Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze

Whether it’s Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, or Christmas dinner, baked ham is a classic and tried & true meal that I think every family loves (even my Hispanic family!). It really is the best of the best when done correctly.

I took a page out of my Brown Sugar Glazed Kielbasa Bites recipe and got inspired to make a brown sugar glaze that would be perfect for baked ham.

I added rum to spice things up. Baked ham made with rum and coke? Imagine that.

This delicious brown sugar glazed baked ham is moist and tender with a hint of caramelized sweetness from the glaze.

Let me show you how to bring this beauty to life.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Bone-in fully smoked half ham butt. I do not recommend a spiral-cut ham. They are typically more processed and dried out. Not a fan.

I highly recommend and prefer a bone-in half ham butt that’s fully smoked (or cured) with natural juices. A half ham butt is more tender with fattier meat and a more rich flavor. It’s also easier to slice too.

Boneless hams are mushy and a whole ham is way too complicated to carve. I’m all about keeping things easy and the ham butt is the way to go. Such a moist, juicy result!

For the brown sugar glaze, you will need:

• Coca-cola.
• Brown sugar.
• Dijon mustard.
• Fresh lime juice.
• Salt.
• Spiced rum or bourbon.

How To Make Brown Sugar Glaze for Ham

• Boil the ingredients. In a saucepan, whisk 2 cups of coca cola, brown sugar, Dijon, lime juice, and salt. Bring to a boil.
• Cook until slightly thick glaze. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes until the glaze has slightly thickened and reduced.
• Add in the booze. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Taste it. I bet it tastes delicious. Add a pinch more of salt if you think it needs it.

Recommended For This Recipe

How To Make a Baked Ham

• Cover the ham completely in foil. Place the room temperature ham, flat side down, in a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup of coca-cola into the pan. Cover completely in aluminum foil. This will help to keep the steam in so the ham is super moist.
• Cook the ham low and slow. Bake for 2 hours at 325ºF or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham registers 130ºF.
• Brush the glaze. In the last 25 minutes of baking time, remove the foil from the ham and brush the brown sugar glaze all over the ham.
• Continue to bake. Place the ham back in the oven (without the foil) and continue baking until golden brown. The ham is fully cooked when a food thermometer reads 145°F internal temp. Careful not to overcook or you will end up drying it out.
• Slice and serve! Remove ham from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Slice the ham and serve with leftover brown sugar glaze.

How much ham do you need per person?

You need 1/2 pound of ham per person so for this recipe, you need a 5 lb ham which will feed about 10 people.

How long do you bake a ham for?

The rule of thumb is to bake a ham for 15 minutes for every pound. The ham is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 145ºF.

How do you keep the ham moist?

To keep the ham moist, I like to bake it covered completely in aluminum foil and add 1 cup of coca-cola which will create steam. The foil keeps the steam in and the moisture from the cola keeps the ham moist and doesn’t dry it out as it bakes.

What can I serve with baked ham?

You can serve ham with white rice, Spanish yellow rice, mac + cheese, mashed potatoes, and/or sweet potato mash.

You may also like:

• Cuban Roast Pork (Lechon Asado)
• Brown Sugar Glazed Kielbasa (Only 3 Ingredients!)
• Cuban Mojo Spatchcock Turkey
• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
• Pulled Pork Sandwiches