Are you searching for the ultimate, stress-free holiday showstopper? A magnificent, jaw-dropping centerpiece for your Christmas or Easter table that is as impressive to behold as it is unbelievably delicious and easy to make? This incredible, from-scratch-tasting Maple-Bourbon Glazed Spiral Ham is that perfect recipe. We’re talking an impossibly juicy and tender ham, with a beautiful, glossy, and sticky glaze of rich maple syrup, dark brown sugar, and a warm, sophisticated kick of bourbon and fresh ginger.
This isn’t just another holiday ham recipe; it’s your definitive guide to creating a truly unforgettable feast with minimal effort. We’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to mastering this iconic centerpiece, from a flawless, no-cook glaze to the perfect internal temperature for the juiciest ham of your life. This is a satisfying, soulful, and deeply impressive meal that is destined to become your new family tradition.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Festive & Easy Holiday Main
What makes this Glazed Ham so spectacularly delicious is its incredible depth of flavor and its brilliantly simple preparation, thanks to the convenience of a spiral-cut ham. This recipe is a masterpiece of classic, festive cooking with a bright, modern twist. The star of the show is a magnificent, fully-cooked, bone-in, spiral-cut ham. The real magic happens with the luscious, from-scratch maple-bourbon glaze. This no-cook glaze is a perfect, tangy blend of pure maple syrup, dark brown sugar, bourbon, and a zesty, warm kick from freshly grated ginger and cinnamon. The ham is then gently slow-roasted in a “steam bath” to keep it moist, and then lacquered in multiple stages at a high heat until it’s sticky, caramelized, and completely irresistible.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 4 hours (includes 1-hour rest) |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 12-16 |
The Holiday Pantry: The Essential Ingredients
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality, classic ingredients to create its signature rich and savory-sweet flavor.
- The Ham (The Shortcut Superstar!):
- Fully-Cooked, Bone-in, Spiral-Cut Ham: For the easiest preparation and serving, it is essential to use a fully-cooked, spiral-cut ham. The pre-cut slices are a brilliant shortcut that not only makes carving a breeze but also creates dozens of surfaces for your delicious glaze to seep into, seasoning the meat from the inside out.
- The Glaze (The Flavor Powerhouse!):
- Maple Syrup & Dark Brown Sugar: This combination provides a beautiful, complex sweetness and helps the glaze to caramelize into a gorgeous, glossy finish.1 The dark brown sugar, in particular, adds a deep, rich, molasses-like flavor.
- Bourbon: A classic, American spirit that adds a wonderful, warm, and sophisticated kick of vanilla and caramel that is the perfect complement to the pork.
- Fresh Ginger: This is the brilliant secret ingredient! A teaspoon of freshly grated ginger adds a zesty, bright, and slightly spicy note that cuts through the sweetness and makes the entire glaze pop.
The Glazing Masterclass: The Secret to a Perfect, Non-Dry Ham
This recipe uses two simple but brilliant professional techniques that guarantee a flawless, impressive result.
- The “Steam-Bake” (Covered): The number one secret to a perfectly moist, reheated ham is to not dry it out. This recipe’s method of adding water to the pan and covering the ham tightly with foil is the foolproof key. This creates a “steam bath” inside the pan that gently and evenly heats the ham, ensuring it stays incredibly juicy and tender.
- The High-Heat, Multi-Stage Glaze: The second secret is to glaze in multiple, thin layers. By brushing the glaze on in three separate stages during the final, high-heat (400°F) roasting time, you are allowing each layer to caramelize and set. This is the key that builds up that beautiful, thick, glossy, and deeply flavorful, lacquered crust without it ever burning.
- Rest, Rest, Rest!: You must let your finished ham rest for at least 15-20 minutes before you slice into it. This crucial, patient step allows the hot, delicious juices to relax and redistribute throughout the entire roast.
Step-by-Step to the Perfect Maple-Bourbon Glazed Ham
This elegant, festive meal is a joy to prepare.
Part 1: Prepare the Glaze and the Ham
Step 1: First, let your 8- to 9-pound ham stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Position an oven rack in the lower third of your oven and preheat to 350°F ($175^{\circ}C$). Line a large roasting pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil and top it with an ovenproof rack.
Step 2: To make your no-cook glaze, simply stir together the 1 cup of pure maple syrup, 1/2 cup of packed dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup of bourbon, 1/2 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cook, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the glaze has thickened.
