Baked Ham with Orange Ham Glaze

by: Swift Horse Marketing

published: Nov 6, 2022

Flavorful Glazed Ham Recipe with Garlic and Fresh Orange Slices

There’s nothing quite like a Christmas ham, glazed with something sweet and sticky, and making the whole house smell like the holidays. It’s a festive main course, for sure – and ham is so easy to make! Creating a showstopper is as easy as opening the ham, whipping up some glaze, and throwing it all in the oven. If you are looking for a great Christmas dinner option that’s less fuss than turkey or roast beef, ham is definitely a great choice.

For this recipe, classic glaze ingredients like brown sugar and Dijon mustard are elevated with the addition of orange marmalade, fresh herbs, garlic, and real orange slices. The result? A ham that’s just as beautiful to look at as it is to eat.

(If you want to see more ham ideas, be sure to check out these recipes for Crockpot Ham, Pear Glazed Ham, and Air Fryer Ham!)

From top left: Orange marmalade, orange juice, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, rosemary, orange zest, honey, fresh rosemary, garlic cloves, and a spiral-sliced ham.

The Ingredients You’ll Need

Let’s talk ingredients. These are the items you’ll need to create this yuletide dinner. Each one is a flavor powerhouse!

For the Ham

A Spiral-Sliced Ham: This recipe will make one bone-in ham, about 10 pounds in weight.
Orange: Wash and thinly slice one orange. No need to peel it.
Garlic: Peel and thinly slice a few large garlic cloves.
Rosemary: Fresh sprigs of rosemary are the perfect accent for ham.

For the Glaze

Marmalade: Orange marmalade gives the glaze its unique, mouthwatering flavor. It is usually sold on the jam aisle, and some brands can be found on the international foods aisle.
Dijon Mustard: You could also use yellow mustard, spicy mustard, whole grain mustard, etc.
Honey and Brown Sugar: To balance the mustard. If you like, you can use just one or the other.
Orange: The zest and juice of one large orange. This really helps to pack in that fresh orange flavor!

Ham with orange glaze, orange slices, and rosemary.

What Are the Different Cuts of Ham?

The main cuts of ham you’ll be looking at for this recipe are smoked or cured half hams, which are sold as one of two cuts: shank, and butt. When you go to the grocery store and look at a display of hams around Christmas and Easter, these are the types of ham you almost always see. These hams may be spiral sliced or not, and although they are fully cooked, they are usually baked before serving.

Other types of ham, such as country ham (which is dry-cured and very salty; it should be soaked before cooking) and Black Forest ham (a specialty from Germany) are great for other purposes, but aren’t usually baked for Christmas dinner.

For this recipe, I recommend using a spiral-sliced ham, so that you can tuck the orange slices and herbs right in between the slices.

How to Make Baked Ham with A Garlic-Orange Ham Glaze

This recipe is guaranteed to be one of the easiest on your holiday list. The oven does almost all of the work – all you have to do is prep the ham, time it, and baste it. And since it’s spiral-sliced, serving is a breeze!

Prep the Oven and the Ham. To get started, you’ll want to preheat your oven to 325°F. Next, tuck the slices of orange, slices of garlic, and sprigs of rosemary in between the slices of ham. Finally, line a roasting pan with foil and arrange a roasting rack over the foil. Lay the ham on the rack, cut side down, and cover the whole pan with foil.
Bake the Ham. Slide the roasting pan into the preheated oven, and let the ham bake for an hour and 45 minutes.

A ham with herbs and thin slices of orange tucked in between the slices.

Make the Glaze. When the hour and 45 minutes are almost up, set a small saucepan on the stove. In it, mix together the marmalade, mustard, honey, brown sugar, orange juice, and orange zest. Whisk this over medium-low heat until the sugar has melted and the glaze is almost simmering.
Glaze the Ham. Next, uncover the ham and glaze it with a brush or spoon, generously coating it. Place it back in the oven uncovered to bake for about 45 more minutes. If you like, you can reserve half a cup of the glaze to baste the ham a second time.

A saucepan with orange marmalade glaze and a whisk.

A spiral ham on a roasting rack, being brushed with glaze.

Rest the Ham. When the ham is done baking, take it out of the oven and cover it loosely with foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes before transferring it to a serving platter – I use two wide spatulas for this.
Enjoy! To carve the ham, start slicing around the bone with a thin carving knife and it will easily fall apart. Serve with your favorite sides.

Baked ham on a roasting rack. Glaze is being added with a silicon basting brush.

How Long Does It Take to Cook a Ham in the Oven?

Your ham may be larger or smaller than 10 pounds, so it is helpful to know how long to cook a spiral ham per pound. Fully cooked spiral-sliced ham needs to be warmed up until the internal temperature reaches 140°F. This takes about 10 to 15 minutes per pound in a 325°F oven.

Do You Cover a Ham when You Bake It in the Oven?

I think baked ham turns out the best when you cover it part of the time. Covering it during the first part of baking helps keep the ham juicy, and uncovering it for the last part of the baking time allows the ham and glaze to brown and sizzle a little bit – yum.

Orange marmalade glazed ham garnished with herbs and orange slices.

Tips for Success

I hope you’re feeling inspired to try this bold, sweet, mouthwatering baked ham recipe. It might just become a holiday tradition! And these tips will help ensure the tastiest result.

Apple Variation: For a fun fall version, try stuffing your ham with thinly sliced apples.
Glaze Packet: If your ham comes with a glaze packet feel free to discard it. This homemade glaze is so much better!
Rosemary Substitution: If you aren’t a fan of rosemary, thyme is a good substitute in this recipe.
Keep the Ham Bone: Reserve the ham bone and leftover meat to make Rosemary Ham and Bean Soup!

A dinner plate served with ham slices, asparagus, and potatoes.

Serving Suggestions

This ham is wonderful with all of your favorite Christmas side dishes. These easy recipes are some of our favorite dishes to make for a festive dinner.

Sweet Potatoes: You really can’t go wrong with sweet potatoes any way you make them – they’re just so tasty. But these Crockpot Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows are on a whole other level! These maple and spice morsels with little melted marshmallows have a way of disappearing, fast. This Sweet Potato Casserole is also an epic side dish!
Mashed Potatoes: This recipe for the best Garlic Mashed Potatoes is my very favorite, but I also have this easy Make Ahead Mashed Potato recipe to save you time.
Green Bean Casserole: The Best Green Bean Casserole is made from scratch – except for the French’s fried onions, which are just too yummy to skip! Try this recipe and you’ll fall in love with green beans all over again. I also have this easy Crockpot Green Bean Casserole!
Stuffed Squash: These Rustic Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash are healthy, beautiful, and addictively delicious. Who could ask for more?

Baked ham with herbs, orange slices, and glaze.

How to Store and Reheat the Leftovers

Leftover ham can be covered with foil and stored in your fridge. It will keep for 3 to 5 days. You can reheat slices of ham in the microwave, a skillet, or the oven.

Can I Freeze Baked Ham?

Sure! Take the ham off of the bone, and pack it into freezer bags. Mark with the date, and store in your freezer for 1 to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

A spiral-sliced ham with orange slices, rosemary, and glaze.

4.5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Recipe

Yield: 12 – 14 Servings

Baked Ham with Orange Ham Glaze

Baked Ham with Orange Ham Glaze will be the star of your holiday table! Stuffed with fresh oranges, garlic, and herbs, and slowly baked, to infuse all the flavors.

Prep Time20

Cook Time2 30

Total Time2 50