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Orange Honey Spiral Ham is juicy, sweet, and perfect for a holiday dinner table. With only four ingredients, this glazed baked ham is a winner!
4 Ingredient Baked Ham
Do you serve ham for the holidays? I always associate it with Easter but many eat it for Thanksgiving and Christmas, too. Or just a regular week night.
Because hams generally come pre-cooked, all you’re doing is warming it through. They are much less intimidating to prepare than say, a turkey.
With only four ingredients in this recipe, baked ham is a great starting point for a beginner, but delicious enough for an accomplished cook. Either way, you’ll impress your dinner guests.
My favorite thing about it is having leftovers for things like breakfast casseroles and split pea soup.
Things you’ll need
- Roasting Pan – You’ll need a roasting pan to bake the ham or even just a casserole dish. Or, if you’d like to slow cook it, you’ll need a decent sized slow cooker.
- Saucepan – A saucepan to make the glaze.
- Meat Thermometer – The ham should reach 140 degrees to ensure it’s fully warmed through.
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card.
- HAM – A 6-8 pound, bone-in, spiral cut ham. I’ll go into details about how to choose a ham below.
- BROWN SUGAR – Packed brown sugar – light or dark will work.
- HONEY
- ORANGE MARMALADE – You can pretty easily make homemade orange marmalade, or just pick it up at the market.
How to make Baked Ham
- STEP ONE: Place the ham cut side down into the roasting pan.
- STEP TWO: Add the brown sugar, honey, and orange marmalade to a medium saucepan and stir over medium heat until it is fully combined and bubbly. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- STEP THREE: Pour half of the sauce evenly over the ham.
- STEP FOUR: Bake, uncovered, for one hour at 350 degrees. After an hour, remove from oven, spoon the remaining glaze over the ham, and finish cooking for 15-30 minutes or until temperature reaches 140 degrees (heated through).
Slow Cooker Instructions
If you want to save oven space, you can also prepare this ham in the slow cooker.
First, make sure your ham will fit in your pot – cut some away if necessary. Then, prepare the glaze and pour it over the ham in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 20 minutes for every pound of spiral cut ham. Boneless will warm faster; bone-in will take slightly longer.
Try my Hot Honey Peach Slow Cooker Ham, too!
Which ham should I pick?
If you’re at the market looking at all your ham options, let’s run through how to pick the best one for you.
Cured or Smoked?
Since you’re likely not going to have a fresh ham (raw) as an option, let’s focus on cured versus smoked. A cured ham means it has been “pre-cooked” by brining it. It just needs to be warmed through. A smoked ham has been cured and then smoked. If you like a smoky flavor, pick the smoked ham.
Bone-in or Boneless?
A bone-in ham, like other meats, has more flavor and tends to be juicier. Plus, you get to use the ham bone for other things like soup or greens. Boneless hams are often pieces of ham jelled together. Not my favorite.
Spiral Cut or Unsliced?
As you see, I used a spiral cut ham.
First, it is easier. I don’t have to cut it myself.
Second, when glazing the ham, having it sliced allows for the glaze to get down in the layers.
How much ham do I need?
You should allow for approximately 3/4 lb of bone-in ham per person.
- If you have 4-6 people to serve, choose a 3-4 lb ham.
- If you have 6-8 people to serve, choose a 4.6-6 lb ham.
- If you have 8-10 people to serve, choose a 6-7.5 lb ham.
- If you have 10-12 people to serve, choose a 7.5-9 lb ham.
How to store leftovers
Leftover baked ham can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
If you have leftovers, you can turn it into cheesy ham & potato soup!
Can you freeze it?
Baked ham freezes pretty well when wrapped and stored properly. Wrap it in plastic wrap, wrap it in foil, then store it in a freezer bag in the freezer. Use it within 6 months for the best results.
What sides to serve with ham
Secret Ingredient Macaroni and Cheese
Baked Macaroni & Cheese
Macaroni Salad
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
The BEST Potato Salad
Click here for my entire collection of side dish recipes.
Orange Honey Spiral Ham
Ingredients
- 6-8 pound bone-in spiral ham fully cooked
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup honey
- ½ cup sweet orange marmalade
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Place ham cut side down in a shallow roasting pan or baking dish.
- In a saucepan over medium heat combine the brown sugar, honey and orange marmalade. Stir until combined then continue stirring over medium heat until the mixture comes to a bubble. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Spoon half of the glaze over the ham.
- Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 hour.
- Spoon the remaining glaze over the ham and bake another 15-30 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 140° and ham is heated through.
- Serve & enjoy!
Notes
First make sure your ham will fit in your pot – cut some away if necessary. Prepare the glaze and pour it over ham in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 20 minutes for every pound of spiral cut ham. Boneless will warm faster; bone-in will take slightly longer.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
This recipe calls for spiral sliced ham, I purchased a boneless half ham from Costco. And I used my electric knife to put partial cuts all the way through, mimicking a spiral sliced.
Then I made the glaze, subbing apricot jam for orange marmalade as that’s all I had.
Other than that, followed the recipe exactly.
I will say, this is darn delicious!
Will follow this recipe any other time I make ham!!
Thanks, Mary!