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Salty-sweet, deliciously sticky, and perfect for any holiday table, my Maple Orange Glazed Ham recipe is sure to become a family tradition. Simply made with just 15 minutes of active kitchen time and a pre-cooked spiral ham, this no-cook orange marmalade ham glaze will enable you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the party — while still knocking everyone’s socks off.
Table of Contents
- About this orange glaze for ham
- Why you’ll love this orange marmalade glaze
- Ingredients in ham orange glaze
- How to make orange glazed ham
- FAQs: frequently asked questions
- What does glazing a ham do?
- Do you glaze a ham before or after baking?
- What is the purpose of baking a ham marked “fully cooked” or “ready to eat”?
- Can you eat a fully cooked ham without cooking it?
- How do you keep a glazed ham moist?
- What cut of meat is used for glazed ham?
- How much ham per person?
- Is this orange glaze ham gluten-free?
- Serving glazed ham with orange
- Storing glazed orange ham
- More glazed pork entrees!
- Orange Glaze for Ham
About this orange glaze for ham
If you’re looking for a sweet and citrusy ham glaze for your Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas spiral cut ham (or turkey!), you’ve found it! Featuring vibrantly sweet orange marmalade, sticky maple syrup, tangy apple cider, slightly spicy dijon mustard, and savory seasonings, like rosemary and ground cinnamon, this orange ham glaze requires ZERO COOKING. I mean, it just doesn’t get much more delicious and easy than this.
Why you’ll love this orange marmalade glaze
- Versatile – Whether you’re celebrating Christmas in the dead of winter or Easter at the beginning of spring, this brightly flavored ham with orange glaze is sure to please.
- Quick & Simple – Starting with a pre-baked ham means you don’t have to worry about it taking hours to cook. Just mix up your glaze, brush it over your meat, and let the oven work its caramelly magic. All in, you’re looking at just 30 minutes of recipe prep time!
- Perfect for a Crowd – Got a big family? This orange glazed ham with maple syrup is the perfect solution. It’s big enough to feed the whole team!
If you’ve got leftover orange marmalade , put it to good use in this delicious recipe for orange stir-fry beef.
Ingredients in ham orange glaze
- Fully Cooked Bone-In Spiral Sliced Ham – This is the ticket to a low-lift dinner with major flavor and zero fuss. You don’t even have to worry about carving it! 🙌
- Orange Marmalade – Lends bright orange flavor and sticky-icky goodness to the orange marmalade glaze for ham.
- Maple Syrup – In my world, maple isn’t limited to cold weather; this orange maple ham glaze is perfectly delicious all year. That said, an orange honey glazed ham is equally delightful! Simply swap in an equal amount of honey.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – A touch of extra acidity helps to balance out all the sweetness in this orange ham glaze recipe.
- Light Brown Sugar – Adding brown sugar helps the glaze to caramelize beautifully. Don’t swap in dark brown sugar — it’s too __ for this recipe.
- Dijon Mustard – This tangy addition gives the orange glaze a quasi-honey mustard vibe, plus acts as an emulsifier. In a pinch, you can swap in spicy brown or yellow mustard.
- Dry Crushed Rosemary, Ground Cinnamon, & Ground Ginger – This trio of dried herbs & spices brings big flavor with minimal effort. To swap in fresh rosemary or fresh ginger, multiply the amount used by 3. Make sure to finely chop the rosemary and/or grate the ginger if you go this route.
- OJ – We already have a lovely orange flavor from the marmalade, but I’m an overachiever. Don’t forget to save the orange zest for garnish.
- Sub: Feel free to use water instead.
- Oranges – Optional, but lovely. Coating the ham in thin slices of orange helps to keep it super moist, plus adds an impressive aesthetic. If possible, use whole cloves to nail the slices to your meat for added flavor.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper – For seasoning. Use freshly cracked pepper for the most potent taste!
Recipe variations
While I love this recipe for savory ham glaze with orange and maple syrup, there are a few ways to make it your own. First, consider a different cut of ham:
- Orange Glazed Gammon – This cut comes from the hind leg and includes a full side of bacon which adds richness (YUM!). While it’s usually cured or brined, it’s rare that a gammon comes pre-cooked or pre-sliced. If you go this route, cook the ham to an internal temperature of 145F, allow it to cool, then slice it before proceeding with the recipe.
