As Easter approaches, many of us start thinking about our Easter dinners. When I was a kid, my grandmother always prepped our Easter ham by covering the outside of it with pineapple rings secured to it with toothpicks and putting a Maraschino cherry in the center of each ring and then studding it with whole cloves. She would then bake it in the oven with a glaze made from some of the reserved pineapple juice mixed with brown sugar. After it baked, I loved to eat the smokey, sweet, caramelized fruit from the ham.
While I love ham fixed that way, why limit yourself? Why not try something new and exciting this year for your Easter dinner? Let’s be honest, it’s the sauce or glaze that makes your ham tasty. There are many other glazes and sauces you can try to spice up your holiday ham or even the one you may serve tonight. Most either are in one of two styles, sweet and fruity or savory. Some are a little of both. Below you’ll find a collection of ham sauces and glazes that we collected from our readers.
Judy’s Ham Glaze
- Cook time: Approx. 15 min.
- Yield: Makes about 2 cups
- Sauce thickens quickly as it cools.
- Transfer to a storage container before it hardens in the pot.
Recipe by Judy Tzac
Ingredients
- 3 cups brown sugar (*Add more brown sugar for a thicker consistency.)
- half of a small can of frozen orange juice from concentrate (pineapple juice is a good substitute)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground all spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Directions
In a medium pot melt the brown sugar, orange juice and half of each of the spices. Once melted add the rest of the spices(to smell) and mix until completely melted. As old family recipes go there isn’t an exact science to creating this sauce. You add spices until it “smells right”. Which can make it a hard recipe to pass along, but it’s worth it. The glaze should have a rich smell of spices and sweetness from the sugar. It shouldn’t have an overpowering scent of orange.
You can use the sauce on the side but I feel it caramelizes best when used as a glaze over your ham in the oven. If used as a glaze be sure to baste the ham often to flavor it fully. Slicing the ham before cooking to allow the sauce to coat each layer is suggested.
Brown Sugar Ham Glaze
- Cook time: Approx. 5 min.
- Yield: Makes about 1 cup
- Pour over ham with approximately 20-30 minutes left of cooking time.
- reheat on stove if hardens.
Recipe by Nancy R.
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup of orange juice
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons of your choice of mustard (*optional)
Directions
Stir ingredients together and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let simmer for ~4 minutes until thickened. Pour over ham when there’s about 30 minutes left of cooking time.
Bethany’s Mustard Sauce
- Cook time: Approx. 10 min.
- Yield: Makes about 1 cup.
- Serve cold or hot. Refrigerate leftovers.
Recipe by Bethany K
Ingredients
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar(double sugar for sweeter sauce)
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
Directions
In a small(not iron) pot over medium heat whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Mix in the sugar, mustard, and vinegar and bring to a soft boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens. it should take 5-10 minutes. *When cooking whisk continuously!
Raisin Ham Sauce
- Cook time: Approx. 15 min.
- Yield: Makes about 2 cups.
Recipe by Em
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar or wine vinegar)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
Directions
In a medium saucepan combine brown sugar, cornstarch, and dry mustard. While over medium heat, begin to add water, vinegar, raisins, lemon juice & zest. Bring to a boil & cook for about 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add butter. Stir until melted. scoop over warm slices of ham.
