Let's Talk About Balsamic Dijon Glazed Ham (And How It Saved Christmas, Kind Of)
Okay, picture this: it’s Christmas Eve, the house smells like pine and someone (probably me) is frantically shoving wrapping paper under the couch. My mom is loudly reminiscing about the year she tried to glaze a ham with grape jelly (it wasn’t terrible, but... let’s just say nobody asked for a repeat). Anyway, that’s actually how I stumbled on this Balsamic Dijon Glazed Ham. Tinkering in the kitchen, I sloshed together a bit of this, a squirt of that, and bam – family legend status.
So, if you’re looking to shake up your Christmas dinner or just want to eat something that tastes like effort but is mostly about mixing stuff in a bowl (my kind of cooking), let’s do this. Plus, it looks super impressive, even if you’ve got flour in your hair and tape on your socks, like some people I know. Ahem.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe (According to My Family, Anyway)
I whip this up whenever I want to look like I actually planned Christmas dinner. My family inhales it – I mean, the leftovers are gone before I find Tupperware. The glaze is tangy but sweet; you know, the kind of sticky goodness you secretly hope drips onto your potatoes (or am I the only one doing that?). If you’re stressed about holiday mains, this is sort of a miracle – you just brush, bake, and bask in compliments.
If I’m being honest, I used to get nervous about ham. It’s big, it’s weirdly heavy, and you never quite know if it’s going to turn out dry or juicy. But after the first balsamic dijon adventure, I realized it’s forgiving. Well, as forgiving as a chunk of meat can be.
What You’ll Need (and a Few Swaps You Can Totally Pull Off)
- 1 bone-in half ham (about 2-2.5 kg or 4-5 lb) – I’ve also done it with boneless, didn’t notice much difference aside from carving being easier.
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar – My grandma always used the fancy aged stuff; I just grab whatever’s on sale.
- ⅓ cup Dijon mustard – Spicy or regular both work. One year I only had stoneground and it was actually kind of amazing.
- ½ cup brown sugar – Or maple syrup if you’re feeling wild (the Canadian in me wants to mention this, sorry not sorry).
- 2 tablespoons honey – More if you want it sweeter, or leave it out if you like things sharper.
- 2 cloves garlic, minced – Pre-minced from a jar is fine. I won’t tell.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil – Sometimes I skip this if I run out, doesn’t seem to matter?
- Fresh cracked pepper and a pinch of salt (I sort of eyeball these)
- Optional: A handful of fresh thyme or rosemary for extra fancy vibes
How to Pull Off This Glazed Ham (Imperfectly Is Fine)
- Preheat & Unwrap: Set your oven to 325°F (160°C). Unwrap the ham and put it face-down in a big roasting pan. (Don't stress about fancy pans; I've straight-up used my old lasagna dish.)
- Mix the Glaze: In a bowl, stir together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, honey, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. If your arm gets tired, that’s how you know it’s mixed. This is usually where I sneak a taste because, well, habit.
- Score (Optional): If you want to feel like a TV chef, gently cut diagonal lines in a diamond pattern over the ham skin/fat. You don’t have to, but it does help the glaze seep in. Or just stab it here and there, honestly.
- Slather the Glaze: Pour or brush half the glaze onto the ham, making sure it’s mostly covered. Don’t worry if it looks a bit streaky; it evens out.
- Bake It: Cover loosely with foil (not too tight or it’ll steam), and bake for about 1 hour 30 minutes – that’s for a 2-ish kg ham. If your ham is bigger or smaller, allow roughly 15-20 minutes per pound. (I always set a timer because otherwise, I forget and end up eating cheese and crackers for dinner.)
- Uncover & Finish Glazing: Take off the foil, pour or brush the rest of the glaze over, and crank the oven up to 400°F (200°C). Bake uncovered for another 20-30 minutes, spooning glaze from the pan over top every 10 minutes-ish, until sticky and tempting. Don’t panic if the glaze starts to look dark – it’s meant to caramelize a bit. If it burns, well, just call it rustic.
- Rest Then Slice: Pull out of the oven and try not to cut into it right away (I fail at this every time). Rest for 15 minutes under foil, then slice and serve. Go on, sneak a piece – I always do.
Some Honest Cooking Notes
- I’ve found that supermarket ham brands all work about the same. If it says “pre-cooked,” bonus – less stress.
