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.
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Why this is the best glaze for ham
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
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
- 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
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.
Made this recipe?
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Brown Sugar Mustard Ham Glaze with Fig and Ginger Ale
Ingredients
- 1 pre-cooked spiral cut ham, about 8-9 lbs. (I usually get the red foil one at Costco)
- 1 jar Fig butter or jam
- ½ cup Honeycup Mustard
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2-3 Tablespoons ginger ale, or enough to make a thick glaze
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.
