Christmas Ham Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

Christmas Ham Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (1)

By: Laurel Perry

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This Christmas Ham recipe is the perfect dish for your holiday feast! It’s covered with a deliciously sweet and savory glaze, made with brown sugar, oranges, garlic, and a range of herbs and spices. Just cook this spiral-cut ham in the oven for the best Christmas dinner!

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Table of Contents

Why We Love This Christmas Ham Recipe

  • Easy. Bone-in spiral-cut ham comes pre-cooked, so all you have to do is heat, brush with the glaze, and enjoy!
  • Flavorful. Dark brown sugar, blood oranges, mustard, apple cider vinegar, rosemary, spices, and garlic create a sweet and tangy glaze.
  • Beautiful. This ham has a gorgeous color and a crispy, shiny crust.

Boneless Ham for Christmas

You can easily swap out the bone-in ham for a boneless one. Simply cook the ham for 10 minutes per pound, or until it reaches 140°F internally. Plan for ½ pound of meat per person. For example, a 9-pound boneless ham will feed 18 people!

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How to Store and Reheat

The easiest way to store leftover Christmas ham is to fully carve the ham into slices. Place the slices in a resealable bag, or stack them and wrap them tightly in aluminum foil to store for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 325°F oven until warmed through.

How to Freeze

To freeze, carve Christmas ham into slices. Wrap stacks of slices in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place them in a Ziplock bag to store for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

Kick off Christmas dinner with this glazed Christmas ham! It pairs so well with starches like crockpot mashed potatoes, twice baked potatoes, or candied sweet potatoes, and veggies like crockpot glazed carrots, creamed green beans, or asparagus almondine. Don’t forget the ham gravy!

Heat up leftovers and serve slices ondinner rollsor Hawaiian rolls to make sliders, or make any of these leftover ham recipes. These are great for lunches!

Which ham is best for Christmas?

Personally, I prefer a bone-in ham, as it is much more flavorful than a boneless one. Opt for spiral cut if it’s available to both save you time and help the glaze penetrate the meat.

When should I buy my Christmas ham?

Plan to buy your ham a week before Christmas to ensure you get the perfect size and cut! A sealed spiral-cut ham will keep for about a week in the refrigerator!

Is Christmas ham fully cooked?

Yes! The majority of hams you buy at the store have already been cooked and simply need to be reheated. We’re adding a glaze to amp up the flavor!

How long does it take to cook spiral ham?

Because spiral ham is pre-cooked, we just need to heat it up! Plan for 15 minutes per pound at 325°F.

Do you serve hot or cold ham for Christmas?

This ham can be served both ways! I love it fresh from the oven on Christmas Eve and cold on sandwiches for a Christmas Day lunch!

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More Holiday Ham Recipes To Try

  • Pineapple Ham
  • Marmalade Glazed Ham
  • Honey Baked Ham
  • Orange Honey Glazed Ham
  • Pecan Bourbon Glazed Ham
  • Apple Ginger Glazed Ham
  • Honey Mustard Maple Glazed Ham
  • Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

Recipe

Christmas Ham Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Author: Laurel Perry

Prep: 30 minutes minutes

Cook: 2 hours hours

Total: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Christmas Ham Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (6)

Serves12

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A tasty brown sugar and orange glaze coats this spiral ham, before roasting it in the oven.

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Ingredients

  • 9 pound cooked bone-in spiral-cut ham
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 3 blood oranges zested and juiced
  • ¼ cup coarse ground mustard
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground paprika
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 cloves garlic minced

Optional Garnishes

Recommended Equipment

  • Roasting Pan

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F.

  • Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of a roasting pan.

  • Place the ham cut side down on the rack of the roasting pan.

    9 pound cooked bone-in spiral-cut ham

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  • In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, orange juice and zest, mustard, apple cider vinegar, rosemary, cinnamon, paprika, chili powder, and garlic. Simmer for 10 minutes.

