Southern Baked Ham Recipe with 3-Ingredient Brown Sugar Glaze
Set this Southern baked ham recipe on the holiday table and watch everybody try to guess what’s in that shiny brown sugar glaze. It comes from my great-grandmother Lela, and her 3-ingredient glaze is just brown sugar, yellow mustard and a splash of Coke. A bone-in smoked ham bakes wrapped in foil for an hour, gets a second coat of glaze and bakes 30 minutes more uncovered, so you’re looking at about 1 hour 45 minutes plus a short rest before slicing.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Baked Ham With Brown Sugar Glaze
- Serves: 4
- Main Ingredients: approx 8-lb. smoked, ready-to-cook, bone-in ham, packed brown sugar, coke, yellow mustard
- Why You'll Love It: This recipe for baked ham features the easiest and tastiest 3-ingredient brown sugar glaze that makes your ham positively shine. Also, save that ham bone for other delicious recipes!
There’s no honey, ground cloves or pineapple rings in this ham glaze, and nobody misses them. A good baked ham is a wonderful main course for Easter, Christmas or any Sunday dinner, and the leftovers usually give me at least three more meals. One of my favorite ways to use them is to warm up some Jordan rolls the next morning, split them and layer in warm slices of ham for a quick breakfast with a cup of coffee. Save that ham bone with a little meat still on it, too. Pop it in a gallon-size bag in the freezer and it’ll flavor the best pot of pinto beans or Senate bean soup you’ve ever had.
There’s another great ham recipe in my cookbook that you won’t find on SouthernPlate.com, so be sure to check it out.
Why This Baked Ham Recipe Works
The Coke turns the brown sugar and mustard into a glaze that’s a lot looser than you’d expect, so it brushes right on and coats every part of the ham you can reach. Wrapping the ham in foil for the first hour keeps it juicy while it heats through, and then the second coat of glaze bakes uncovered so it can brown on the outside.
What You Need for Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
- Smoked ham: I use an 8-pound smoked, ready-to-cook, bone-in ham. Spiral-cut and boneless hams are out there too, but bone-in is the one I recommend for this recipe, and you get that ham bone for later.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark, whatever you have in the pantry.
- Coke: Any cola works, including Diet Coke or Diet Dr. Pepper. For a more traditional glaze, swap in orange juice, or try ginger ale if you dare.
- Yellow mustard: Just a tablespoon of plain yellow mustard balances out the sweetness.
Helpful Tips Before You Start
- Use a baking pan with sides. The ham juice will leak out, and if it gets in the bottom of your oven you’ll have quite the smell in your house.
- Heavy-duty foil is great if you have it, but regular foil works fine. No sense spending extra money when you don’t have to.
- No basting brush? Spoon the glaze over the ham in big gobs and smear it around.
- If the glaze doesn’t loosen up after stirring, add another tablespoon of Coke.
- I slice my ham with an electric knife I got for about $25, but a sharp regular knife works just fine.
How to Make a Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze
1Stir the glaze
In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, Coke and mustard. It will turn a lot more liquid than you expect.
2Glaze and wrap the ham
Line a rimmed baking pan with foil and set the ham in the center. Brush half of the glaze over every part of the ham you can reach, then wrap the foil up and seal it well.
3Bake for 1 hour
Bake the wrapped ham at 350°F for 1 hour.
4Glaze again and bake uncovered
Peel the foil back without moving the ham and brush on the rest of the glaze. Return it to the oven uncovered for 30 minutes more, or until lightly browned.
5Rest and slice
Let the ham sit for about 10 minutes before slicing. If you need to serve it later, cover it with foil to keep it warm, but I suggest slicing within half an hour, because that’s about as long as anybody can stand waiting once they smell it.
What to Serve with Baked Ham
For a holiday or Easter ham, I like it with homemade mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes, a pot of fresh green beans and a plate of Southern deviled eggs. Cheesy hashbrown casserole, candied sweet potatoes and a basket of homemade dinner rolls round it out nicely, and a cool tomato, onion and cucumber salad keeps things light. Planning a big holiday dinner? My holiday menu ideas have plenty more sides to pick from.
Baked Ham FAQs
How long do you bake a ham at 350 degrees?
For an 8-pound smoked, ready-to-cook, bone-in ham, I bake it wrapped in foil for 1 hour, then uncovered for 30 minutes more after the second coat of glaze. Hams vary, so check the label on yours for its heating instructions too.
Can you make a ham glaze without honey?
This one doesn’t use any honey at all. Brown sugar, yellow mustard and Coke make a sweet, tangy glaze that’s simple to stir together from what’s already in your pantry.
What can I use instead of Coke in ham glaze?
Any carbonated soda works, including Diet Coke or Diet Dr. Pepper. Orange juice makes a more traditional glaze, and ginger ale is fun if you want to try something different.
Southern Baked Ham with 3-Ingredient Brown Sugar Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 approx 8-lb. smoked, ready-to-cook, bone-in ham
- 1 cup packed brown sugar light or dark, whatever you have
- 2 tablespoons coke or your favorite carbonated soda
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
Instructions
- Line a large pan with a lip around it with aluminum foil. Place the ham in the center of the foil.1 approx 8-lb. smoked, ready-to-cook, bone-in ham
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, coke, and mustard to make your glaze. Brush half of the glaze over the ham. Wrap the entire ham well in foil. Place in a 350-degree oven for 1 hour.1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons coke, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- Remove the ham from the oven and peel back the foil, but don't move the ham. Brush the remaining glaze over the ham and return to the oven, uncovered, for another 30 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Allow it to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes or so before cutting. If you need to serve it later you can cover it with foil to keep it warm and let it sit on your stovetop. I suggest cutting it within half an hour of removing it from the oven because that is about as long as you'll be able to stand waiting once you smell it.
