Honey Baked hams are tasty but pricey. Save your money (and the hassle of reserving one around the holidays) with this copycat Honey Baked ham.
This copycat Honey Baked ham recipe is top-notch and takes me back to my childhood where a HoneyBaked Ham was a sure sign that a special occasion was upon us. It has all the signature elements, including that delightful smokiness, sugary crackly exterior, glazed finish, and fragrant hints of warm spices. Every slice is delicious and strikes the perfect balance of sweet and savory. It’s a real showstopper, made to be the main attraction at the dinner table, especially around Easter, Christmas and the holidays.
Why You’ll Love This Copycat Honey Baked Ham
Affordable – No need search for a HoneyBaked ham coupon or shill out about $75 plus for a store bought ham, this copycat version will run you about $30 depending on the price of the ham, all ingredients included.
Easy – Spiral sliced hams are already cooked; therefore, this recipe only involves heating the ham and enhancing the flavor.
Crackly exterior – This part is what makes HoneyBaked hams so satisfying. It’s the equivalent of a nice crust on a steak but better since it’s sweet and savory with warm spice notes.
Perfectly sweet – Ham and sweetness, whether it be brown sugar, granulated sugar, or honey, go together, and the sweetness of this copycat Honey Baked ham is spot on; present yet not overwhelming.
Real honey – Only employees can verify this, but HoneyBaked hams may not even include real honey. Imagine that? Well, this one does, and the flavor honey adds is terrific!
Excellent hot or cold – This ham is as delicious right out of the oven as it is chilled. If eating it cold, try sandwiching it between two slices of bread with a bit of mustard and arugula *chef’s kiss.
Copycat Honey Baked Ham Ingredients Notes
- Ham: The standard, bone-in spiral sliced ham you usually buy is what you want to use for this copycat Honey Baked ham recipe. Also, ensure the package says hardwood smoked because you don’t want to miss out on that pleasant smoky flavor. According to their website, HoneyBaked hams are “smoked for up to 24 hours” with a “special blend” of hardwood chips. Although this is standard for all city hams (wet-cured, then smoked until fully cooked), the description adds to their allure.
- Honey: I find that honey with more robust fruity floral notes works nicely for this recipe. There’s no need to break out the expensive stuff. Anything you drizzle over biscuits or sweeten your tea with is fine. I used raw, unfiltered Orange Blossom honey and it was amazing!
- Butter: Butter makes everything better, and ham is no exception. This time, it’s combined with honey and garlic, and the mixture is slathered on the ham. Yum!
- Sugar: You’ll need brown and granulated sugar. Brown sugar adds a more complex sweetness, while granulated sugar contributes to developing a light, crisp, sugary coating.
- Spices: One thing you’ll notice about HoneyBaked hams is the presence of spices. Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves work nicely with the sweet elements, while paprika, especially with other seasonings like onion powder, plays to the savory notes.
How To Make a Honey Baked Ham
- Rub it down: Unwrap the ham, pat it dry if you notice any excess moisture, then place it into a foil-lined pan before applying the honey, butter, and garlic mixture. Work some of it between the slices.
- Bake: Wrap the ham in foil, then bake for an hour and a half. This is to heat the ham through.
- Make it crackle: Mix the sugar, salt, and seasonings in a bowl, apply half to the ham, then broil to caramelize. Press it into the ham to keep the sugar mixture in place. Otherwise, you won’t get a nice even coating.
- Glaze it: Using the rest of the sugar mixture and reserved ham juices or water, make the glaze and pour or brush it on the ham. Once applied, broil to caramelize the glaze.
Variations, Substitutions, and Cooking Tips
Replace the honey with maple syrup – Although it will no longer be a Honey Baked ham, you can use maple syrup instead of honey. The flavor will differ slightly, but not much.
Add more warm spices – Allspice and ground ginger will add to the overall flavor of this recipe and play up the warm, comforting aromas we often equate with the holiday season.
Make it spicy – Sweet and spicy Honey Baked ham doesn’t sound like a bad idea, right? To add heat, use chili powder in the sugary coating and glaze, or go for a subtler heat with freshly grated ginger.
Decorate with Pineapple – Pineapple and cherries are a nice decorative touch while adding a sweet fruity flavor. Simply cut pineapple rings and arrange around the ham, ensuring they cover the surface evenly. Position a cherry in the center and secure it in place by inserting a toothpick. Continue this process until you’ve decorated the ham with the desired amount of pineapple rings.
Broiling tip – The ham likely won’t fit in the bottom broiler drawer (standard on gas ranges), which is fine. Just pop the ham into the oven after setting the oven to broil. Having ham that close to a heating element is risky since it can burn quickly.
Storage and Freezer Tips
This copycat Honey Baked ham can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Pre-slicing or carving is suggested because it makes storing much more manageable. Store pre-sliced/pre-carved ham in an airtight container. If you keep it whole, tightly wrap it in foil before refrigeration.
Copycat Honey Baked Ham
HoneyBaked hams are tasty but pricey. Save your money (and the hassle of reserving one around the holidays) with this copycat HoneyBaked ham.
Ingredients
- 1 (8-pound) spiral sliced half ham, bone-in
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and position oven racks to cook the ham in the second lowest rack position.
- Line a roasting pan or large Dutch oven with one large piece of foil.
- Place the ham in the center of the pan on the foil flat-side down
- Combine the honey, butter, and garlic in a small bowl.
- Rub the ham with this mixture, working some between the slices if possible.
- Bring the sides of the foil up and over the ham to loosely cover.
- Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- At the 1 hour and 15-minute mark, combine the sugar, salt, onion powder, and spices in a small bowl.
- Uncover the ham and pat half of the sugar mixture over the ham after the hour and a half is up. Also, reserve about ¼ cup of the ham juices collected at the bottom of the pan.
- Broil the ham uncovered for 5-7 minutes or until it develops a crispy, crackly exterior.
- Meanwhile, add 3 tablespoons of the reserved ham juice to a small saucepan with the remaining sugar and seasoning mixture.
- Bring to a boil and keep at a rolling boil for 1 minute. This is the glaze.
- Pour the glaze over the ham (or brush it on for a lighter coat), then broil for 1-2 more minutes to caramelize.
- Rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 158Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 176mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 0gSugar: 30gProtein: 2g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
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