- If you forget to rest the ham before slicing, it’s juicier if you wait, but hey, sometimes people are hungry.
- Once I added extra honey thinking I’d outsmart the recipe and it got a bit too sweet, but served with mustard, it sort of evened out.
Things I’ve Tried (That Sometimes Worked, Sometimes Not)
- Orange marmalade in the glaze – honestly, fantastic! Adds an unexpected zing.
- Splash of whiskey – mixed reviews from the family, but Uncle Jim was pleased.
- One year I forgot garlic – nobody noticed. Go figure.
- Tried a slow cooker version once; texture wasn’t my favorite, came out a bit, uh, flabby.
Equipment (Or What to Use if You Don’t Have Everything)
- Roasting pan or anything biggish and oven-safe (even a Dutch oven works; once I used a deep Pyrex dish and just put foil around the edges so it didn’t splatter everywhere)
- Pastry brush is handy for glazing – but a big spoon works fine. Rubber spatula also, in a pinch.
- Sharp knife for scoring/slicing (I once used a bread knife; not ideal, but you do what you gotta do)
- Some foil, unless you want sticky glaze all down the front of your oven
How To Store (Not That You'll Need To...)
I mean technically, yes, you wrap leftovers in foil and stick in the fridge for up to 3 days. But in my house, it never makes it past lunch the next day. If you somehow have a lot left, it freezes well – just make sure you wrap portions tightly so it doesn’t taste like the freezer. Reheating is easy; cover with damp paper towel in the microwave, or gently warm in oven at 300°F (about 150°C).
This Is What I Serve It With (Not Mandatory, But Tasty)
I always pile the ham next to roasted potatoes (or these absolutely ridiculous roast potatoes from Serious Eats), some green beans, and, if I’m really going for it, homemade cranberry sauce. We’re big on eating ham with mustard, straight off the spoon, and once someone snuck a piece into a leftover roll with cheese and called it genius. Oh, and don’t forget the gravy – even if it’s from a jar, nobody cares.
Lessons Learned (AKA Don’t Do What I Did)
- Don’t try to rush the last glazing step – I did once because everyone was hungry, glaze was kind of runny, and I regretted it. Patience means sticky, shiny ham.
- If you ignore the resting step, it slices messier and the juices run everywhere (still tasty though).
- Don’t fuss about trimming all the fat; leave a bit on for flavor.
FAQ (And Some Tangents, Honestly)
Q: Can I do this with a spiral cut ham?
A: Oh, for sure – actually, that makes serving easier. Just keep a closer eye on the glaze so it doesn’t seep down between every slice and leave you with bland edges. Been there!
Q: Is this good cold?
A: Absolutely. Actually, I think this tastes even better the next day, straight from the fridge, maybe with pickles? Don’t judge. Great in sandwiches too (try these pillowy buns if you fancy baking).
Q: Can I make the glaze in advance?
A: Definitely – in fact, I encourage it! The flavors blend and make life so much easier day-of. Just refrigerate and give it a good stir before using.
Q: What if I’m short on time?
A: Use pre-sliced ham, skip scoring, and crank oven a bit higher, but watch it close. Might not be “holiday-perfect” but still delicious enough for any celebration.
Q: Balsamic too strong?
A: Try less vinegar and more honey. Or swap half the vinegar for apple cider vinegar, it's a bit gentler. Oh, and once I used red wine vinegar, and it was actually alright, if a bit punchy.
If you need more Christmas dinner ideas or want to zone out looking at beautiful holiday tablescapes (I get lost here every November), I recommend Bon Appétit's holiday recipes. There's no ham drama there, but loads of sides and inspiration!
Alright – if you try this, let me know how it goes! Or, if you invent your own twist, I wanna hear about it. Happy holidays, mate, and don’t sweat the small stuff (like tying a perfect bow or, you know, remembering to buy napkins).
Ingredients
- 1 (8-10 lb) bone-in fully cooked ham
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup Dijon mustard
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
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1Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan and let it rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
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2In a medium bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, honey, minced garlic, black pepper, ground cloves, and olive oil.
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3Score the outside of the ham in a diamond pattern and brush generously with half of the balsamic Dijon glaze.
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4Cover the ham loosely with foil and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, basting every 30 minutes with more glaze.
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5Remove foil, brush with remaining glaze, and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes until caramelized and glossy.
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6Rest the ham for 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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