Orange Bourbon Glazed Ham

This festive, oven-baked, orange bourbon glazed ham is a desk masterpiece you’ll wish to make for each vacation, whether or not it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter. Salty ham is paired with essentially the most unbelievable sticky glaze with the delicate flavours of citrus, maple, vacation spices and bourbon. Don’t fear, it’s alcohol-free as most of that’s evaporated throughout cooking. That is the Christmas ham I plan to make this 12 months.

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Bourbon Glazed Ham

In the event you’re searching for a spectacular, but simple to make Christmas or Thanksgiving ham recipe, this orange bourbon glazed ham is THE recipe you need to strive.

It’s the whole lot a vacation ham ought to be – shiny, shiny, sticky candy on the skin and salty on the within, regal, festive and magical.

Plus, it’s inexpensive and the meat stretches a great distance (together with the leftovers) and is low-risk to make. Truthfully, it’s a lot simpler than you would possibly assume and solely requires some love and a spotlight to baste and glaze the ham whereas it’s baking. Bonus: Your own home will scent wonderful!

Under, I’m going to indicate you make this oven-baked ham with a easy, but unbelievable orange bourbon maple glaze. Make it for the following vacation desk and your visitor might be asking you for the recipe!

🎊 For extra festive recipes, try my Thanksgiving recipes, Christmas dishes and Easter concepts. You may also like crusted rack of lamb with herbs & macadamia huts, my roast pork tenderloin with orange maple glaze, or my oven-baked brisket with Balsamic discount glaze.

Which Ham To Purchase?

Cooked ham – for glazed ham, you want to get cooked ham (ready-to-eat, often smoked sort), not a uncooked one (also referred to as gammon). In Australia, most ham is able to eat, particularly across the holidays.

Leg or shoulder – You need to use the leg of ham or ham shoulder (which is what I used right here). It may be a big complete leg or a half, relying on how many individuals you’re catering for. This recipe will work with each half and complete hams. For bigger hams, scale up the glaze elements as wanted. It’s all the time higher to make extra glaze than much less.

Rind on ham – You want the ham that has its rind on (seems to be like thick pores and skin). Beneath this pores and skin is a fats layer which is important for scrumptious, sticky ham. In some hams, the rind and fats and eliminated and people may be used if that’s all you may get. You’ll have to rating the meat barely.

How A lot Ham Per Particular person? 

Ham is usually not the one protein on the desk, so most individuals solely have 1-2 slices with just a few sides.

• On common, you’re taking a look at 100-150 grams or 4 oz of ham per individual. So 1 kg/ 2lb of ham ought to feed between 6-8 folks. My recipe is for 3 kg / 6.5 lb of ham, in order that’s round 20-22 servings. 
• If ham is the one protein on the desk, I’d advocate about 150 g / 5 oz per individual, and you are able to do the maths.  PS. Our household is kind of small, so I all the time find yourself with leftover ham for days!

Substances For Ham Glaze

This can be a scrumptious glaze for ham with a contact of bourbon for further depth. You’ll need:

• Orange juice – the bottom for the glaze, provides it a festive and citrusy flavour.
• Orange marmalade – get the smoothest sort you’ll be able to, provides sweetness and slightly bitterness, supplying you with a way more subtle flavour.
• Brown sugar – provides to the caramelised flavour of the glaze.
• Maple syrup – The nutty, caramel-like flavour of maple is attractive with bourbon and orange.
• Heat spices– I used Blended spice and floor clove; you’ll be able to mess around right here with Allspice, cinnamon, ginger or nutmeg.
• Worcestershire sauce -adds slightly acidity, spice and savoury notes, that is optionally available.

How To Make Orange Bourbon Glazed Ham

Discover the total checklist of elements, dietary information, and directions within the recipe card under. Listed below are some step-by-step pics to information you alongside. The method has 3 predominant levels:

1. Take away the rind from the ham and rating the fats.
2. Make the glaze.
3. Bake the ham for about 1.5-2 hours (relying on dimension), basting/brushing it with the glaze each 15-20 minutes. As soon as faraway from the oven, brush with extra glaze for further shiny, shiny end.

How To Take away Rind From Ham

The rind is chewy and gummy and doesn’t actually get crispy throughout cooking, so you need to take away it. This may expose the fats layer, which is able to render off fairly a bit throughout baking and get all candy, sticky and caramelised. Plus, the glaze will seep into the fleshy a part of the ham, which it could possibly’t do if the rind is there.

• Insert a pointy knife between the rind and the fats and run it alongside to detach each layers.
• Then, use your fingers to softly separate the rind from the fats.
• Merely run the finger below the rind (with some strain), and it’ll peel off fairly simply. If it will get caught at any stage, use the knife to detach it.
• Peel off all the rind however you’ll be able to depart some on the slender, deal with a part of the leg or shoulder.

