Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (2024)

Table of Contents
Ingredients Directions FAQs

Easter is coming—the goose is getting fat!

Wait. That's Christmas.

And Christmas isn't coming. At least not for another 200+days.

Okay, now that I've both confused and depressed everyone: Here's the recipe for my yummy sweet-glazed ham—the same ham recipe I'll be making for Easter brunch with all the best ham side dishes. It's totally easy, exceedingly delicious, and results in a purty and glossy Easter ham that'll make your guests say "Oooooooh!" with wide, expectant eyes and, hopefully, hearty appetites because this ham could feed an army. If you're not feeding an army, you'll likely have some leftover ham. To me, that's one of the best parts of cooking a ham—just imagine all the possibilities!

What's the secret to the best holiday ham?

Let's get something straight: Is glazing a ham necessary? No. Is it worth it? Yes! Ham is just regular 'ol ham until you top it with a tangy, sweet, sticky, addictive glaze. For this one, all you have to do is pop open a can of Dr Pepper and mix it with mustard, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Since the ham comes from the grocery store pre-cooked, this is an easy extra step that results in major flavor. Plus, it gives it that gorgeous glossy, lacquered look that just screams holiday ham!

What kind of ham is best for Easter dinner?

Look for a fully-cooked, bone-in ham that isn't spiral cut—it stays juicier in the oven! Shank-end hams are the big, beautiful ones you're used to seeing for the holidays and those work great here. Just remember to do the math on how much ham per person is needed before you put in your order with the butcher!

When should I put my glaze on my ham?

The idea is to wait until the ham is almost fully heated, then add the glaze as one of the last steps. You don't want to add it too early or the sugars in the glaze could cause it to burn, and you don't want to add it too late or you won't get that caramelized coating. I usually bake the ham for about 2 hours before adding some of the glaze. Then I'll pop it back in the oven for 20 minutes, add more glaze, and repeat. The goal is to repeat this process until the ham is nice and glossy. The magic happens when you glaze it 2 or 3 or 4 times.

Do you cook a ham covered or uncovered?

Cover the ham to keep it moist! I've found that just tenting the ham with foil does the job. Keep it tented until you brush on the glaze. Once glaze in on the ham, remove the foil so the glaze has a chance to get all caramelized and yummy.

What can you do with leftover ham?

What can't you do is the real question. Since this is a bone-in ham, save the bone and make ham stock for future soups and stews! With leftover ham, make something breakfast-y like quiche, toss it into your favorite pasta dish or on top of a pizza, or just make a really good ham sandwich.

whole fully cooked bone-in ham (15 to 18 pounds)

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Yields:
18 serving(s)
Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
3 hrs
Total Time:
3 hrs 20 mins

Ingredients

Directions

    1. Step1Preheat the oven to 325°F.
    2. Step2Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern about 1/8-inch deep. Place cloves in the middle of each diamond. Place the ham in a large roasting pan with a rack, tent it with foil, and bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours—or longer, depending on the package directions. (Some hams may require 3 to 3 1/2 hours at a lower temperature; just check the package.)
    3. Step3In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and sodauntil bubbly. Cook until reduced and a bit thicker, about 15 minutes.
    4. Step4After about 2 hours of baking time, remove the foil and brush the glaze on the ham in 20 minutes intervals (put the ham back in the oven, uncovered, in between) until it's nice and glossy. Remove from the oven and allow to rest 15 to20 minutes before carving.

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Get a big honkin’ bone-in ham. Fully cooked.

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Use a really sharp knife to score a diamond pattern all over the surface of the ham: First cut lines in one direction…

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Then cut in the other direction.

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Grab a handful of cloves and poke them into the center of each diamond…

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And keep going until the whole surface is dotted. I do this for looks more than flavor: I just think it looks lovely and traditional when it’s all done baking.

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Cover the ham with foil, then put it into the oven to warm it up. I do 325 for at least 2 to 2 1/2 hours, but I’d say just look at the instructions on the package and follow those. Some hams say to go 3 to 4 hours, some at a lower temperature. The whole goal here is just to heat the ham slowly…and it takes awhile to do that.

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While the ham is in the oven, you can make the glaze: Throw 3 cups of brown sugar into a saucepan…

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Along with 1/2 cup of grainy, spicy mustard for a nice tang…

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3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar for a little bite…

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And the star of the show!

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A whole can of Dr Pepper.

You can use co*ke. Heck, you could probably even use root beer. But please, for the love of all things good and caramelized, do not use diet pop.

(It’s the sugar we’re after here.)

Amen.

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Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat…

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And simmer it for a good 15-20 minutes until it’s gotten darker and thicker.

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After the ham has cooked for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, brush the surface with some of the glaze. Then pop it back into the oven, uncovered, for another 20 minutes or so.

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Pull it out and brush on more glaze, then pop it back in the oven.