- Boneless Glazed Orange Ham – A boneless ham is similar to a bone-in ham. However, with the boneless ham, they remove the bone and tightly press the ham meat into a tight oval-shape. While boneless hams may appear to be easier to work with, I recommend purchasing bone-in hams as they are richer in flavor and moister in texture. Plus, a bone-in spiral ham is more aesthetically “wow-ing” and makes for a better presentation when carving. If you’re using this orange maple glaze on a boneless ham, just make sure you bake the ham until it reaches an internal temperature of 145-degrees.
You can also…
- Citrus Swap: You can swap the fresh OJ and oranges for a different citrus. Below are a few ideas to help inspire:
- Similar to oranges in taste and texture, tangerines and clementines make a natural substitution.
- Swap in pineapple juice and use pineapple slices to cover the glazed ham.
- Try grapefruit juice and grapefruit slices
How to make orange glazed ham
This recipe is a two-parter, or two-for-one: there’s instructions for making an orange glaze and for cooking spiral cut ham. Here’s what you need to know:
How to make orange glaze recipe
- Orange Marmalade Glaze for Ham: In a medium bowl, combine the the orange marmalade, maple syrup, vinegar, sugar, mustard, pepper, salt, rosemary, cinnamon, and ginger.
- Whisk: Use a whisk to mix the ingredients together until they’re thoroughly combined. Then, set the glaze aside or cover and store in the refrigerator to use at a later date.
How to glaze and bake a spiral ham
- Prepare Roasting Pan and Ham: Pour orange juice into the bottom of the roasting pan to prevent the bottom from burning. Then, place the ham cut side down on the roasting rack.
- Glaze Ham: Using a pastry brush, brush 1/2 cup of the orange glaze all over the surface of the ham.
- Optional – Cover Ham with Orange Slices: Arrange thinly sliced oranges all over the surface of the glazed ham and tack them into place with toothpicks or whole cloves.
- Bake the Orange Glazed Ham: Lightly tent and wrap the top and bottom edges of the cut side of the ham with foil. Place the ham into the oven and bake until the ham reaches and internal temperature of 110 to 120-degrees Fahrenheit on an instant read thermometer. Once the ham reaches temperature, remove the ham from the oven.
- Increase Oven, Add Juice to Pan: Increased the oven temperature to 400-degrees Fahrenheit. Add 1 cup of room temperature orange juice, water, or mix of both to the roasting pan. Then, use a baster to baste the ham with the juices in the pan.
- Re-Glaze and Bake Ham TWO More Times: Brush 1/2 cup of the orange glaze all over the surface of the ham. Return the orange glazed ham to the oven and bake – uncovered – for 12 minutes. Remove the ham from the oven and brush with the remaining glaze. Return the ham to the oven and continue to bake the for 10-15 minutes, or until the ham reaches an internal temperature of at least 145-degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rest Orange Ham: Remove the holiday ham from the oven and place it on a clean work surface. Use a baster to baste the ham with the drippings in the pan. Then, lightly tent the ham with foil and let it rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Remove and discard the orange slices from the ham.
- Garnish and Serve Orange Glazed Ham: Place the ham on a serving platter and then surround it with orange wedges and rosemary sprigs, if desired. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Expert tips for the best ham glaze orange
Making this orange marmalade glaze for ham is pretty straightforward, but here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Avoid hams with labels that say “water added.” This is a tricky way for meat producers to artificially increase their weight and tends to make the meat spongey. “Ham with natural juices” is okay.
- Take off the chill. 1 to 2 hours PRIOR to cooking, take the ham out of the refrigerator, leave it in its original packaging, and place it on top of a baking sheet to catch any drips.
- Make it extra moist. Arrange thinly sliced oranges all over the surface of the glazed ham and tack them into place with toothpicks or whole cloves. (Note: This is entirely optional; however, it does prevent the ham from drying out.)
- Rest for the best. As with any meat, you want to allow your baked ham to rest for 15-20 minutes after the final cook so that it can redistribute its juices. Make sure to tent it with foil to prevent it from cooling too much.
- Work ahead. If you’re a planner, I see you. You can make the orange marmalade glaze for ham up to 3 days in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
- Don’t overcook the glaze. You just want to dissolve the sugar, then turn off the heat. If you cook it too long or too vigorously, it’ll turn into a caramel and become very difficult to work with.
- Only cook the ham to 140F. We’re starting with a fully-cooked ham, so you don’t want to dry it out.
- Waste not, want not. Don’t you dare toss that ham bone once all the meaty goodness is gone! Make delicious ham bone soup to get the most bang for your buck.