Notes
- Storage: Keep leftover ham in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Serve it cold or reheat it quickly in the microwave. Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Soda swaps: Any cola works, including Diet Coke or Diet Dr. Pepper. Use orange juice for a more traditional glaze, or ginger ale for something different.
- Use a pan with sides: The ham juices will leak, and they’ll smoke if they drip into your oven.
- Ham: This recipe is written for a bone-in smoked ham. Check your ham’s label for its heating instructions.
- For a festive touch: Decorate the ham with maraschino cherries.
Nutrition
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My mother was a good cook, (for a yankee, giggle), My best sunday meal was pan fried chicken, with skin on, mashed potatoes, gravy, and biscuits.
Hubby and I only eat skinless chicken breasts now, so I miss mom’s fried chicken really bad. Some day, maybe I’ll give in and fix it for myself.
Oh how I loved those Sunday dinners after church. Fried chicken, smooth and buttery mashed potatoes, green beans cooked all day on Saturday, ambrosia with oranges, pineapple, coconut and cherries, either fresh corn on the cob or fried creamed corn and my grandmother’s flaky biscuits. Her name was Nannie and she was known to all her friends as a wonderful cook and a lovely Southern lady. She continued to have luncheons with the same ladies for years and years. A Southern luncheon is another wonderful memory. I miss them.
I make my ham ’bout the same way you do, only I use Mexican Co’Cola (made with real sugar). It’s the most requested item for holidays.
Hello Christie,
I was a teenager during the 1950’s. My Grandmother lived with us and did most of the cooking since my divoraced mother worked. We always attended church on Sunday. We never ate out because there was no money for that. Nana usually made a nice beef pot roast for Sunday dinner. We would make mashed potatoes, a vegetable and gravy when we returned home. Nana loved to make Jello molds with lots of fruit in it. They were beautiful and sometimes held so much fruit that they would crack in half! Dinner was in the dining room on Sunday. We all helped get things together and sat down together. My brother and I were expected to use our best manners. After dinner, Nana was excused from helping clean up. I would help my mother with the leftovers and doing the dishes. The remaining afternoon and evening were spent doing what we wished as long as the work was done. Sunday supper often was a Denver sandwich. Something simple and easy to clean up. Good memories of happy times. Susan
My Grandma would come and we would have roast beef, yorkshire pudding, veg and roast potatoes, with a pudding afterwards. At the time believe it or not chicken was a luxury food and only served on special occasions whilst beef which is now incredibly expensive was relatively affordable. How things change!
We’d alternate between Granny and Pa’s one Sunday, then the next we’d eat at Grandmomma and Granddaddy’s, at least as long as they were able to handle a BUNCH of grandkids! Both grandmothers were good cooks….my favorite dishes were Mac-n-cheese (NOT the box kind!), fried chicken and chicken and dressing. We always found an adventure to get into and were always tempted to “prowl” around! Fun and yummy times!
When i was growing up, we had Sunday dinner at our house every Sunday after church. It was so normal to me and I thought this is what everyone did. I know that i loved every minute with my parents, brother, sister, grandparents and great grandparents. My Nanny and Granddaddy lived next door when i was growing up. My Mother was, and still is, the very best cook in the world. She can cook anything. We would have chicken or ham or roast, potatoes, fresh vegetables from my great grandfathers garden, home made cornbread, rolls, gravy, etc……We would always have dessert, a pie, banana pudding, pound cake…We were not rich as far as money, but there was so much love around that dining room table. I can remember a bowl with cucumbers and onions in the middle of the table in vinegar and water. I did not like them then, but love them now. ( I recently made and loved the Fire and Ice Salad, oh how wonderful!!!)
My husband told me several years after we had been dating, that he loved that about my family and was always welcome around the table on Sunday. Sundays were family days. Those memories are precious and priceless to me now. My Mother is the only one left aside from my sister, brother, me and our families. I am sad to say that the tradition died a few years ago. My Nanny got sick with alzheimer’s and my mother was her care giver. My sons were old enough to remember the tradition. We have our own traditions now and try to get together with the rest of the family as much as we can.
I am sad that life can seem so hectic and you can get away from family time if you are not careful. That is why we must make sure to keep these things going. Family, love, and security are what children hunger for. Life may not be perfect, but when you have these things and the good Lord up above, you can make it through anything.
Christy, that is one of the many things that I love about you and so many do. You are hanging on to family, good southern cooking, taking the time for the things that really matter. Wonderful family times!!!
My mom is going to move into an apartment sometime this year. It is next to my sister and her husband. The house that I grew up in is the house that my Mother grew up in. My bedroom growing up was her bedroom growing up!! Isn’t that wonderful? She is 75 and very active and can make the best pound cakes and fudge. She is known for her fudge, pound cakes and creamed corn!!!!! The house will be sold. I will be getting that precious dining room table that was my Nanny and Granddaddy’s. It will be sad to see the house go, but the memories will live on for many years!! What love has been in that house through the years.
Thank you for sharing with us and for letting us share with you!!!
Love, Pam