This brown sugar spiral ham glaze takes under ten minutes and six pantry ingredients: brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, butter, and a pinch of cinnamon. Brush it on during the last 15 minutes in the oven and it sets into a glossy, sticky crust.
Our Heritage Duroc spiral sliced ham comes with an optional honey glaze packet, and the package directions say to prepare and apply it before heating. This recipe is a second option for cooks who want a brown sugar crust, and it goes on at the end instead.
Spiral ham glaze ingredients
This makes about one cup, enough for a 6 to 10 pound ham with a second coat to spare.
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground cloves (optional)
Dark brown sugar gives a deeper, more molasses flavor. Light brown sugar is a little cleaner and sweeter, and both work. The mustard and vinegar are there to cut the sugar, so do not skip them.
Want a twist? Swap the honey for maple syrup, or add a tablespoon of orange juice for a brighter glaze. A teaspoon of grated fresh ginger is good with the applewood smoke too.
How to make brown sugar ham glaze
- Put everything in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir until the sugar melts and the butter is gone, about 2 minutes.
- Let it bubble gently for 3 to 4 more minutes. It should thicken to the feel of warm maple syrup.
- Take it off the heat. It will thicken more as it cools. If it gets too stiff, warm it again with a spoonful of water.
You can make the glaze up to three days ahead. Keep it in a jar in the fridge and warm it before brushing. That is one less thing to do on Thanksgiving morning, or on Christmas Eve.
Using the honey glaze packet instead? Follow the package directions: prepare it, apply it before the ham goes in the oven, then cover with foil and heat. Pick one glaze or the other rather than stacking both, so the smoke flavor still comes through.
When to add glaze to a spiral cut ham
Glaze goes on at the end, not the start. Sugar burns long before the ham is warm, so an early glaze turns black and bitter. Heat the ham covered first, then glaze uncovered.
Here is the timing that works with our ham. It is fully cooked, so you are only warming it to about 135°F, the package target (USDA’s figure for reheating fully cooked ham is 140°F). Our full method is in how to cook a spiral ham for Thanksgiving.
| Stage | Oven | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Warming | 325°F, covered with foil | About 10 minutes per pound with 1/2 cup water in the pan. No brown sugar glaze yet. |
| 15 minutes before done | 325°F, uncovered | Remove foil. Brush on half the glaze. Let some run between the slices. |
| 5 minutes before done | 325°F, uncovered | Brush on the rest. Pull the ham at about 135°F. |
| Optional | Broil 1 to 2 minutes | Watch it the whole time. This gives dark, crackly edges. |
| Rest | Off | 10 minutes under loose foil so the glaze sets. |
One farm note. Our ham is applewood smoked and uncured, so the smoke flavor is already there. Go lighter on glaze than you would with a plain supermarket ham, and let the pork show.
Common ham glaze mistakes
- Glazing too early. The sugar scorches. Wait until the last 15 minutes.
- Glaze that is too thin. It slides off into the pan. Simmer it until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Glaze that is too thick. It clumps and will not brush. Warm it with a splash of water.
- Overheating the ham to set the glaze. Dry ham is not worth a shiny glaze. Pull at about 135°F and rest it.
- Skipping the acid. Without mustard and vinegar the glaze is just candy. Balance matters.
Most of these come down to patience. If you like rubs and marinades for other cuts, our guide to heritage pork marinades and rubs follows the same idea: let the pork lead.
Questions people ask about spiral ham glaze
Do you put the glaze on before or after cooking?
This brown sugar glaze goes on near the end, for the last 15 minutes, uncovered. A second thin coat at 5 minutes gives a thicker crust. The honey glaze packet that comes with our ham is different: the package says to apply it before heating.
How do I use the glaze that came with my ham?
Follow the package directions: prepare the included honey glaze and apply it before the ham goes in the oven, then cover with foil and heat. This brown sugar glaze is a separate option that goes on at the end.
What is the glaze for spiral cut ham usually made of?
Sugar, an acid, and a little fat. Brown sugar or honey for sweetness, mustard or vinegar for balance, and butter to help it cling. Spices like cinnamon and clove are optional.
Can I make ham glaze without a stove?
Yes. Microwave the ingredients in a bowl in 30 second bursts, stirring between each, until the sugar dissolves. It will be a little thinner but still works.
Start with a ham worth glazing. A good spiral ham glaze adds a sweet crust, but the ham underneath is what people remember, and ours is Heritage Duroc, raised crate free and antibiotic free on family farms, then slow smoked over real applewood. Warm it to the package target of about 135°F, or to 140°F if you follow the USDA guidance for fully cooked ham, and let the glaze do the rest.
Order the spiral sliced ham for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It ships frozen from our farm shop, glaze packet included.