Maple Syrup Glazed Ham

Maple Glazed Ham, sitting on some orange slices on a round white plate.

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.

Course Main Course

Cuisine International

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 20

Resting Time 20

Total Time 2 10

Servings people

Calories 652kcal

Author Alexandra Cook - It's Not Complicated Recipes

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