FAQs: frequently asked questions
Below you’ll find the most common questions and answers about making an orange marmalade glaze and baking a spiral ham. If you have a question you’d like answered, please drop it in the comments section below!
What does glazing a ham do?
This orange marmalade glaze for ham with maple syrup adds tons of bright, salty-sweet flavor and a delicious caramelized crust.
Do you glaze a ham before or after baking?
This is a tricky question because of the way it’s phrased. For this recipe for orange glazed ham, we’re starting with pre-cooked ham, which has ostensibly been baked to earn the “fully cooked” label. We only add the orange marmalade glaze AFTER the meat is cooked. HOWEVER, we’ll bake the ham several more times after brushing on the glaze in order to help it caramelize and to build up enough stickiness on the surface. So, I guess the long and short of it is “both?” 😂
What is the purpose of baking a ham marked “fully cooked” or “ready to eat”?
The purpose of baking a pre-cooked ham is twofold — first, baking it warms it up.
Can you eat a fully cooked ham without cooking it?
Second, in order to get that gorgeous lacquered exterior on this glazed ham with orange and maple, we need to caramelize the glaze onto the meat.
How do you keep a glazed ham moist?
My favorite method is to tack thin slices of orange on the exterior using whole cloves as your adherents. Also, don’t overcook it! You can pull the orange ham from the oven when it reaches 140F; it’ll continue cooking a few degrees as it sits under foil.
What cut of meat is used for glazed ham?
I personally like to use a fully cooked spiral-cut ham, which comes from the hind leg.
How much ham per person?
In total, you want about ½ pound of meat per person. HOWEVER, since we’re starting with a bone-in ham, note that the weight will be skewed. For this reason, estimate about ¾ – 1 pound of weight per person.
Is this orange glaze ham gluten-free?
Yup! So long as you don’t have any issues with cross-contamination in the kitchen, this ham is celiac-friendly.
Serving glazed ham with orange
- If you’re planning a holiday party, appetizers are a must. Bacon deviled eggs, crab deviled eggs, smoked salmon cream cheese rolls, creative deviled eggs with red bell pepper, and plump cocktail shrimp with remoulade are my favorites here.
- Try this orange glaze on your Thanksgiving turkey and serve it with warm kale salad, pomegranate salsa, maple brussels, and corn casserole.
- Serve your holiday ham with other Christmas favorites like cheesy loaded cauliflower, cream corn casserole, brussels sprouts gratin, and homemade dinner rolls.
- For Easter, lighten up your sides by serving it alongside mayo-free potato salad, broccoli grape salad, and oven roasted prosciutto wrapped asparagus, or my favorite asparagus salad mimosa.
- Don’t forget to bust out the desserts! For winter celebrations I love this easy pumpkin pie cake with cake mix, and you can’t beat these pretty-in-pink cake pop bites for spring.
- Any leftover ham would be delicious in this navy beans ham soup. You can also chop the ham and use it in breakfast egg muffins in place of Canadian bacon or add it to garlic potato soup.
Storing glazed orange ham
- Any leftovers of the orange maple ham should last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- You can also place in in a vacuum-sealed bag or zip-top freezer bag and keep it in the freezer for 2 months
- Serving leftovers: Just like cold pizza, I like my leftover orange ham straight from the fridge. However, if you prefer warm ham, simply wrap leftovers in aluminum foil and heat in a 300-degree Fahrenheit oven until warm through.
And there you have it, folks: an orange marmalade glaze for ham that’s sure to earn you a standing ovation. Don’t be surprised if your guests ask for an encore! With a ham this good, the only thing left to say is, “Orange you glad we made this?” Now go ahead, take a bow, and let the feast begin.
Cheyanne
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More glazed pork entrees!
How to make the best orange marmalade glaze for ham (and more!)👇
Orange Glaze for Ham
Salty-sweet, deliciously sticky, and perfect for any holiday table, my Maple Orange Glazed Ham recipe is sure to become a family tradition. Simply made with just 15 minutes of active kitchen time and a pre-cooked spiral ham, this no-cook orange ham glaze will enable you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the party — while still knocking everyone’s socks off.
