This very easy Maple Syrup Glazed Ham will be the show-stopping centrepiece on your festive table. For many people, a Glazed Ham is an essential part of their celebration; it just wouldn’t be the same without one on the table. For this recipe, we use a simple glaze made from maple syrup, orange juice, Dijon mustard, brown sugar and ground ginger. We cover the ham in the glaze made with the contrasting flavours of sweet, savoury, and slightly spicy. The flesh becomes tender and juicy, whilst the glaze burnishes the skin and adds flavour, turning the ham into a great addition to your festive table.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- The sticky, flavoursome glaze is made from readily available ingredients.
- This is a stress-free recipe; and suitable for beginners or experienced cooks alike.
- It is simply and easily prepared, with most of the time being hands-off, leaving you to attend to other things. Perfect when you’re entertaining!
- A leg ham is an economical way to serve a large group of people.
- To get ahead, you can prepare the glaze a day ahead of time.
- This Maple Glazed Ham is versatile. There are so many ways to enjoy it. Serve it with hot vegetables such as our Whole Roasted Baby Potatoes, our Fresh Mango Salsa as a condiment or an ever-popular Orange Spinach and Pomegranate Salad. We have further suggestions below.
- Leftover ham is so delicious! Use it in soups, my Ham and Cheese Puff Pastries or instead of bacon in Mac and Cheese.
Recipe Inspiration: there are many traditions at the festive season. One of mine is to have a glazed ham on the table and this Maple Syrup Glazed Ham is a great alternative to my Marmalade Glazed Ham.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Leg ham – for this recipe, we have used a cooked half-leg ham, bone-in, as this will be adequate for many families. I prefer the shank end for its appearance and for having the shank to hold whilst carving.
- Oranges – we use freshly squeezed orange juice in the glaze and sliced oranges on which to sit the ham in the baking tin.
- Maple syrup – adds a complex, sweet flavour and stickiness to the glaze.
- Dijon mustard – its pungent, sharp, spiciness adds a great savoury note.
- Brown sugar – adds a caramel note to the glaze. We use light brown sugar.
- Ground ginger – adds warm notes and a slightly spicy edge.
Variations:
Mustard – you could use seeded mustard if you prefer.
Spice – you could add some dried chilli flakes if you enjoy the spice, or if you enjoy the flavour that cloves impart, you could stud some of the diamonds with whole cloves after adding the glaze.
Orange – add some orange zest to your glaze to boost the citrus flavour.
How To Make Maple Glazed Ham:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Prepare the glaze:
Add all ingredients for the glaze to a small saucepan. Whisk to combine, bring to a simmer, stirring to ensure that sugar dissolves and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
2 – Remove the skin from the ham:
To prepare the ham, loosen and remove the skin. To do this, cut around the shank end (the bone end) about 10 cm (4 inches) from the end. Then, use a sharp knife to run around and under the edge of the skin on the cut side of the ham. Insert your fingers under the skin, gently slide them to separate the skin from the fat. Use the tip of the knife if necessary to further loosen the skin.
Peel it back as you go until you can remove it.
3 – Score the fat:
When you have removed the skin, use a small, sharp knife to score the fat in 2 ½ cm (1 inch) diamonds being careful to not cut through to the flesh of the ham.
4 – Place on baking tray:
Place the ham on the sliced oranges on the baking dish/tray.
Cover the shank end in foil.
5 – Brush with the glaze:
Using a pastry or silicone brush, add ⅓ of the glaze to the top of the ham. Bake in your pre-heated oven. You’ll brush with the glaze a further two times throughout the cooking process.
6 – The finished ham:
The ham will be beautiful and golden. Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the ham to a carving board or serving platter.
Hint: for the best result, it is important to bring the ham to cool room temperature before placing it in the oven as it will cook more evenly. As well, it is also important to rest the ham before serving. This will ensure the juices are absorbed back into the ham.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
No, leave the fat on, it plays an important role. As it melts, it keeps the ham moist.
Resting the ham allows the muscles to relax and the juices redistribute, increasing the flavour and tenderness of the ham. It also makes it easier to carve.
Store it in a special ham bag or clean pillowcase. Rinse the one you use in a solution of 1 cup vinegar to 1 litre of water. Wring out the solution as thoroughly as possible and wrap around the ham. After about 3 days the bag will have dried out and you will need to repeat the process. It will last up to 2 weeks when properly wrapped. If you can’t use it in that time, it is best to freeze it as detailed below.
