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    Home » Recipes » Meat » Brown Sugar Mustard Ham Glaze with Fig and Ginger Ale

    April 11, 2022

    Brown Sugar Mustard Ham Glaze with Fig and Ginger Ale

    5 from 1 vote

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    Apr 11, 2022

    by Lori Murphy

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Make your own honey-baked ham at home from four easy pantry ingredients. Brown Sugar Mustard Ham Glaze makes a beautiful glazed Easter ham thanks to the addition of fig and ginger ale. Yes...ginger ale!

    glazed ham on a sheet pan with a bowl of glaze and black and white checked napkin.

    Recently, I had a spiral cut ham in the freezer and figured I would make it for our small family Easter dinner. At the time, going to the store was a definite challenge requiring reservations to order groceries online. Time to dig through the pantry for the ingredients to make a really sticky ham glaze. (p.s.a... if you don't have my Pantry Guide...sign up tout suite and get it!] And what resulted was this soooo good Brown Sugar Mustard Ham Glaze with Fig and Ginger Ale.

    A pantry is a magical thing, my friend.

    Why this is the best glaze for ham

    spoon dripping mustard into a small bowl with a ham behind it.

    Since this is a pantry ham glaze, we aren't rallying the usual suspects like orange juice, marmalade and honey. You will need some sort of sugar, a little heat and liquid. I created the sweet heat with:

    • brown sugar
    • spicy mustard
    • Trader Joe’s Fig Butter (btw - if you haven't tried this delish spread, give it a go in my Oatmeal Fig Bars]

    ...and the liquid that brings it all together? Ginger ale!

    Repeat after me...ginger ale glaze for ham. It's more than a good thing.

    Ingredients

    spiral cut ham on sheet pan with ginger ale, mustard and brown sugar.

    What I love about this easy ham glaze is that your going to use items you already have in your pantry. Don't have one of them? Pull out something else that's close (substitute mustard for mustard; a different soda for ginger ale; etc.)

    You're going to need 4 ingredients:

    • brown sugar (no substitutions here! this is a must to get that caramelized finish).
    • mustard
    • fig jam
    • ginger ale (and give cola a try if you can't find ginger ale!)

    That's it, my friend!

    What kind of mustard?

    I love using this Honeycup Mustard (especially for dipping in my Dot Copycat Pretzels!) and it's the perfect complement to the saltiness of a spiral cut ham.

    How to make ham glaze

    steps to make ham glaze.
    • It doesn't get much simpler than grabbing a small mixing bowl and adding the brown sugar, mustard and fig butter [1].
    • Stir them together and pour in enough ginger ale to make a thick, smooth glaze [1].
    • Pour over the outside of the ham and brush with a pastry brush until evenly coated [2].
    • Bake the ham for an hour until heated through and the ginger ale ham glaze becomes dark and caramelized.

    Helpful tips

    baked glazed ham on sheet pan with charred glaze.

    Make ahead + storing

    This easy ham glaze recipe can be made a week ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to use. Bring to room temperature before coating the ham. Store the cooked ham in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic and then foil or your favorite food-safe container.

    Freezing

    The glaze can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw completely and stir to combine before using.

    Reheating

    Ham with this easy ginger ale glaze can be reheated in a 350˚ oven until warm.

    FAQ's

    What other kinds of mustard can I use?

    You can use regular Dijon mustard but I would then increase the brown sugar by another tablespoon.

    I don't have or can't find fig butter. Can I use a different flavor of fruit butter or jam?

    Absolutely! Feel free to substitute orange marmalade, apricot jam, or apple butter for the fig butter.

    Can I use ginger beer instead of ginger ale?

    For sure! I'm a huge ginger beer fan - just don't use sugar free ginger beer.

    Can I use diet ginger ale?

    While it's one of my favorite carbonated beverages, save the diet ginger ale for drinking and use regular ginger ale for this easy ham glaze.


    woman in a red shirt cutting pizza smiling.

    About Lori Murphy

    Lori has over 30 years in the food industry as a marketing strategist, culinary instructor and chef for three kids with discerning palates. As the chief content creator at Josie + Nina, Lori is dedicated to helping home cooks create food memories through fresh ingredients and Italian flavors.

    Read more


    glazed ham on a sheet pan with a bowl of glaze and black and white checked napkin.
    5 from 1 vote

    Ginger Ale Ham Glaze

    Print Recipe
    An easy sweet glaze for your holiday spiral cut ham or honeybaked ham.
    Prep Time:2 mins
    Ham Baking Time:1 hr
    Total Time:1 hr 2 mins
    Servings 1 ham
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    Ingredients
     

    • 1 pre-cooked spiral cut ham, about 8-9 lbs. (I usually get the red foil one at Costco)
    • 1 jar Trader Joe's Fig Butter
    • ½ cup Honeycup Mustard
    • 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
    • 2-3 Tablespoons ginger ale, or enough to make a thick glaze
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350° (if using immediately).
    • Place the ham on a parchment lined rimmed sheet pan, making sure there's room on each side to catch any glaze that runs off.
    • In a small bowl, combine the first three ingredients. Stir together until smooth.
    • Starting with 1 Tablespoon, add enough ginger ale to create a thick syrupy glaze that clings and heavily coats the back of the spoon. Adjust the ingredients as needed.
    • Brush or spoon on the glaze over the ham.
    • Bake for about 45-60 minutes until the ham is heated through and the glaze is a dark cognac color.

    Notes

    • This makes a sticky glaze. Make sure to cover your sheet pan with parchment paper before baking.
    • I use a pre-cooked ham.
    Make ahead.
    Glaze. This easy ham glaze recipe can be made a week ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to use. Bring to room temperature before coating the ham. 
    Ham. You can make the ham ahead of time and refrigerate it. Bring to room temperature before serving. I wouldn't heat it as you could risk burning the glaze. You could also remove the ham to a platter to have it sliced and ready to go for your holiday table.
    Storing / Freezing.
    Glaze. The glaze can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw completely and stir to combine before using. 
    Ham. Store the ham in ziploc bags or wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil for up to 4 days. Freeze in a freezer-safe container or ziploc bag for up to 3 months.
    Course: Easter, Ham, holidays
    Author: Lori Murphy
    Did you make this recipe? Tag @josieandnina or tag #josieandnina!
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    Josie + Nina was named in honor of my two Italian grandmothers who made putting good food on the table look easy every day. Through this site, I hope to help you do the same thing but with a fresh, modern perspective, lots of Midwestern hospitality, and flexibility for where you are in your life. To me, it's always the more the merrier.

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