This Orange Glazed Ham is a showstopper with warm, delicious spices in a brown sugar orange marmalade glaze that caramelizes beautifully on the meat. With 15 minutes of prep time, it’s one of our go-to holiday main courses to serve alongside a bunch of sides for a delicious meal.
We’re a ham family, whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter, we make several of them a year because they’re so simple to prep and also make for the best leftovers! This Orange Glazed Ham is a recipe that has been tucked away in my recipe box for years. It’s similar to my popular Honey-Baked Ham, but with a beautiful honey orange infusion!
The glaze comes together in a matter of minutes with 7 ingredients you probably already at home. Then bake away and get ready for your house to smell heavenly! Serve with cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and asparagus to become the hostess with the mostess for your next gathering.
Kathleen’s Tip: Cook a spiral ham for 10 to 14 minutes per pound, that means about 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours for an 8 to 12 pound ham. My best advice is to pull out your handy meat thermometer and make sure it registers 140ºF before removing from the oven.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Easy marmalade glaze for ham. Believe it or not, orange marmalade or jam is a great base for a delicious sweet sauce brushed all over a smoky ham.
- A main course perfect for beginner cooks. If you are making a holiday dinner for the first time, make this holiday ham! It has a short and simple ingredient list and is a tried-and-true recipe.
- Pair with all sorts of side dishes. We give you so many suggestions below, but this ham makes for the best main along with lots of yummy sides.
Ingredients
Ham:
- Bone-in spiral ham: Look for 6 to 8 pounds here, which will feed 8 to 10 people. Allow ham to sit at room temperature for one hour before preparing.
- Naval oranges: Infuses the ham with bright citrus flavor.
Orange Ham Glaze Recipe:
- Light brown sugar: The sweetness for the glaze.
- Honey: Compliments the sugar to make that gooey consistency that makes the ham glisten.
- Sweet orange marmalade: I love Bonne Maman, but you can also use any brand that is easy to find. If you can find tangerine marmalade, even better!
- Cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and ginger: The ground spices that add lots of warming flavors to the glaze to make every bite layered with spiced goodness.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to Make Orange Glazed Ham
Move the rack to the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175° C).
Trim any excess fat if you have trouble fitting into your pan.
Place orange slices in the bottom of the pan (9×13 inch baking dish, make sure your ham fits, or shallow roasting pan), and then place the ham, flat-side down, on top of the orange slices. Be sure to remove the plastic disc that covers the bone. Using a sharp knife, score the top (rounded side) of the ham in a diamond pattern.
In a small saucepan, over medium heat, whisk in the brown sugar, honey, marmalade, and spices. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer (not a boil), reduce to a low heat and allow to simmer for 2-4 minutes until thickened, on the longer side for high altitude.
Spoon half the glaze over the top of the ham (getting between some of the slices).
Bake, covered with aluminum foil at 350°F for 1 hour.
Spoon or brush the remaining glaze (reserving ¼-½ cup for serving) over the ham and bake, uncovered another 15-30 minutes longer until the internal temperature reaches 140°F (60°C) using an instant read thermometer and the ham is heated through. A larger ham may require a little longer. Remove from the oven and allow ham to rest 10-15 minutes and slice and serve with extra juice from the ham.
Brush with reserved glaze or serve on the side.
Expert Tips
- Always be sure to allow the ham to rest before slicing. This applies to any large piece of protein. It helps the juices to settle so every bite is moist and flavorful. Plus, the glaze can set, to be the right consistency and texture.
- You’ll know when the ham is done cooking when it reaches 140ºF on a meat thermometer. Make sure you always heat it through to this temperature.
- For an impressive presentation before serving, brush a little warm glaze over the ham again before carving.
- If your glaze is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of warm water and stir to combine.
- When roasting the ham, be sure to place is cut-side down. This positioning will prevent the ham from drying out as it roasts and keep the slices tender.
- Save your ham bone to make a delicious soup or broth. It adds so much flavor when simmered for a couple of hours with vegetables and aromatics.
Variations
- Cranberry Orange Ham: Swap ¼ cup of the marmalade for cranberry sauce for a festive twist.
