This flavorful dutch oven ham is so easy to make and is perfect to serve at your holiday dinner or for all your special occasions. A simple syrupy glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness to this delicious baked ham.
Why this recipe is just so good.....
- Quick prep with simple ingredients: I am a big fan of cooking large cuts of meat in a dutch oven. With just some basic ingredients, your holiday ham will bake in moist heat and guarantee a juicy, tender ham. It is a hands-off recipe that will give you time to do something else!
- Uses a pre-cooked inexpensive ham: Easier than a fresh or uncooked smoked ham, this recipe uses a semi-boneless ham that only needs reheating. If you purchase the ham in the grocery store when it is on sale, it is usually about $1.99 per pound. There is no need to buy the pre-sweetened hams that cost so much more. That is great value for a semi-bone-in ham.
Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make a glazed ham :
- Pre-cooked ham
- Dijon mustard
- maple syrup
- brown sugar
- orange juice
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- We are using a semi-boneless pre-cooked ham that just needs glazing and reheating. My label said butt half ham. There are also shank, smoked and spiral ham available.
- Instead of the orange juice, you can use pineapple juice.
- While dijon is my choice for this recipe, you can use a brown mustard, yellow or whole grain mustard.
- I'm sure you have seen baked hams studded with whole cloves in a diamond pattern on top of the ham. You can certainly do that but to me, it is more work than it's worth. If you like the flavor of cloves, add a ½ teaspoon into the sugar mixture for the glaze.
Recipe Testing Notes
- Be sure to read the label and make sure it says precooked, fully cooked or ready to eat. If it is not cooked it will take much longer. A spiral-cut ham will take less time to heat.
- If you don't have a dutch oven, you can use a large roasting pan and cover the ham with aluminum foil.
- Some hams will come with a package of ready-made glaze. You can use that if you want but I prefer my homemade glaze since it's not overly sweet.
- If you like a thicker, sweeter glaze, you should double the glaze ingredients. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a low boil for 1-2 minutes, stirring well. The glaze will thicken as it cooks.
How to make Dutch Oven Ham
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Using the long end of a meat thermometer, carefully poke about 15 holes into the ham. Place ham, cut side down, in dutch oven.
- Stir together the glaze mixture and slowly poor over the ham. Baste the ham with the glaze several times to fully coat.
- Cover with lid and bake for approximately 1 hour.
Uncover the dutch oven for the last 30 minutes. Baste again.
It is done when it reaches 140°F with an internal meat thermometer.
What side dishes go great with Baked Glazed Ham?
Since this is a recipe using the oven, you will probably not have room to add a baking pan for vegetables. You can try some of these veggies cooked on the stovetop: Maple Pecan Butternut Squash, Marinated Broccoli, Blackened green beans, Fried turnips or Sweet and Spicy Brussels sprouts. I also think Sour Cream and Chives Mashed Potatoes would be a perfect side dish for this ham.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since the dutch oven creates a moist heat when roasting, it is a great tool for baking ham. I also cover the ham with the lid for at least half the cooking time. Frequent basting with the glaze and checking the internal temperature to check when it is done will also help prevent dried ham.
I feel it is a matter of personal preference. Some people may like a crust on the outer part of the ham. And so cooking a ham in a dutch oven is perfect to sear on the stovetop and then transfer to the oven.
If you want to make this a one pot recipe, I think carrots, parsnips, quartered white or sweet potatoes or turnips would taste delicious baking along with the ham. Just add them about 45 minutes before the ham is done.
If there is alot of liquid in the bottom of the pot, you can pour some off (save for a ham soup).
If you are lucky enough to have leftover ham, it will reheat nicely for a second meal. Or use the ham for salads, casseroles or quiche. And the ham bone will make delicious soups! Here are some recipes that use leftover ham: Julienne salad, Creamy onion soup, Ham and Lentil soup and Navy Bean Soup.
If you enjoyed this recipe, I would appreciate if you gave it a comment and 5 star rating. That tells me what you like and want to see more of. Thank you!
Some other favorite Dutch oven recipes to try:
Chicken thighs with vegetables
Dutch Oven Ham
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This flavorful dutch oven ham is so easy to make and is perfect to serve at your holiday dinner or for all your special occasions. A simple syrupy glaze (with a sugar free option) adds just the right amount of sweetness to this delicious baked ham.
Ingredients
- 5.5 pound semi-boneless pre-cooked ham
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Remove ham from refrigerator and bring to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Using the long end of a meat thermometer, carefully poke about 15 holes into the ham. Place ham, cut side down, in dutch oven.
- In a small bowl, stir together the glaze mixture and slowly poor over the ham. Baste the ham with the glaze several times to fully coat.
- Cover with lid and bake for approximately 1 hour, baste again and finish heating for a total of 90 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the size of your ham.
- Uncover the dutch oven for the last 30 minutes.
- It is done when it reaches 140°F with an internal meat thermometer. On average the ham will take 15-20 minutes per pound to be fully heated through.
- Baste ham again. Let rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
* If you like a thicker, sweeter glaze, you should double the glaze ingredients. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a low boil for 1-2 minutes, stirring well. The glaze will thicken as it cooks.
* You can also use a brown sugar or maple syrup substitute if you want to lower the sugar calories.
* Try not to leave the oven door open too long as you are basting or the oven temperature will lower.
*Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat on a covered dish or plate in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes. Or reheat on the stovetop over low-medium heat for 2 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water to keep the ham moist.
*Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
*Nutrition is an estimate based on calculations by Nutrifox with the sugar free options.
Deb Belsha says
This recipe is a tradition in our home is a favorite every Easter. We love the leftovers and I always freeze some for pea soup in the winter.