You certainly can. To make it easier to store, I recommend that you separate the meat from the bone. You can cut it into blocks, wrap well in cling wrap and then in foil before freezing. Alternatively, you can slice some and store in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Wrap the ham bone separately and use it for stock or to make pea soup.
Top Tip:
As always, for the best result, it is important to start with good quality ingredients. The better the quality of the ham, the better it will taste.
Serving Suggestions:
You will find many ways to enjoy my Maple Glazed Ham. Some suggestions are:
- For casual entertaining, serve a variety of breads, various condiments and salads. Guests can assemble their own sandwiches.
- It is also a great addition to a charcuterie board, served with a variety of antipasti such as Marinated Mozzarella Balls (Bocconcini) or Roasted Red Peppers (Capsicum).
- For a more formal gathering, serve with a variety of side dishes. Some of our favourites are my Baked Mashed Potatoes, Crispy Sheet Pan Stuffing and Asparagus Gratin, and both can be prepared ahead of time.
- Adding a glaze to an already beautiful ham will transform it into a crowd-pleasing festive centrepiece.
Please let me know in the comments below if you try this – we’d love it to be a part of your festive celebrations.
Alex xx
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Maple Syrup Glazed Ham
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
For the Ham:
- 4.5 kg (10 lb) cooked half leg ham – shank end – with bone in and skin on See Note 1
- 2 large oranges – cut into 1 cm (0.4 inch) slices, ends trimmed
For the Glaze:
- ½ cup (125 ml) orange juice – freshly squeezed
- ½ cup (125 ml) maple syrup
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard See Note 2
- 2 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Remove the ham from the fridge 30-40 minutes prior to cooking to allow it to come room temperature.Arrange your oven shelves to accommodate the ham when you place it in the baking tray. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (355 F).
- Add all ingredients for the glaze to a small saucepan. Whisk to combine and over medium heat, bring to a simmer, stirring to ensure that sugar dissolves.Simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Line a large, deep baking or roasting dish with non-stick baking paper. Add the sliced oranges to the centre of the tray as a trivet on which to sit the ham.
- To prepare the ham, loosen and remove the skin on the ham. To do this, cut around the shank end (the bone end) about 10 cm (4 inches) from the end. (Please see the process shots in the blog post if you're unsure, or also view our video for Marmalade Glazed Ham.)
- Then, use a sharp knife to run around and under the edge of the skin on the cut side of the ham. Insert your fingers under the skin and gently slide them to separate the skin from the fat. Use the tip of the knife if necessary to further loosen the skin.Peel the skin back as you go until you can completely remove it. Discard the skin but do not remove the fat as it has an essential role in keeping the ham moist.
- Use a small, sharp knife to score the fat in 2 ½ cm (1 inch) diamonds being careful to not cut through to the flesh of the ham.
- Place the ham on the sliced oranges on the baking dish/tray. Cover the shank end in foil so it doesn’t burn.Using a pastry or silicone brush, add ⅓ of the glaze to the top of the ham. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
- Carefully remove the dish from the oven, add a further ⅓ of the glaze to the top of the ham and bake for another 25 minutes. Turn the dish around when you return it to the oven.
- Finally, add the remaining glaze and bake for another 20-30 minutes. The ham should be golden. Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the ham to a carving board or serving platter. Allow to rest for 20 minutes.Serve on a platter with the oranges underneath.See notes for storing leftovers.
Notes
- Ham: anything in the range of 4-5 kg will cook for a similar time. Allow slightly less time for smaller hams.
We use a cooked ham, not raw. I prefer the shank end for its appearance and for having the shank to hold whilst carving. - Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
- Servings: will depend on what you are serving with the ham. This sized ham should serve 12-16 people generously.
- Storage: store it in a special ham bag or clean pillowcase. Rinse the one you use in a solution of 1 cup vinegar to 1 litre of water. Wring out the solution as thoroughly as possible and wrap around the ham. After about 3 days the bag will have dried out and you will need to repeat the process. It will last up to 2 weeks when properly wrapped. If you can’t use it in that time, it is best to freeze it as detailed below.
- Freezing: cut the cooled ham into blocks, wrap well in cling wrap and then in foil before freezing. Alternatively, you can slice some and store in an airtight freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge before using.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
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