This maple bourbon glazed ham is sure to impress your guests. It's easy to make, and the sweet and smoky glaze is the perfect finishing touch on this juicy ham.
Experience the comforting sweetness of maple syrup, the subtle warmth of spices, and a hint of smoky bourbon, all infused with the enticing aroma of roasted ham.
Why You'll Love Baked Ham Recipe
There's nothing quite like a delicious glazed ham for a holiday feast! This maple bourbon glazed ham is sure to impress your guests. It's easy to make, and the sweet and smoky flavors are irresistible. Plus, the bourbon adds a nice touch of flavor.
- Easy to make: Despite its impressive appearance, this glazed ham is surprisingly easy to make. Simply prepare the glaze and baste the ham while it's roasting. The oven will do most of the work for you.
- An impressive holiday centerpiece: This glazed ham is a showstopper that will make a memorable addition to your holiday table. The sticky, caramelized glaze and tender, juicy ham will have everyone asking for seconds.
- Delicious: The combination of sweet maple syrup, smoky bourbon, and savory ham creates a harmonious blend of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds with every bite.
Don't forget the sides - some Gouda Au Gratin Potatoes, Orange Fluff Salad, or Air Fryer Frozen Asparagus would be perfect!
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Maple Bourbon Glazed Ham Ingredients
Use whatever size cured ham that works for your family. This recipe was built for a quarter ham, which serves 6. You could use the glaze sauce on a large spiral ham also though.
I used Knob Creek Smoked Maple Bourbon, but any tier of bourbon will be fantastic.
- 2.5 - 3 lb Cured Ham, pre sliced.
- Maple syrup, natural of artificial, but natural Maple syrup has more flavors that permeate the meat.
- Bourbon - Shelf brand or whatever you have on hand.
- Brown sugar
- Dijon mustard (optional).
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Maple Bourbon Glazed Ham
You will only use a small amount of bourbon when making the glaze. The alcohol will carry the flavors of the maple and bourbon up into the meat.
Be sure to cover the marinating ham with plastic wrap to prevent the alcohol from evaporating completely while marinating. It will cook off when baking.
Make The Maple Bourbon Ham Glaze
- Mix the maple syrup, bourbon, brown sugar, and mustard in a bowl and blend completely.
- Place the ham in a deep bowl or a pot. Pour the glaze over the ham. Go back and separate some of the slices, spooning glaze in between.
Marinate The Ham Overnight
Your overnight marinating is what makes sure you get that delicious maple bourbon flavor infused throughout the slices of ham.
- Turn the ham upside down, or curved side facing down into the bowl. Spoon more glaze into slices. Cover with plastic wrap tightly. Refrigerate overnight.
- Place the ham into the baking dish you plan bake it in. Leave some of the marinade in the dish. Bake for 20 minutes per lb at 325 F. Transfer the ham to a serving platter and discard liquids.
Serving Suggestions
This delicious glazed ham is perfect for your holiday table. The sweet and smoky glaze is made with maple syrup, bourbon, and a little brown sugar. It's easy to prepare and will be sure to impress your guests!
This delicious glazed ham goes well with Longhorn Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Rainbow Carrots, and a Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Bake. You can also serve it on a buffet for New Year's Eve with Baked Brie & Cranberries as an appetizer.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Related Recipes
Substitutions
You can use any type of cured ham, but a pre sliced one lets you drizzle the glaze in between the slices prior to marinating. This helps the smokey bourbon and maple flavors seep into the meat faster.
Variations
You can omit the little bit of Dijon mustard, or add garlic instead. If your bourbon doesn't have the smoked maple notes, just simply add ¼ teaspoon of liquid smoke.
Equipment
A deep bowl that lets your ham press the marinade up and around the meat is important. A baking dish that is suitable for serving is also great to have, but you can also bake the ham in a cast iron skillet and then transfer to a serving platter.
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Storage and Freezing Options
- Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator. Great for ham sandwiches or just reheating.
- You can also wrap the ham up and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Tips for Success
- Turn the ham upside down so that the glaze saturates the top of the ham and seeps into the slices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bourbon brightens flavors and adds more depth. Bourbon can also break down the enzymes in meat, so it works as a multitasking tenderizer and marinade. Mix it with brown sugar or sorghum, soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, garlic, shallots, olive oil and your choice of seasonings and spices, and marinate the meat for a few hours.
The alcohols both evaporates during marinating and cooks off at a faster rate during the warming period in the oven. For a recipe calling for 2 tablespoons of bourbon, baking at 20 minutes per lbs, there isn't any bourbon left after cooking.
More Delish Ideas
📖 Recipe
Maple Bourbon Glazed Ham
Ingredients
- 3 lb cured Ham pre sliced
- ½ cup Maple Syrup real maple syrup preferred
- 2 tablespoon Bourbon
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon creamy Dijon mustard optional
Instructions
For the Marinade
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together that maple syrup, bourbon, brown sugar, and the Dijon mustard.½ cup Maple Syrup, 2 tablespoon Bourbon, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon creamy Dijon mustard
- Blend the marinade until most of the brown sugar has dissolved, the pour over the ham set in the deep bowl.
For Glazing the Ham
- Set the ham in the deep bowl. Pour the maple bourbon glaze over the ham.3 lb cured Ham
- Pull slices apart and spoon marinade between the slices. Turn the ham upside down in the bowl so that the rounded top of the ham in in the bottom of the bowl.
- Open up slices and drizzle maple bourbon glaze between the slices at the bottom of the ham. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Set the oven temperature for 325° F. Uncover the ham and set it right side up in a baking dish. Pour the marinade over the ham again, and set in the oven. Bake at 17 to 20 minutes per lb. A three lb ham will bake for 55 to 50 minutes.
- Remove from oven, drain off liquids. Transfer to a serving platter or serve in baking dish.
Notes
- Turn the ham upside down when marinating, so that the glaze saturates the top of the ham and seeps into the slices.
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