Citrus Glazed Ham
Ingredients
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- 8 pounds ham, fully cooked, bone-in (shank or butt portion)
- 20 count cloves, whole – for studding (optional)
- 2 cups water
- 1 cups orange juice – freshly squeezed
- 1/4 cups lemon juice – freshly squeezed
- 1 tbsp orange zest – finely grated
- 1 tsp lemon zest – finely grated
- 1 cups dark brown sugar – packed
- 1/4 cups honey
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 300°F. Set a rack in a large roasting pan and pour in the water.
2. Prepare the ham: Remove any tough rind, leaving a 0.25–0.5 inch cap of fat. Score the fat in a 1-inch crosshatch without cutting into the meat. If using, stud the intersections with the whole cloves.
3. Place the ham cut side down on the rack, tent loosely with foil, and roast until warmed through to 110–120°F, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours (about 10–12 minutes per pound). Add more water to the pan if it dries out.
4. Make the glaze while the ham roasts: In a saucepan combine the orange juice, lemon juice, orange zest, lemon zest, dark brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground cloves. Bring to a boil over medium-high, then reduce to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced to about 1–1.25 cups, 8–12 minutes. Remove from heat; the glaze will thicken slightly as it cools.
5. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F. Uncover the ham and brush generously with about half of the glaze. Return to the oven and roast 10 minutes.
6. Brush with most of the remaining glaze and roast until the surface is deeply burnished and sticky, 10–15 minutes more, basting once or twice. The ham should be 120–130°F for warmed-through (or up to 140°F if you prefer a hotter ham).
7. Transfer the ham to a carving board, tent with foil, and rest 15 minutes. Warm any remaining glaze briefly and brush over the ham just before carving. Slice and serve.
Citrus Glazed Ham pairs the savory richness of a smoked, bone-in ham with a bright, tangy-sweet shellac of orange and lemon. The glaze reduces to a glossy syrup that clings to the scored fat, caramelizing into a fragrant crust balanced by warm spices. Each slice is succulent and lightly perfumed with citrus oils and cloves, making it as aromatic as it is visually striking.
Rooted in American holiday cooking, glazed hams became a festive centerpiece in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as sugar, tropical fruit, and spices became more widely available. While many families favored pineapple, maraschino cherries, or molasses, citrus glazes emerged as a clean, zesty counterpoint to the ham’s salt and smoke. Studding with cloves and crosshatching the fat are time-honored touches that traveled through community cookbooks and butcher traditions, especially for Easter and Christmas tables.