    1 cup dark brown sugar, 3 blood oranges, ¼ cup coarse ground mustard, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground paprika, ½ teaspoon chili powder, 2 cloves garlic

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  • Brush half the glaze over the ham, getting it into the cuts as much as possible.

  • Cover loosely with foil and bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the ham reaches 140°F.

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  • Remove the ham from the oven and increase the oven to 375°F.

  • Discard the foil and brush the ham with half of the remaining glaze.

  • Bake the ham for 15 minutes.

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  • Brush the ham with the remaining glaze and bake for 15 minutes.

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  • Garnish and serve.

    Pomegranate arils, Rosemary sprigs, Blood orange wedges

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Becky’s tips

  • With a bone-in ham, plan for about ¾ pound per person. This will yield appox. ½ pound of meat per person.
  • If using a different-sized ham, cook for 15 minutes per pound.
  • Regular oranges can be used in place of the blood oranges.
  • You can use regular brown sugar in place of the dark brown sugar.

Storage:Store Christmas ham in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 0.5pound Calories: 597kcal (30%) Carbohydrates: 22g (7%) Protein: 65g (130%) Fat: 26g (40%) Saturated Fat: 6g (38%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g Monounsaturated Fat: 10g Trans Fat: 0.001g Cholesterol: 248mg (83%) Sodium: 3993mg (174%) Potassium: 1055mg (30%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 21g (23%) Vitamin A: 144IU (3%) Vitamin C: 97mg (118%) Calcium: 54mg (5%) Iron: 3mg (17%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

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How to Make Christmas Ham Step by Step

Prep the Ham: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of a roasting pan, and place a 9-pound cooked bone-in spiral-cut ham cut side down on the rack of the roasting pan.

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Make the Glaze: In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of dark brown sugar, 3 zested and juiced blood oranges, ¼ cup of coarse ground mustard, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons of finely chopped rosemary, ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground paprika, ½ teaspoon of chili powder, and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Simmer for 10 minutes.

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Bake the Ham: Brush half the glaze over the ham, getting it into the cuts as much as possible. Cover loosely with foil and bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the ham reaches 140°F.

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Increase the Temperature: Remove the ham from the oven and increase the oven to 375°F. Discard the foil and brush the ham with half of the remaining glaze. Bake the ham for 15 minutes.

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Garnish the Ham: Brush the ham with the remaining glaze and bake for 15 more minutes. Garnish with pomegranate arils, rosemary sprigs, and blood orange wedges if desired, and serve.

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Christmas Ham Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (20)

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Christmas Ham Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

FAQs

Why do you soak a ham bag in vinegar? ›

Extend the life of your Xmas ham by reducing moisture loss and allowing it to breathe while in the fridge. This easy wash cotton will ensure you can reuse it for many Christmases to come! To prepare for Ham: Soak Ham Bag in 4 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar.

How to cook Christmas ham Kevin Dundon? ›

Method
  1. Soak the ham first for up to an hour.
  2. Put into a pot, cover with water and bring to the boil.
  3. Allow to simmer for about 2 hours and turn off the heat allowing the meat to cool in the cooking liquor.
  4. Remove the ham from the cooking liquor and using a sharp knife remove the rind leaving a even layer of fat.
Dec 16, 2016

How to cook Christmas ham Gordon Ramsay? ›

Method. Put the gammon into a large saucepan and pour on enough cold water to cover. Add the carrots, leek, onion, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 3 hours, topping up with more boiling water if necessary.

What is brown sugar glaze made of? ›

Ingredients
  1. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter.
  2. ½ cup packed light-brown sugar.
  3. 2 tablespoons heavy cream.
  4. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
  5. ½ teaspoon salt.
May 16, 2017

Do you use brown or white vinegar for ham bag? ›

Here is how to keep your ham fresh and moist. Rinse a ham bag or large, clean tea towel with a mixture of 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon DYC White Vinegar. Squeeze any excess liquid from the bag or tea towel. Place the ham in the bag or wrap in the tea towel to completely enclose.