Equipment
- 1 Medium Bowl (for making orange glaze)
- 1 Whisk (for whisking orange glaze)
- 1 Pastry brush (for brushing glaze onto ham)
- 1 Roasting Pan with Wire Rack (for baking orange glaze ham)
Ingredients
- 8-10 pounds Fully Cooked Bone-In Spiral Sliced Ham
Maple Orange Glaze (yield 1 ½ cups):
- 2/3 cup Orange Marmalade
- ¼ cup Pure Maple Syrup (sub: honey)
- 3 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 TBS Light Brown Sugar – firmly packed (do not substitute dark brown sugar)
- 2 TBS Dijon Mustard
- 2 tsp Coarsely Ground Black pepper
- 1 ¼ tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Dry Crushed Rosemary
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- Heaping ½ tsp Ground Ginger
- 3 Cups Orange Juice – DIVIDED (sub: water)
- Optional whole Oranges – thinly sliced (SEE NOTES)
Instructions
- At least ONE HOUR BEFORE COOKING -Remove Ham from Refrigerator: 1 to 2 hours PRIOR to cooking, take the ham out of the refrigerator. Leaving the ham in its original packaging, placed it on top of a baking sheet. Let the ham come to room temperature for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 hours, before preparing this recipe.
- Make Orange Glaze for Ham: In a medium bowl, add the orange marmalade, maple syrup, vinegar, sugar, mustard, pepper, salt, rosemary, cinnamon, and ginger. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare Roasting Pan: Arrange the oven rack to the lower third position. Then, preheat your oven to 325-degrees Fahrenheit. Place a roasting rack or flat wire rack inside of a roasting pan and then set it aside.
- Prepare Ham for Baking: Remove the packaging from the ham. If there is a plastic disk covering the bone, remove and discard it. Next, pour two cups of orange juice, water, or mix of both into the bottom of the roasting pan to prevent the bottom from burning. Then, place ham, cut side down, on the roasting rack.
- Brush Ham with Orange Glaze: Using a pastry brush, brush 1/3 of the orange glaze (about ½ cup) all over the surface of the ham.
- OPTIONAL – Cover Ham with Orange Slices: Arrange thinly sliced oranges all over the surface of the glazed ham and tack them into place with toothpicks or whole cloves. (Note: This is entirely optional; however, it does prevent the ham from drying out.)
- Bake the Orange Glazed Ham: Lightly tent and wrap the top and bottom edges of the cut side of the ham with foil. Place the ham into the preheated oven and bake until the ham reaches and internal temperature of 110 to 120-degrees Fahrenheit on an instant read thermometer, approximately 12-13 minutes per pound of ham, or about 96-104 minutes for an 8-pound ham. Once the ham reaches an internal temperature of 110 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the ham from the oven. (Note: Make sure you check the water level in your roasting pan while the ham is baking. If the pan is getting low, simply add more room temperature orange juice or water.)
- Increase Oven, Add Juice to Pan: Increased the oven temperature to 400-degrees Fahrenheit. Add 1 cup of room temperature orange juice, water, or mix of both to the roasting pan. Then, use a baster to baste the ham with the juices in the pan.
- Re-Glaze and Bake Ham TWO More Times: Brush half of the remaining glaze (1/2 cup) all over the surface of the ham. Return the orange glazed ham to the oven and bake – uncovered – for 12 minutes. Remove the ham from the oven and brush with the remaining orange glaze. Return to the oven and bake the ham again – uncovered – for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the ham reaches an internal temperature of at least 145-degrees Fahrenheit. (Note: If your ham is getting too brown on the surface, lightly tent it with aluminum foil.)
- Rest Orange Ham: Remove the holiday ham from the oven and place it on a clean work surface. Use a baster to baste the ham with the drippings in the pan. Then, lightly tent the ham with foil and let it rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Remove and discard the orange slices from the ham.
- Garnish and Serve Orange Glazed Ham: Place the ham on a serving platter and then surround it with orange wedges and rosemary sprigs, if desired. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Orange Glaze: You can make the orange ham glaze up to 3 days ahead of time. Cover the glaze and store in the refrigerator. Remove from the fridge 1 hour before using (simply remove it at the same time you remove the ham).
- Covering Ham with Orange Slices: This step is entirely optional; however, it does add a bit of flavor and help prevent the ham from drying out during baking.
- Storing: Store slices of orange glazed ham in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Alternatively, you can wrap the leftover ham in aluminum foil and then place into a freezer storage bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 469kcal Carbohydrates: 21g Protein: 49g Fat: 20g Saturated Fat: 4g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 7g Cholesterol: 189mg Sodium: 3235mg Potassium: 862mg Fiber: 0.4g Sugar: 18g Vitamin A: 118IU Vitamin C: 88mg Calcium: 37mg Iron: 2mg
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