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Nana Ruth's Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

A golden, glossy ham with a brown sugar and mustard glaze — the kind Nana Ruth made every Easter without measuring a thing. Scored in diamonds, studded with cloves, and basted until it shines like it knows it's the star of the table. This is the ham that makes your whole house smell like a holiday.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword brown sugar glazed ham, easter recipes, heritage recipes, holiday & celebration, main dishes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Author Maggie

Ingredients

  • 1 bone-in, spiral-cut ham about 8-10 lbs
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar dark or light
  • 1/3 cup whole grain mustard or Dijon
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • whole cloves for studding, about 30-40

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Place the ham cut-side down in a large roasting pan. If you like, score the surface in a diamond pattern and stud with whole cloves. Cover tightly with foil.
  2. Bake covered for about 2 hours (roughly 15 minutes per pound), until the internal temperature reaches 130°F.
  3. While the ham bakes, make the glaze: combine the brown sugar, whole grain mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, ground cloves, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring, until the sugar melts and everything comes together into a smooth, glossy sauce.
  4. Remove the foil from the ham. Brush a generous layer of glaze all over the surface, getting it down into the spiral cuts.
  5. Return to the oven uncovered. Bake for another 45-60 minutes, brushing with more glaze every 15 minutes, until the ham is deep golden brown and caramelized. Internal temperature should reach 145°F.
  6. Let the ham rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. The glaze will set up and get sticky as it cools. Spoon any pan juices over the slices when serving.

Recipe Notes

Nana Ruth never measured the glaze — she'd just mix brown sugar and mustard until it "looked right." If your glaze seems too thick, add a splash more vinegar. If it's too thin, add a spoonful more brown sugar. Either way, it'll be beautiful.

Leftover ham makes the best split pea soup, ham and cheese sliders, or fried ham and eggs the next morning. Don't toss that bone — it's worth its weight in gold for soup stock.