Honey Baked Ham Recipe

A Budget-Friendly Holiday Tradition

Honey Baked Ham was a centerpiece at many Christmas Eve and Easter dinners growing up. My parents usually purchased it at one of our favorite places, the Honey Baked Ham store. What I didn’t realize at the time was how expensive it could be! Now that I’m in charge of my own holiday dinners, I’ve found a way to make a sweet, sugary copycat Honey Baked Ham at home. The price is right, and baking it in the kitchen makes my house smell absolutely divine!

How Much Does a Honey Baked Ham Cost?

Buying a ham from the Honey Baked Ham store can cost well over $100! Sure, they’re tasty, but also pricy! The good news is that you can make the same delicious baked ham at home for a fraction of the cost. A similar sized ham from the grocery store will cost you less than $30, and the ingredients for the rich, sweet honey glaze are pantry staples you probably already have on hand! Save money AND make your house smell incredible all at the same time.

What Type of Ham is Best for Honey Baked Ham?

For this recipe I use a cooked spiral cut, bone-in ham. A spiral cut ham is super easy to use and glaze because it has been pre-cut into nice, thin slices. Spiral hams are easy to find at most grocery stores, especially around Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. You can also use a boneless ham, but I prefer bone-in because the ham slices are more tender and I love using the ham bone to make soups like split pea soup and ham and bean soup.

Honey Baked Ham Glaze

I actually love the process of glazing this Honey Baked Ham. The rich sauce is easy to make and it’s satisfying to see how it seeps into the crevices of the ham and creates a slightly crispy golden crust. Here’s what you do:

1. Combine butter, brown sugar, honey, and the spices into a saucepan.
2. Bring the whole thing to a boil, just until the sugar dissolves.
3. Using a basting brush, spread most of the sauce all over the ham, making sure to brush inside each slice.
4. Baste the ham once more about halfway through the baking time. Pour any remaining glaze evenly over the ham if desired.
5. Finally, broil the top of the ham in the oven at the end so the sauce caramelizes and bubbles. It’s SO delicious!

How to Cook Honey Baked Ham in the Oven

Baking a ham is the best way to get that perfect caramelized crust while keeping the ham nice and juicy. Check out the recipe card below for all the details. The trick here is low and slow. Since ham comes precooked, all you really need to do is warm it through and allow the honey and brown sugar mixture to coat the meat thoroughly. It’s a lengthy process, but thankfully easy and worth the patience, once you take your first bite!

How Long to Cook a Precooked Ham in the Oven

For this copycat Honey Baked Ham recipe, I cook the ham for 5 hours at 200-degrees F. However, if you are in a hurry, you can speed up the process by raising the temperature to 275-degrees and cook for 2-3 hours. No matter the temperature or the amount of time you cook it, you want to check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer before serving. You want the internal temperature of the thickest part of the ham to be 140-degrees F.

Tips for Cooking Honey Baked Ham

Don’t be intimidated by cooking a ham. It’s really very simple. Here are a few tips to making the best Christmas ham ever!

• Line your roasting pan with foil. The brown sugar mixture is delicious, but it makes a sticky mess! Save yourself some clean-up time and line the pan. Then, all you have to do is toss it afterward!
• Cover the ham with foil or a lid when cooking. You want to keep all those juices in the ham.
• Use a heavy duty roasting pan if you can. We love the Magnalite Roasting Pan.
• Baste your ham with the honey mixture halfway through the baking process. If you really want to have a strong glaze, baste it several times throughout the baking process.
• When basting, use a silicone basting brush. The honey mixture is sticky and you don’t want little stringy fibers getting into your baste with other types of brushes.
• To give your ham that signature golden, caramel crust, put the ham under the broiler for a few minutes at the end. You can also use a kitchen blow torch to give it that caramelized touch.
• Make sure to let the ham rest about five minutes or so before slicing and serving.

How to Cook Honey Baked Ham in the Crock Pot

If you want the ease of cooking your ham in the crock pot, you can! Just make sure to line your crock pot because it’ll get messy with all of that delicious sauce. Cook on low for 5-6 hours and then pop it in the oven under the broiler to crisp up the top. Try our Slow Cooker Ham with Maple and Brown Sugar too. It’s so delicious!

How Long Does Honey Baked Ham Last in the Fridge?

An uncooked ham can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to seven days. After it’s been baked, you can store leftovers for up to a week. Wrap the ham well in plastic wrap, in a resealable bag, or in an airtight container. If you won’t use you leftovers that quickly, consider freezing them for later use in casseroles or soups.

Can Cooked Ham Be Frozen?

Absolutely! Freeze any leftover ham in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to four months. It will still be safe to eat after that time, but may not taste as good. To reheat, let it thaw in the refrigerator completely, then microwave or put in the oven, covered, for about 30 minutes.

Leftover Ham Recipes

Ham leftovers make some of our favorite meals! Sandwiches are always a solid choice, but sometimes it’s fun to try something new like our Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes. Try your leftover ham in one of these other delicious dishes:
Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes
Homemade Mac and Cheese
Ham Fried Rice
Crockpot Split Pea Soup
Ham and Cheese Sliders
Ham and Potato Soup

What to Serve With Honey Baked Ham?

This Honey Baked Ham is so delicious and versatile, that the possibilities of what to serve alongside a thick slice are endless! Recipes like Russet Potato Mashed Potatoes and Whipped Sweet Potato Casserole pair perfectly with it. Here are a few more tried and true side dishes that we love to serve with ham:
Creamed Peas and Potatoes
Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Parmesan Crusted Potatoes
Funeral Potatoes
Twice Baked Potatoes
Parmesan Garlic Grilled Potatoes
Corn
Scalloped Potatoes
Christmas Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing