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Maple Glazed Spiral Ham – Tender, Juicy, Baked and Glazed with Sweet-Smoky Perfection
You'll definitely want to add this one to your soul food holiday menu!
Yo, listen up my fellow flavor lovers! — Your guy Marwin, the flavorphile, got a groove for your holiday table, and it’s called maple glazed ham. This soul food beauty starts with a tender, spiralized baked ham slow-baked in a large baking dish to let all those sweet, smoky, and savory notes mingle and bless you real good!
The glaze, ain't no pancake syrup here — pure maple syrup, unsalted butter, and fresh thyme — lays down the smooth melody, while the cherry sauce, a smoky brown sugar laced bourbon boozy infusion hits you with the bassline of sweet heat and tangy depth.
Give a bone in ham about 2 to 2½ hours in the oven, brushing half the glaze on in layers so it builds that glossy, caramelized harmony on the outside. Finish cooked ham with remaining glaze.
Beats and Eats (music to pair with Glazed Ham)
Patrice Rushen’s “To Each His Own” pairs beautifully with maple glazed baked ham because both embody a smooth, layered sophistication that unfolds slowly and luxuriously.
The song’s silky groove and warm harmonies mirror the ham’s tender texture and rich, caramelized glaze, where sweet maple syrup, buttery thyme, and tangy cherry sauce blend like instruments in a soul-jazz ensemble.
When it's all said and done, you get a tender, juicy bite of ham slices that starts sweet from the maple, quickly meets the savory depth of ham au jus and butter, gets lifted by thyme’s freshness, and finishes with the tart-fruity pop of cherry and pineapple, all chased by a smoky-bourbon whisper.
For extra soul, let the ham rest in the baking dish before slicing so the juices can keep every bite moist; or, swap in smoked maple syrup or fresh rosemary for a different groove.
Serve this maple glazed ham alongside Southern collard greens with turkey, baked mac and cheese, southern butter beans, or cornbread stuffing for a plate that sings in harmony. Finish with a soul food dessert like Southern buttermilk pie.
Keep up with my food exploits on Instagram and YouTube. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated playlists.
Maple Glazed Ham
Ingredients
- 10-12 lb Smoked Spiral Ham
- ½ cup Maple Syrup recipe also works with honey
- 3-4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup pure cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 cup cherry juice
- 7 ox can pineapple juice
- 1 teaspoon Chipotle adobo sauce only the sauce, not the peppers
- Leftover Brown sugar spice mix
- 1 oz bourbon whiskey
- 1 cup reserved Ham jus
Method
- Heat small sauce pan on low heat. Add butter and melt. Add thyme to the heated butter and allow it to infuse the butter with flavor. Turn off heat after two minutes.
- Add maple syrup, mix well, and allow to sit a few minutes. Add maple syrup glaze.
- pre-heat the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
- Place ham in a roasting pan. Brush the spiral ham all over with the maple butter glaze. Be sure to brush in between each slice and their edges to glaze both the interior and exterior parts of the ham.
- Place the ham bone side up. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Roast 10 minutes for every pound, so for a 12 pound ham your cooking time will be 120 minutes (2 hours).
- Remove the ham from the oven. Remove the foil and place the ham on it's side. Either pour the pan drippings from the baking dish into a sauce pan. Alternatively use a large spoon to transfer the jus to the sauce pan. Reserve the jus.
- Mix together the dry spices and sugars (brown suger, pure cane sugar, allspice, paprika, cinnamon, salt, pepper) in a medium bowl. If there is any remaining glaze apply another coating to the ham. Sprinkle the exterior of the ham with about a tablespoon of the spice mix. Reserve the rest.
- Cook the ham uncovered for another 15 minutes.
- While the ham cooks, make the sauce.
- Add the cherry juice, pineapple juice, adobo sauce, bourbon, and remaining spice mix to the ham jus. Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce to a simmer.
- Cook until the sauce reduces by about ⅔. Take off heat and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes.
- Serve ham topped with the cherry-pineapple sauce. Garnish with fresh thyme and orange slices.
Nutrition
Notes
- Definitely use a pre-cooked smoked ham that has also already been sliced. It's just that much more convenient. If you choose to slice yourself try to cut the ham slices as evenly as possible.
- For the honey loyalists this recipe works just as well if you prefer honey over maple syrup
- For a bit more complexity and tang in that ham glaze add some dijon mustard.
- Allow ham to reach room temperature before cooking for more even cooking.
- Adding the spiced-sugar mix to the ham helps with caramelization intensifying the flavor on the edges, but also adds a bit of texture to the ham slices.
- If the sauce is too thick, feel free to add more pineapple or cherry juice and mix in well right in the sauce pan until desired consistency is achieved. Also if too thin just allow to cook a little longer.
- The sauce is super delicious and versatile. Reserve some and use on other dishes like pies, pancakes, etc.
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