It's tradition to place a large, glazed ham on a platter on the table at the holidays, right? I'm also a fan, but only when it's a light refreshing glaze like I have here!
For years this has been my favourite ham to bake and our whole family loves it! Many hams are baked with an abundance of very sweet glaze but I like just a small glaze near the end of cooking.
The citrus cuts the richness of the cured ham, and you can switch it up with what you use based on what’s in your produce drawer. Grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime, yum! If you’re making a bigger ham, be sure to increase the amount of citrus too!
Got more than one Dutch oven? You'll want scalloped potatoes on the side! And if you don't, make up mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot instead. This is also fun to serve for brunch with some scrambled eggs and biscuits.
Why You Need This Recipe
- The citrus cuts the heaviness of the cured meat and adds just the right touch of sweet.
- Use a bone-in ham and boom, you'll be making broth in that same dutch oven. Two birds, one stone.
- Hands off - just pop this in the oven with one flip partway through and you can be busy with everything else.
Key Ingredients
Ham - I find a 4-5 pound bone-in ham fits my Dutch oven perfectly. Keep your pot size in mind when selecting your ham at the store! You can use whatever size you need for your meal as long as you have a way to cook it. Increase the citrus and glaze appropriately. We are using a smoked/cured ham that still needs to be cooked.
Citrus - Many people reach for organic when the peel is in contact with their food, but I can't get nice organic citrus here so I don't worry about it. The fruit is removed before eating so it's all good. Use whatever is in season or looks good or is in the drawer.
Glaze - I mix the best maple syrup I have along with any type of mustard that's in the fridge. Keep the ratios the same, but increase the entire quantity if your ham is larger than 5 pounds.
How to Make Oven Baked Ham
***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***
Step 1: Wash the citrus and slice it into just 4-5 slices per fruit, nice and thick.
Step 2: Squeeze the juice over the ham, then add the citrus on top. I like to actually stick it onto the ham so it stays put.
Step 3: Partway through cooking, flip the ham and brush on half of the glaze. Return to the oven with or without the lid, your preference.
Step 4: When up to temp, let rest on the counter with the lid on. I find this keeps things juicy before slicing!
Tips and Tricks for Citrus Glazed Ham
- Make your broth right in the dirty pot after the meal! That's why I always grab a bone-in ham.
- Always use a thermometer to know your meat is safely cooked.
- Add extra, fresh citrus slices to the top of the ham for presentation.
FAQs
It's tricky sometimes with cured meats because they do not have that colour change from raw. Always use an instant read thermometer. Stick it in the thickest part of the ham, making sure not to come in contact with the bone. Aim for 145°F there when you take it out of the oven, then let it rest, covered.
If you have a whole bone-in ham between 10 and 14 pounds, cook it at 325°F for 18 to 20 minutes per pound. If you have half of a bone-in ham between 5 and 7 pounds, cook at 325°F for 22 to 25 minutes per pound. Always check with a thermometer!
Photos by Dante from Shire by the Sea
More Holiday Recipes
Hey friends, don't forget to follow me over on Instagram, cause if you like me here, I post there a LOT! I'm also on YouTube with tutorials and Facebook for all sorts of things.
If you like this recipe, I’d love if you reviewed it so others can find it easier. Sharing this recipe on Facebook or Pinterest is another way you can help us out at no cost to you. Thanks, xo Kate
Dutch Oven Ham
Ingredients
- 4-5 lb ham buy one with size/shape of your dutch oven in mind!
- 1 orange or grapefruit
- 1 lemon
Glaze
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons mustard of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In a 5-6 qt dutch oven, place the thawed, cured/smoked ham (one that does need to be cooked, not just warmed up).
- Slice the orange and lemon into thick slices, just 4-5 slices per piece of fruit. Squeeze over the top of the ham and then tuck them all on top and around it for baking.
- Put the lid on the dutch oven and bake for an hour. Remove from oven.
- Mix up glaze in a small bowl.
- Flip the ham over and baste with half of the glaze.
- Bake for another 45 minutes, without the lid if you want it more browned. Check the internal temp; if it's 145°F, take it out, reglaze (i usually make sure ‘nice’ side is up for this last step) with the rest of the glaze and then cover and let rest 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- If you have a whole bone-in ham between 10 and 14 pounds, cook it at 325°F for 18 to 20 minutes per pound.
- If you have half of a bone-in ham between 5 and 7 pounds, cook at 325°F for 22 to 25 minutes per pound.
- The internal temperature of the ham should be 145°F.
Leave a Reply