Baked Candied Ham

Ingredients

• 1 piece (8-10 lbs) bone-in smoked ham (half or whole)
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 30 pieces whole cloves, for garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Remove your 8–10 lb bone-in smoked ham from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 45 minutes — this ensures even cooking throughout. Preheat your oven to 325°F.

2. 2

   Using a sharp knife, score the ham's surface in a crosshatch pattern, cutting just ¼ inch deep through the fat layer in both directions, roughly 1 inch apart — this lets the glaze penetrate and creates those caramelized edges you want.

3. 3

   Place the scored ham cut-side down in a large roasting pan (at least 16 inches). Pour about ½ cup of water into the bottom of the pan — this keeps the ham moist and prevents the pan drippings from burning.

4. 4

   Cover the ham tightly with aluminum foil and place it in your preheated 325°F oven. Bake for 15–18 minutes per pound — so for an 8 lb ham, that's roughly 2 to 2.5 hours. The ham is already cooked, so you're just heating it through and allowing the glaze to develop later.

5. 5

   While the ham bakes, prepare your glaze. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 0.25 cup of unsalted butter. Whisk in 1 cup of packed dark brown sugar, 0.5 cup of Dijon mustard, 0.25 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 0.5 teaspoon of ground cloves, and 0.25 teaspoon of ground black pepper. Stir constantly until the brown sugar dissolves completely and the mixture is smooth and shiny, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly — you should smell a warm, caramelized aroma with a subtle spice note.

6. 6

   About 30 minutes before the ham finishes (so at around the 1.5–2 hour mark), carefully remove the foil. Using a pastry brush, generously brush half of the glaze all over the ham's scored surface, making sure it gets into the crosshatch cuts. Return to the oven, uncovered.

7. 7

   After another 15 minutes, remove the ham from the oven and brush with the remaining glaze, making sure to coat every inch. If you're using whole cloves for garnish, press 30 of them into the ham in a decorative pattern — traditionally, place one at the intersection of each crosshatch square. Return to the oven for the final 15 minutes.

8. 8

   The ham is done when the glaze is deep golden-brown and sticky, with caramelized edges darkening slightly at the peaks. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part (not touching bone) should read 140°F, though it will likely be higher since the ham was already cooked.

9. 9

   Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest in the roasting pan for 10 minutes before carving — this allows the residual heat to firm up the glaze slightly and makes slicing cleaner.

10. 10

    Pour any pan drippings into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat for 2–3 minutes to create a quick sauce. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any bits. Transfer the ham to a carving board, slice against the grain into ½-inch pieces, and arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle with the warm pan sauce and serve hot or at room temperature — candied ham is delicious either way.

Tools you’ll need

• sharp carving knife
• large roasting pan (16 inches)
• aluminum foil
• medium saucepan
• whisk
• pastry brush
• instant-read thermometer
• carving board
• fine-mesh strainer

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