Part 2: The “Steam-Bake” and Final Glaze
Step 1: Place your ham on the rack in the roasting pan. Pour water into the bottom of the pan to a depth of 1/2 an inch. Cover the ham and the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
Step 2: Bake for about 2 hours, basting the ham with the pan drippings every 30 minutes. You will know it is ready for the next step when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers $120^{\circ}F$.
Step 3: Remove the ham from the oven and remove the foil. Increase your oven temperature to 400°F ($200^{\circ}C$).
Step 4 (The Best Part!): Brush the ham all over with 1/3 cup of your prepared glaze. Return it to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Brush the ham with another 1/3 cup of the glaze and continue to bake, brushing with the remaining glaze every 10 minutes, for a total of about 30 minutes. You will know the ham is perfectly done when the glaze is shiny and caramelized and an instant-read thermometer registers $145^{\circ}F$.
Step 6 (The Most Important Step!): Transfer the ham to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before you carve it.
Serve your beautiful ham warm, garnished with fresh herbs and citrus, if desired.
Maple-Bourbon Glazed Ham (An Easy Holiday Showstopper!)
A classic recipe for Beef Bourguignon, a traditional French stew, adapted for the slow cooker for an easy, comforting meal. This dish features tender, boneless chuck roast slow-braised for hours in a rich sauce made from red wine, chicken broth, and tomato paste. The stew is loaded with savory flavors from bacon, sautéed mushrooms, carrots, garlic, and pearl onions, and is finished with a sprinkle of the crispy bacon.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 9 hours
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking, Braising, Searing
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 6 bacon slices, cut into 1/2-in. pieces
- 1 (3-lb.) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-in. cubes
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups diagonally sliced carrots
- 1 (8-oz.) pkg. button mushrooms, quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions
- 4 thyme sprigs
- Fresh thyme leaves (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 1 1/2 tablespoons of hot drippings in the skillet. Crumble the bacon.
- Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper.
- Add half of the beef to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring, for 6 to 9 minutes, until browned on all sides. Transfer the beef to a 5-quart slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining beef.
- Add the carrots and mushrooms to the skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add the red wine and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken broth, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Transfer the vegetable and sauce mixture to the slow cooker. Add the pearl onions and thyme sprigs.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for about 8 hours, until the beef is very tender.
- Discard the thyme sprigs. Skim any excess fat from the top of the stew.
- Divide the beef mixture evenly among 6 bowls; sprinkle with the crumbled bacon and, if desired, fresh thyme leaves. Serve warm.
Notes
- This is a slow-cooker version of the classic French stew, making it largely hands-off for the long cooking time.
- Searing the beef in batches and building the sauce in the same skillet used for the bacon are key steps for developing deep, rich flavors.
- The crispy bacon is reserved and used as a garnish at the end, providing a nice textural contrast to the tender stew.
- This dish is a perfect, hearty meal for a cold day or a special occasion.
Storage and Leftover Ideas
- Storage: Store any leftover ham, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- The Best Leftovers: Leftover glazed ham is a true holiday treasure! It makes the absolute best sandwiches, is fantastic diced up in an omelet or a frittata, and you can use the ham bone to make an incredible, flavorful split pea or a bean soup.
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Frequently Asked questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a juicy, not dry, holiday ham?
The two most important secrets are to not overcook it and to let it rest. Since you are starting with a fully-cooked ham, you are essentially just reheating it. Using an instant-read thermometer and then letting the ham rest are the non-negotiable keys that will guarantee an incredibly juicy and tender result.
Q2: Can I make the glaze ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely! The glaze can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You may need to gently warm it on the stovetop to loosen it up before you glaze the ham.
Q3: Can I use a non-spiral-cut ham?
Yes! This glaze is fantastic on any fully-cooked ham. You will want to score the fat cap in a diamond pattern to allow the glaze to penetrate.
Q4: Can I make this non-alcoholic?
Of course! To make this glaze non-alcoholic, you can simply substitute the 1/2 cup of bourbon with an equal amount of spiced apple cider, pineapple juice, or even ginger ale.
Q5: Why did my glaze burn?
A sugary glaze can burn if the oven is too hot or if it’s applied too early in the cooking process. This recipe’s method of applying the glaze only during the final, high-heat 30 minutes of cooking is the key that prevents the sugars from burning over the long initial bake.