The Best Time To Add Glaze To Your Ham

A ham's sticky sugared glaze is one of the most enjoyed aspects of honey-baked pork. Its sweet, candy-coated flavor screams buttery brown sugared bliss; unless it burned, of course. Glaze a ham at the wrong time or for too long, and it dries out and lands a much smaller, doleful crowd. An over-baked, dry ham with burnt glaze tastes less than satisfying.

Better Homes and Gardens says that glazing adds caramelized color, satisfying flavor, and a glossy sheen to ham, providing that Instagram-worthy photo opp you crave. Whether your pork is intended for a holiday dinner or family gathering, a spiral-cut ham is always a crowd pleaser.

The art of ham glazing does not require much effort, so with a bit of know-how, you'll be glazing delicious ham the right way in no time. Keep scrolling to learn more about the best time to add glaze to your delicious ham.

Glaze ham at the end of baking

Glazing ham too early is a mistake that Kitchn says is made often. The site advises against glazing ham at the beginning of its reheating. Large hams require several hours to heat all the way through. When the ham is heated uncovered, and glazed too early, it dries out.

Kitchn says to cover the ham, then heat it until it registers a temperature of around 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, bump the heat to high, glaze the ham, and bake it for an additional 10 minutes. To complete the process, brush a final coating of the glaze onto the ham and place it under the broiler until the glaze caramelizes. The entire process of glazing ham should take around 15 minutes.

Better Homes and Gardens also recommends glazing your spiraled ham at the end of baking, during the final 15 to 20 minutes. Sugar burns easily, so applying the glaze at the end of the ham's heating time is important. The site instructs you to leave the pork in the roasting pan and use a basting brush or spoon to coat the ham with the sugared glaze. Ensure every nook and cranny is covered in the sticky sauce, then return the ham to the oven to warm. Serve your ham with additional glaze if desired.