How much vinegar do you put in a ham bag? ›

Soak a Ham Bag, pillowcase or tea towel in 4 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Wring out excess water and place ham in the Ham Bag, pillowcase or wrap in tea towel. Store in coolest part of fridge. Re-soak bag in solution every few days or when Ham Bag dries out.

Do you cover Christmas ham when baking? ›

Baked Ham Best Practices

Cook fat-side up in a roasting pan filled with about 1/2 inch of water covered tightly in foil for the bulk of the time. During the last 30 minutes, remove the foil, crank the heat up to 425ºF, brush with a simple glaze at least twice. Let rest 20 minutes before carving.

Do I cover Christmas ham with foil when baking? ›

Not Covering Your Ham

If you don't cover your ham while cooking it will quickly dry out. Instead: Put some aluminum foil over your ham while it's cooking. It is recommended that the ham is covered for at least half of the cooking process and only removed during the last half when you glaze it.

How does Martha Stewart bake a ham? ›

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Wrap ham completely with parchment-lined foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. Transfer ham to oven and bake 1 1/2 hours. Unwrap ham; discard parchment and foil.

What is the best ham for Christmas dinner? ›

Shank or Butt

Shank: Ham from the shank end is the picturesque ham profile that pops into most people's heads when they think of a Christmas ham. The pork comes from the leg portion of the pig and tends to be a bit leaner. Bone-in ham from the shank has one long bone, which can make carving a breeze.

Should Christmas ham be cooked? ›

Do you have to cook Christmas ham? While most hams come fully cooked and can be enjoyed without further cooking, some are typically perfectly baked in the oven. Find the best Christmas ham recipe for you, and then follow its method for cooking a Christmas ham, whether it be in the oven or the slow cooker.

What are the three basic ingredients in glaze? ›

A BASE GLAZE is a mixture of these three basic groups: SILICA, FLUX AND ALUMINA.

What are the three basic ingredients in a glaze What does each ingredient do? ›

Every glaze is made of the following 3 materials:
  • Silica – Creates glass. Examples: quartz, flint, pure silica.
  • Alumina – Stiffens the glaze so it doesn't slide off the clay. ...
  • Flux – Causes the glaze to melt at a low enough temperature to be used in ceramics.

What are the 4 main ingredients in glaze? ›

All standard ceramic glazes contain the following components:
  • Glass former- silica (SiO2), melting point 3119 degrees Fahrenheit. (RO2)
  • Flux- lowers the melting point of silica; provides the great variety of surfaces in ceramic glazes. ...
  • Stabilizer- alumina, keeps the glaze on a vertical surface; stiffens the melt. (
Jul 15, 2019

How long to soak ham bag in vinegar? ›

mixture of water and vinegar for 2 - 3 minutes. Roughly, 1 litre of water to 1/4 cup vinegar. Pop your ham in the bag and then in the fridge.

What is the purpose of soaking ham? ›

Soaking a salt cured country ham before cooking is believed to make the ham less salty. This is debatable as very little water will enter the ham so the capacity to pull salt from any depth within a ham is limited. The older the ham, the denser the muscle so less salt will be removed from a longer aged ham.

Does vinegar remove salt from ham? ›

Add a teaspoon of distilled vinegar to a medium-sized, over-salted cooked ham before heating it. The acidity of the vinegar will counteract the saltiness and even out the flavour. Pour the vinegar over the ham slowly to cover it evenly. Avoid adding too much vinegar to the ham, which will create a sour flavor.

Can you soak ham bag in white wine vinegar? ›

Storing Glazed Ham:

Soaking solution: Mix 1 litre / 1 quart of water with 2 tablespoons white vinegar. Soak ham bag or pillowcase for 15 minutes. Storing: Wring dry, place ham inside, seal loosely. Refrigerate.

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