Traditional Baked Ham

Why This Traditional Baked Ham Works

In the oven, the ham warms slowly under the foil, so the inside heats up without drying out. The bone in the middle holds heat and spreads it through the meat, so it cooks evenly. While it bakes, the fat under the skin starts to melt and sink into the meat, so the slices stay juicy instead of tough.

As the glaze goes on and the ham keeps baking, the sugar, honey, and mustard stick to the outside and form a sticky coat. Covered baking gives that glaze time to soak into the outer layer of the ham. Once the foil comes off and the heat goes up, the outside starts to brown and the glaze thickens and sets on the surface. The sugar and honey darken, the cloves and pepper cling to the crust, and the outside becomes a little chewy and caramelized while the inside stays moist.

After it comes out of the oven, resting lets the hot juices settle back into the meat, so they stay in the slices instead of running all over the cutting board.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the ham cook much longer than the times given can leave it dry and stringy. The outside will look great and caramelized, but the inside will lose its moisture and end up tough instead of juicy slices.

Putting the ham in the oven uncovered from the start often makes the outside dry out before the center warms through. The glaze can harden and darken too fast, while the meat near the bone stays cooler and a bit rubbery.

Skipping the rest time after baking means the juices inside the ham don’t have a chance to settle. Cutting right away causes the liquid to run out onto the cutting board, so the slices turn out drier than they should be.

Using a spiral-sliced ham without adjusting the glaze can cause the sugar and honey to sink into the cuts and burn. The edges of the slices can turn hard and bitter while the inner parts stay less coated and look patchy.