Festive Blood Orange Glazed Spiral-Cut Ham Recipe
This festive Christmas Ham recipe features a 9-pound cooked bone-in spiral-cut ham glazed with a flavorful mixture of dark brown sugar, blood orange juice and zest, coarse ground mustard, and aromatic spices. Simmered glaze is brushed over the ham before baking until perfectly heated through and caramelized. Garnished with pomegranate arils, rosemary sprigs, and blood orange wedges, this dish brings a beautiful and delicious centerpiece to any holiday feast.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Ham
- 9 pound cooked bone-in spiral-cut ham
Glaze
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 3 blood oranges (zested and juiced)
- ¼ cup coarse ground mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Garnish
- Pomegranate arils
- Rosemary sprigs
- Blood orange wedges
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F to prepare for baking the ham.
- Prepare Roasting Pan: Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of a roasting pan to keep the ham moist during baking.
- Place Ham: Position the ham cut side down on the rack inside the roasting pan.
- Make Glaze: In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, blood orange juice and zest, coarse ground mustard, apple cider vinegar, chopped rosemary, cinnamon, paprika, chili powder, and minced garlic. Simmer the mixture over medium heat for 10 minutes until thickened and fragrant.
- First Glaze Application: Brush half of the prepared glaze over the ham, ensuring you get the glaze into the spiral cuts to enhance flavor throughout.
- Initial Bake: Loosely cover the ham with foil and bake it in the preheated oven for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 140°F.
- Increase Oven Temperature: Remove the foil and the ham from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F to caramelize the glaze.
- Second Glaze Application: Brush half of the remaining glaze over the ham and return it to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes to allow the glaze to set and begin caramelizing.
- Final Glaze Application: Brush the ham with the final portion of glaze and bake for an additional 15 minutes, achieving a beautifully glossy and flavorful crust.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the ham from the oven and garnish with pomegranate arils, fresh rosemary sprigs, and blood orange wedges before serving to create an attractive and festive presentation.
Notes
- Make sure the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140°F for safe and optimal serving temperature.
- Using a pre-cooked spiral ham reduces cooking time, as it’s mainly reheating and glazing for flavor.
- The glaze can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Be cautious not to burn the glaze during the final baking steps by watching closely once the oven temperature is increased.
- For extra moisture, add more water to the roasting pan as needed during baking.
Keywords: Christmas ham, holiday ham, glazed ham, spiral-cut ham, blood orange glaze, festive ham recipe