- Add some Warm Spices: Add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom for a warmer spice profile.
- Reduce the Sweetness: Reduce honey by ¼ cup for a more subtle glaze that still caramelizes beautifully.
- Whole Ham (Not Spiral-Cut): Score the surface in a diamond pattern so the glaze can seep in as it bakes.
- If you don’t have any orange marmalade, you can substitute with orange juice concentrate for a similar flavor. The glaze will be thinner but still delicious.
- More orange-y: If desired, zest the oranges before slicing, then place the orange zest into the saucepan when making the orange glaze.
What to Serve with Glazed Ham with Marmalade
Whether it’s a dinner party, weeknight meal, or holiday entertaining, this honey and brown sugar glazed ham is a main dish worth celebrating with a variety of dishes. Here are some suggestions:
Storage
When it comes to storage, you can easily wrap any extra ham slices in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Reheat in the oven at 300ºF covered with foil. Add a splash of water or extra glaze if you have it. It should take 8 to 10 minutes, checking periodically.
When it comes to freezing the orange glazed ham, you can also do so for up to 2 months. Wrap it well to prevent freezer burn and reheat according to the same instructions.
Any extra glaze can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. Don’t worry if you have a lot of leftovers either, use them to make Ham and Swiss Sliders or Ham and Potato Soup.
FAQs
Mix orange marmalade or orange juice concentrate with honey and brown sugar and brush over the ham while baking for a glistening caramelized finish.
Yes, you can if you mix it with honey and brown sugar to make a sweet and rich glaze. But be sure to use orange zest as well as fresh squeezed orange juice for the best flavor.
For best results, use half of the glaze on the ham before baking and the second half throughout roasting and afterwards.
Our favorite leftover ham recipes
More Easy Roast Recipes
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Equipment
Ingredients
Ham
- 6 – 8 pounds fully cooked bone-in spiral ham if larger, increase the glaze
- 2 naval oranges sliced
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup honey
- ⅔ cup sweet orange marmalade I love Bonne Maman
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Move the rack to the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175° C). Trim any excess fat if you have trouble fitting into your pan.
- Place orange slices in the bottom of a roasting pan or 9×13 inch baking dish (make sure your ham fits) and then place the ham, flat side down on top of orange slices. Be sure to remove the plastic disc that covers the bone.6 – 8 pounds fully cooked bone-in spiral ham, 2 naval oranges
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, whisk in the brown sugar, honey, marmalade, and spices. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer (not a boil), reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for 2-4 minutes until thickened. (on the longer side for high altitude)1 cup light brown sugar, 1 cup honey, ⅔ cup sweet orange marmalade, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon cloves, ¼ teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- Spoon half the glaze over the ham (getting between some of the slices).
- Bake, covered with foil at 350°F for 1 hour.
- Spoon or brush the remaining glaze (reserving ¼-½ cup for serving) over the ham and bake uncovered another 15-30 minutes longer or until an instant read thermometer reaches 140°F (60°C) and ham is heated through. A larger ham may require a little longer. Remove from the oven and allow ham to rest 10-15 minutes before slicing.
- Brush with reserved glaze or serve on the side.
Notes
- Extra glaze may be stored covered in the refrigerator for 5–7 days.
- The spices are meant to enhance, not overpower, the orange and honey flavors.
- For a much larger ham, increase the glaze by 1½ times.
- This glaze also works beautifully on a non-spiral-cut ham. If using, trim excess fat and remove the skin before glazing. And score the surface in a diamond pattern.
- Holiday Variation: For Christmas or Thanksgiving, reduce orange marmalade to ½ cup and add ¼ cup red currant jelly or cranberry sauce.
- No orange marmalade? Substitute orange juice concentrate for a similar intensity and thickness. If using orange juice, it will be thinner but still flavorful—worth a try in a pinch.
- Refrigerator: Store leftover ham tightly wrapped or in an airtight container for 4–5 days.
- Freezer: Ham may be frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap well to prevent freezer burn.
- Reheating: Warm gently in the oven at 300°F, covered with foil, adding a splash of water or extra glaze to keep it moist.
Nutrition
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