easy and tasty choice for Easter dinner.
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Cracklin'-Fresh Picnic Ham with Apple-Cranberry-Pomegranate Salsa

Photo: Melina Hammer; Styling: Iain Bagwell
Cracklin'-Fresh Picnic Ham with Apple-Cranberry-Pomegranate Salsa Recipe

Ask your butcher: While a holiday ham traditionally consists of a cured, brined, or smoked cut of pork from the hind leg, we're taking liberties with the word "ham" and choosing the best cut for this job: the shoulder. Order a skin-on fresh picnic ham, aka the picnic cut, a forgiving, economical joint that will give you the juiciest results.

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Ham Glazed with Spiced Plum Conserve

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett 
Ham Glazed with Spiced Plum Conserve Recipe
Any brined, smoked supermarket ham will be welcomed on your holiday table in addition to (or in lieu of) the turkey. If you're using a spiral ham, there's no need to score it and stud with cloves.

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Honey-Glazed Ham

Photo: Mark Thomas; Styling: Gerri Williams
Honey-Glazed Ham Recipe
This Honey-Glazed Ham will exceed everyone's expectations for the main event. Honey-Glazed Ham is exceptional with eggs for breakfast or in a sandwich for lunch the next day.
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Brown Sugar-Glazed Ham

Brown Sugar-Glazed Ham Recipe
Try this ham with a sweet glaze comprised of brown sugar, honey, orange and pineapple juice. Whether you're entertaining a crowd or entertaining a few, this entrée is an elegant choice for a holiday dish.

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Len's Poached Ham

Gooseberry Patch
Len's Poached Ham Recipe
This ham makes for a stunning tablescape and has phenomenal flavor to impress everyone at your home this holiday season.

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Honey Mustard-Glazed Ham

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell 
Honey Mustard-Glazed Ham Recipe
A holiday favorite just got easier—and frees up valuable oven space—thanks to your slow cooker. Put savory Honey Mustard-Glazed Ham on your menu. With minimum ingredients and delicous flavor, this slow-cooker ham won't disappoint.
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Glazed Spiral-Cut Holiday Ham

Photo: Helen Norman; Styling: Carrie Purcell
Glazed Spiral-Cut Holiday Ham Recipe
We love a spiral-cut ham, but we don't like the sugary mystery glaze that comes with it. Toss the packet and use one of our three easy and unique glaze recipes instead.

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Maple-Mustard Glazed Ham

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lynn Nesmith 
Maple-Mustard Glazed Ham Recipe
Maple-Mustard Glazed Ham starts with a spiral ham for easy slicing and  finishes with a sweet-savory baste during the last 15 minutes of cooking.

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Lela's Baked Ham

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Lela's Baked Ham Recipe
Choose the size ham that best suits your family. Bake it 20 minutes per pound and 20 minutes more once you add the second layer of glaze. Sop up the drippings with warm rolls.
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Fresh Rosemary Ham with Peach Compote

Fresh Rosemary Ham with Peach Compote Recipe

This savory-sweet ham is the perfect crowd-pleasing dish to roll out for a holiday or special occasion. 

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