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My 3-ingredient ham glaze recipe is the perfect simple and sweet ham glaze made with pantry staple ingredients. Use it as-is for sweet perfection, or use it as a great base for customizing just the way you like it! This glaze is guaranteed to make ham delicious!
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Simple Ham Glaze
In this recipe I'm going to show you how easy it is to make the perfect honey glaze for ham using only three simple, pantry-staple ingredients. In my experience, a simple ham glaze recipe is a good ham glaze recipe: one that comes together in minutes and amplifies the flavor of the ham with a perfect balance of sweet and salty.
Naturally, it all starts with my honey glazed ham, and the simple honey ham glaze that makes it so delicious! Then I simplified it further and taste tested to make sure it wasn't missing anything. Nope: it's sweet, sticky, and cooks up into a gorgeous caramelized golden glaze that makes every bite of ham even better. Plus, because it forms a sort of sticky shell, it keeps the ham moist as it cooks.
Best yet, starting with a simple glaze for ham means you can adjust it all you want. I've included tons of recommendations for tweaking the flavor so you can make the perfect ham glaze for you and your family.
Tools to Make 3-Ingredient Ham Glaze
- A saucepan or microwave safe bowl. Yes, you can easily make this in the microwave!
- A whisk or fork.
- A basting brush - I like the silicone ones, as I find them much easier to clean than my real bristle pastry brush!
Ingredients in 3 Ingredient Ham Glaze
- Honey: Any honey will work here, but note that different varieties have different flavors! I tend to use classic honey bear honey for the simple, pure flavor.
- Unsalted butter: Butter gives this glaze a silky, rich flavor that helps cut the sweetness and melts on to the meat.
- Brown sugar: Use light or dark brown sugar depending on your tastes. I prefer dark, as I love the molasses flavor.
Brown Sugar Ham Glaze Variations
- Maple syrup: Everyone loves a good maple brown sugar glaze for ham! To make this variation, reduce the honey to ¾ cup and add ¼ cup maple syrup.
- Mustard: Mustard adds a great savory twist. Add 1-2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard depending on your tastes.
- Cinnamon: Adding 1 teaspoon cinnamon adds a delicious autumnal flavor, great for Thanksgiving or Christmas ham. You can add more spices like ground cloves, ginger, and nutmeg, too.
- Green onion: Chopping in fresh green onions will give the glaze a zingy twist.
- Sriracha: Much like honey sriracha sauce, adding sriracha will make for a uniquely spicy and flavorful ham.
- Orange juice: If you want, swap out half the honey for orange juice. Even better with some orange zest!
- Spices: Black pepper and garlic powder can add a savory note. I like using these spices for Easter ham.
3 Ingredient Ham Glaze Detailed Instructions
Step 1: Chop up your butter into slices or small cubes before melting it. This helps the butter melt nice and even, which reduces the chance of spattering or burning!
Step 2: In either the microwave in a microwave safe bowl or a small saucepan, add the butter and melt slowly. I tend to use the microwave and cover the bowl with a plate just to make sure there are no butter explosions (but here's my microwave cleaning guide, just in case!).
Step 3: Once the butter has fully melted, add in the brown sugar, honey, and any add-in flavorings you desire. Then give them a really good stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Step 4: Add to your ham! I like to pre-bake my ham for an hour, then add the glaze and bake it another 30 minutes so it caramelizes. Then give it one more coat once it's out of the oven!
How to Glaze Ham Perfectly
Step 1: First, pre-bake the ham for an hour, or until it's almost entirely warmed through. Don't glaze a cold ham, as it can burn in the time it takes for the meat to heat up.
Step 2: Remove the ham from the oven (or other appliance!) and place on a cutting board. Using a silicone brush, liberally brush the entire surface of the ham with glaze.
Step 3: If you have a spiral-cut ham, use a fork to separate each slice and glaze between every single one. This will ensure that the ham slices are super moist and every single bite is flavorful, not just the crust.
Step 4: Bake again until the ham is fully cooked, about another 30 minutes. You can keep glazing it every 5-10 minutes if you'd like to really pack in the flavor.
Step 5: If you want, once the ham is out of the oven, give it one last coating. It never hurts!
3-Ingredient Ham Glaze
Equipment
- 1 Microwave-safe bowl or saucepan
- 1 Whisk or fork
Ingredients
- 1 cup Honey
- 1 stick Unsalted butter
- ½ cup Brown sugar - light or dark, packed
Instructions
- Chop up the butter and melt it in the microwave in 30 second intervals, or in a saucepan over low heat.
- Add in the brown sugar and honey, and mix until fully melted and combined.
- Brush on the ham halfway through the cooking time, making sure to get between the slices.
- Add the remaining glaze after the ham is cooked for extra flavor, and enjoy!
Notes
- The difference between dark and light brown sugar is all in the molasses content. If you like a rich molasses flavor, use dark brown sugar.
- If you have spare ham glaze, save it for candied vegetables! It's perfect for glazing sweet potatoes or carrots, especially!
- This glaze will be perfect for most kinds of ham, including baked and smoked. Note that almost all available hams are pre-cooked ham so you don't need to worry about cross contamination between layers of glaze, as it will never touch raw meat.
- You can adjust the glaze's sweetness by swapping out some of the honey or brown sugar for more butter, or make a tangy glaze with a bit of apple cider vinegar.
- Cooking a bone-in ham? Save that bone! Use it for a delicious and flavor-packed ham bone broth, or skip right to the chase and make ham-bone soup! Seriously, I've bought ham before just for the bone.
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Isabel! I've been sharing my recipes online, in cookbooks, and in TV specials since 2012. The most important thing to me is Sunday supper with my family, and inspiring togetherness with my recipes!
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Tips for Glazing Ham
- The difference between dark and light brown sugar is all in the molasses content. If you like a rich molasses flavor, use dark brown sugar.
- If you have spare ham glaze, save it for candied vegetables! It's perfect for glazing sweet potatoes or carrots, especially!
- This glaze will be perfect for most kinds of ham, including baked and smoked. Note that almost all available hams are pre-cooked ham so you don't need to worry about cross contamination between layers of glaze, as it will never touch raw meat.
- You can adjust the glaze's sweetness by swapping out some of the honey or brown sugar for more butter, or make a tangy glaze with a bit of apple cider vinegar.
- Cooking a bone-in ham? Save that bone! Use it for a delicious and flavor-packed ham bone broth, or skip right to the chase and make ham-bone soup! Seriously, I've bought ham before just for the bone.
Honey Ham Glaze FAQ
Glaze tends to rely on a high sugar content to give it that sticky caramelized texture. To make it low carb, I recommend trying out monkfruit honey and keto brown sugar replacement. It will taste a little different, but should still complement the ham beautifully.
You can, but it's not saving much time, as you'll need to re-melt the butter anyway! I recommend just whipping it up while the ham is heating as it only takes a few minutes.
I don't typically recommend glazing ham before it's baked. You can, especially if you fully wrap the ham in aluminum foil, but it still runs the risk of the glaze overcooking and burning, leaving it acrid. Instead, I recommend adding it only after the ham has mostly cooked and then uncovering the ham to let that glaze work its magic.
Delicious Ham Glazes
Favorite Ham Recipes
And of course, never forget the leftovers! I have legitimately gone out and bought on-sale ham just to freeze for leftovers. Ham is the king of leftover recipes, so check these out and fall in love with a new favorite!
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