Candied Citrus Glazed Holiday Ham

Why This Candied Citrus Glazed Holiday Ham Works

In the oven, the ham slowly warms all the way to the center instead of cooking fast on the outside. Since it is already fully cooked, the gentle heat mostly just brings it up to serving temperature and keeps the meat moist. Scoring the surface opens up little channels, so the orange marmalade, honey, and brown sugar glaze can run into the cuts instead of just sliding off the smooth fat. As the fat softens, it soaks up some of that sweet, spiced glaze and holds it against the meat.

While the glaze heats on the stove, the sugar and honey loosen the marmalade and it goes from chunky and sticky to smooth and pourable. In the last part of baking, the foil comes off and the sugar on the outside starts to brown and thicken into a shiny coat. The orange slices on top dry out a bit and press their juice into the surface. After the ham rests, the juices settle back inside, so the slices stay tender and not dry when cut.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the ham cook much longer than the times given can dry it out badly. Since it is already fully cooked, extra time in the oven just pushes out the juices, so the slices turn stringy and tough instead of moist and tender.

Pouring all of the glaze on at the start often leads to burnt, bitter spots on the outside. The sugars in the marmalade, honey, and brown sugar darken too fast during the long bake, so the surface can scorch while the inside of the ham is still just gently warming.

Skipping the scoring step leaves the glaze mostly sitting on the outside skin. Without those shallow cuts, the sticky mixture doesn’t sink into the fat layer, so the ham ends up with a sweet shell and a plain, unseasoned interior.

Covering the ham too tightly with foil can cause it to steam instead of roast. Trapped moisture softens the glaze and orange slices, so the outside stays pale and wet instead of turning glossy and lightly caramelized.