Description
This Christmas Ham recipe features a spiral sliced bone-in ham glazed with a luscious blend of orange juice, brown sugar, honey, and cinnamon, then baked to perfection. The final touch of fresh orange zest, pomegranate seeds, and parsley adds a festive and colorful garnish, making it a perfect centerpiece for your holiday feast.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 ham (spiral sliced bone-in, 9-12 pounds)
- 2 cups orange juice
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup honey
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 Tbsp parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the ham.
- Prepare Ham: Remove your ham from the package, discard most of the packaging liquid but save about one cup for cooking.
- Position Ham: Place the ham cut side down in a large baking dish or roasting pan, and add the reserved liquid to the dish.
- Mix Glaze: In a large bowl or measuring cup, combine orange juice, brown sugar, honey, and cinnamon to create the glaze mixture.
- Apply Half Glaze: Pour half of the glaze mixture over the ham, reserving the other half for later.
- Bake Ham: Place the ham in the oven and bake for 2 to 2½ hours, roughly 20 minutes per pound, until cooked through.
- Prepare Glaze During Baking: During the last hour, start preparing the remaining glaze.
- Heat Glaze: In a large pot or deep pan, pour the reserved orange juice glaze mixture and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce Heat: Lower the heat to medium-low and whisk the mixture constantly to prevent boiling over.
- Simmer Glaze: Let the glaze simmer for 10-15 minutes until it thickens to a syrupy consistency.
- Cool Glaze: Remove glaze from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Remove Ham: Once the ham is cooked, take it out of the oven and transfer it to a serving dish.
- Glaze Ham: Pour the thickened glaze evenly all over the ham for a beautiful shiny finish.
- Garnish: Sprinkle the ham with fresh orange zest, pomegranate seeds, and chopped parsley for a festive presentation.
- Carve and Serve: Slice the ham and serve warm as a delicious holiday main dish.
Notes
- Choose a bone-in spiral ham between 9 to 12 pounds for best results.
- Reserve some packaging liquid to keep the ham moist during cooking.
- Make sure to simmer the glaze gently and whisk constantly to avoid burning or boiling over.
- The glaze can be prepared ahead and reheated if desired.
- Garnishes add color and flavor but can be adjusted based on preference.