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Then pull it out and brush on more glaze! Keep doing this until the ham is fully heated and the glaze is really gorgeous and glossy.

Note: On my Food Network episode last weekend, I only glazed it once because I had been at church and didn’t want to add too much more time before we ate. It was still totally delicious, but glazing the ham 2 or 3 (or 4) times really results in more of a masterpiece in terms of gorgeous surface.

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Mmmm. Easter feast!

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Enjoy, guys. This ham’ll take you far in life.

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (2024)

FAQs

How to properly glaze a ham? ›

Prepare at least one cup of glaze per five to 10 pounds of ham. To glaze the ham, pull the roasting pan out of the oven and place it on a cooling rack; make sure to close the oven door so heat doesn't escape. Using a basting brush or spoon, coat the ham with the glaze, then return it to the oven.

Should I glaze a precooked ham? ›

Since the ham comes from the grocery store pre-cooked, this is an easy extra step that results in major flavor. Plus, it gives it that gorgeous glossy, lacquered look that just screams holiday ham!

How often should I glaze ham? ›

About 20 minutes prior to the end of cooking time, begin glazing the ham but applying it with a silicon brush. Continue to glaze every 5 minutes until the ham is done. The ham is ready when a thermometer reads an internal temperature of 135-140f.

What keeps ham moist? ›

Put Liquid in Your Pan

The best way to keep your ham from drying out is to utilize the drippings that come in the package. Pour the juice from the package onto the ham. If there isn't a lot of juice in your package, you may want to add your own liquid.

What happens if you don't cover ham with foil? ›

If you don't cover your ham while cooking it will quickly dry out. Instead: Put some aluminum foil over your ham while it's cooking. It is recommended that the ham is covered for at least half of the cooking process and only removed during the last half when you glaze it.

Do I cover ham when I glaze it? ›

Brush ham all over with ⅓ Glaze (Glaze will have thickened so return to heat to loosen, about 30 seconds). Leave ham uncovered to caramelize surface and bake until the ham reaches an internal temperature of around 140 degrees F, approximately 20-30 minutes, spooning juices over ham every 10 minutes.

How do you get glaze to stick to ham? ›

Basting – As the brown sugar ham glaze cools, it thickens so it sticks better to the ham as you baste during the cook time. 7. Internal temp – Ham is already cooked and ready for eating, so glazed hams are really about extra flavour + glazing.

Should a glazed ham be covered when baking? ›

Baked Ham Best Practices

Cook fat-side up in a roasting pan filled with about 1/2 inch of water covered tightly in foil for the bulk of the time. During the last 30 minutes, remove the foil, crank the heat up to 425ºF, brush with a simple glaze at least twice. Let rest 20 minutes before carving.

Do you cook a ham at 325 or 350? ›

Cooking Temperature and Time

If the ham is a half ham weighing five to seven pounds, it should heat at 325°F for 22-25 minutes per pound. If it is a whole ham weighing between 10 to 14 pounds, heat the ham at 325°F for 18-20 minutes per pound. The internal temperature should be 140°F.

Should I cover my pre cooked ham in the oven? ›

The goal is to reheat the ham without drying it out. The best way to do this is to place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan. Add water to the bottom of the pan and cover the whole thing tightly with foil. Bake at 325F for 16-20 minutes per pound, until a meat thermometer registers 135F.

Should I put anything on my ham before cooking? ›

Orange juice and ginger ale. These add flavor and sweetness, plus they tenderize the ham. Maple syrup, honey and brown sugar. All three work together to add a caramelized crust to the baked ham.

Do you add water to a ham glaze packet? ›

Directions. Heat oven to 350°F. In shallow roasting pan, place ham. In large saucepan, stir together glaze packet contents, 2 cups water and brown sugar.

Can you add glaze to an already cooked ham? ›

Once you've chosen your glaze, place the ham, cut-side-down, in a heavy-duty aluminum foil-lined jelly-roll pan. Let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Brush 1/2 cup of the glaze over the ham with a heatproof spatula or pastry brush.

Can you overcook a glazed ham? ›

Can you overcook a glazed ham? Yes, you can. Overcooked ham can become dry. Cook the ham for 1 hour at 200ºC or until warmed through, basting it every 15 minutes.

Why do you soak a ham before cooking? ›

If necessary, soak the gammon (ham) in cold water to reduce saltiness, according to butcher or packet instructions (most do not need this anymore as curing methods have changed). Weigh to calculate the cooking time. Place in a large pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil.

How does Gordon Ramsay cook ham? ›

Put the gammon into a large saucepan and pour on enough cold water to cover. Add the carrots, leek, onion, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 3 hours, topping up with more boiling water if necessary.

What's the best way to cook ham? ›

Place ham in a large roasting pan; press cloves into the top at 1- to 2-inch intervals. Pack the top with a layer of brown sugar. Pour enough water into the bottom of the roasting pan to come to a 1-inch depth; cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 4 1/2 to 5 hours.

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