Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze

At Easter, both the McCormicks and the McQuaids have long agreed that nothing beats a classic baked ham as the centerpiece of our feast. My mom always chose a boneless Hormel ham, simple and reliable, while the McQuaids swear by a generously sized, bone-in ham for the extra depth of flavor the bone provides.

Portion guide:

• Boneless ham: plan on ¼–⅓ lb per person
• Bone-in ham: plan on ⅓–½ lb per person

Cooking times (@ 300–325 °F):

• Bone-in: 18–20 minutes per pound
• Boneless: 30–35 minutes per pound
• Fully cooked (to reheat): 10–15 minutes per pound

With these simple guidelines, you’ll end up with a beautifully tender, flavorful ham that honors both family traditions and keeps everyone coming back for seconds.

A great use of the leftover ham is to make a Ham and Bean Soup. Which is reminiscent of one of our favorite restaurants Herrera’s bean soup and is another favorite comfort food of our’s. 

8 - 12 lb bone-In ham

6 TBSP red wine vinegar

3 TBSP brown sugar

6 TBSP Gray Poupon, original, but a grainy mustard works well too

3 TBSP Honey

Pineapple slices (optional)

Cherries, candied (optional)

15 whole cloves

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Place ham in shallow roasting pan.  Mix together the vinegar, sugar and mustard. Pour over the ham.  Cover with foil.  Bake for about 20 minutes per pound. The last 30 minutes cut 1/4" deep crosses on the top of the ham. Stick cloves all over the ham. Secure pineapple slices and cherries with toothpicks on top of the ham if you are adding them to the ham. Bake another 30 minutes without covering, basting often. Remove from the oven. Cover with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes before carving.