Rating the fats to get a diamond sample all around the floor. Lower diagonal strains going each methods, making 1-2cm-wide strips. Most individuals advocate solely chopping by means of a number of the fats however I prefer to go all the best way to the meat in order that extra glaze can penetrate the ham. The selection is extra aesthetic, for my part.

With the ham shoulder, I reduce off the rounded edge on the entrance and scored the meat for visible impact.

How To Make Glaze For Ham

Merely add all glaze elements to a shallow pan or a pot, carry to a boil after which simmer for 10-Quarter-hour, till it’s lowered and thickened.

It’s a must to stir continuously and MAKE SURE you don’t over-reduce it. You need it to be thickened sufficient to go away a hint on a spoon however not as thick as honey. The glaze will thicken extra as soon as it cools down so it may be deceiving whereas it’s nonetheless scorching and could be simply over-cooked, supplying you with a extremely thick glaze, which might be exhausting to unfold.

You’ll use this glaze to brush over the ham earlier than and through baking. Nonetheless, as soon as there are baking pan juices, they’ll turn into a part of the basting glaze.

Bake Ham In The Oven

Brush the ham throughout (backside, prime and sides) with the glaze utilizing a pastry brush. Alternatively, use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over. Place in a big baking dish that may catch the juices and place within the oven, on a decrease shelf. Don’t place the dish too near the highest grill a part of the oven because the ham will burn too shortly.

How Lengthy To Cook dinner A Ham?

This may rely upon the scale of the ham however usually talking 1.5 to 2 hours is enough to warmth by means of the meat and to caramelise and brown the glazed outdoors of the ham.

I often let the ham bake for 20-25 minutes to render off a number of the fats and to get the pan juices going. Then I baste the ham with the pan juices and brush with further glaze each 15-20 minutes, till I attain whole cooking time or the ham seems to be prefer it’s executed.

A few of the edges is likely to be extra uncovered to warmth and can darken sooner, by which case you’ll be able to shield these with items of foil. Make sure that to rotate the ham within the oven each time you place it again to make sure even baking.

Recipe Suggestions

• Use the ham with the rind and fats on it and take away simply the rind. Rating the fats for that attractive diamond sample look.
• When making the glaze, scale back the liquid barely however don’t over-cook it as it’ll get too hen when cooled, and might be unattainable to slather on the ham.
• Use the pan juices to baste them earlier than brushing with further glaze. These juices will thicken and brown as they prepare dinner, incorporating the dripping fats and glaze from the ham. This liquid is PURE GOLD and is SO flavoursome, you wish to get as a lot of it on the ham as attainable. Ultimately, this pan gravy would be the ultimate glaze that goes on the ham when serving.
• Defend any components of the ham that begin to burn with foil. You’ll not lose the caramelisation beneath. Merely peel the foil off when completed cooking.
• Make sure that to order the pan juices and the glaze to brush over the ham as soon as it’s rested out of the oven. You’ll be able to serve any extras in a ramekin as ham gravy.
• Be at liberty to make use of honey as a substitute of maple syrup for a barely totally different flavoured glaze. You too can use white sugar as a substitute of brown.
• Strive whiskey, pork, sherry or Grand Marnier as a substitute of bourbon.

What To Serve With Ham

Serve the ham on a platter with pan juices and glaze basted excessive. Further juice and glaze could be combined to create a aspect sauce that’s loaded with flavour. Heat it up so it’s pourable and drizzle sparingly because the flavour is powerful.

I prefer to serve just a few different condiments on the aspect akin to quite a lot of mustards, chutneys, cranberry sauce, aioli, pickles/gherkins and so forth.

Glazed ham is often served as a part of a festive vacation unfold with just a few aspect dishes. What you serve depends upon the vacation, the season and the climate!

For a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, I’d serve baked ham with one thing like creamy mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes and even roasted spuds. Macaroni and cheese is one other consolation meals that pairs properly with ham. You then want one thing extra savoury and crunchy to clean up the flavours, like steamed or sauteed inexperienced beans, grilled asparagus, garlic broccoli or pretty, crisp inexperienced salad.

In the event you’re serving this orange bourbon ham for lunch (particularly throughout hotter seasons), I like to recommend a potato salad, a festive coleslaw, or some scrumptious smooth bread rolls, cornbread or sliced focaccia.

When you have leftover ham, make certain to maintain it as there are various dishes you may make!

Full Recipe 

Discover the total checklist of elements, directions, and a dietary breakdown under. When you have questions or prepare dinner this recipe, please let me know within the feedback, and ensure to charge this recipe so it’s simple for others to seek out.

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