This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our privacy policy for additional information.
This brown sugar ham glaze has a delicious secret ingredient: ginger ale! I have revamped this classic ham glaze recipe into a tasty new version perfect for your holiday ham!
Karlynn’s Recipe Rundown: The Best Brown Sugar Ham Glaze
- This ham glaze is made with simple, delicious ingredients you most likely have in your pantry and only takes a few minutes to make.
- I walk you through my favorite type of ham to use for a glaze, how to score the ham properly and cook it, and then glaze it to make the perfect ham!
- I made an instructional video for you that takes you step-by-step through making this ham glaze.
Ingredient Tips You Need to Know
- Ham: the best ham for this has a thick fat layer and rind. I use a ham shank portion for the best results.
- Ginger Ale: Don’t use diet ginger ale as fake sweeteners will make this taste odd.
- Brown Sugar: you can use golden or dark brown sugar
- Spices: You can taste test and adjust to your liking. Add in a pinch of cloves and granulated garlic if desired.
- Mustard: Try Dijon mustard instead of normal yellow.
To Score the Ham, or Not to Score
Make sure to read my post on how to score a ham, which goes more indepth into how to score the ham and has a video as well.
To sum it up: If the ham has a fat layer, you can score the ham and it won’t dry out the ham.
If the ham doesn’t have a fat layer, do not score the ham before you bake it. This only will dry out the ham. You can apply the glaze to the top of the ham once it’s heated through and broil it quickly.
Cooking Tips For Success
- Baking time for the ham: I heat it lower than most, at 325°F, to avoid drying out. The cooking time at that temperature is about 15 to 18 minutes per pound.
- Always cover the ham and add liquid. Ham will dry out if you cook it uncovered the entire time without liquid in the bottom of the pan.
- Making a sauce at the end: Add water once you take the cover off, and don’t let the ginger ale on the bottom of the pan evaporate and burn.
- Apply the glaze when the ham is almost warmed up to 145°F. There is a magic spot where the ham still has another 30-45 minutes to cook, allowing the glaze to caramelize and become sticky and delicious. Applying it too soon means it will burn as you must cook it uncovered at the end.
I don’t make the optional sauce at the end as most of my family on the holidays doesn’t have a sweet tooth for sauce on the ham (they want dessert!), but there might be a fight or two over who gets the pieces with the best glazed crispy piece of fat! This is truly the best ham glaze and I get rave reviews whenever I make it!
Happy Cooking!
Love,
Karlynn
The Best Brown Sugar Ham Glaze
How to make the best brown sugar ham glaze that has a secret ingredient – ginger ale! Not only is the glaze delicious on baked ham, there is also enough to drizzle over your ham for the meal.
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 1
Calories: 1309kcal
Ingredients
Ham
- one 10 pound ham shank precooked or smoked
- 2 cups gingerale
Brown Sugar Glaze
- 1 cup brown sugar packed tightly
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ cup ginger ale
- 1 batch cornstarch slurry if making sauce
Instructions
Prepare the Ham
- Unwrap the ham. Remove the rind, leaving the layer of fat underneath. If there is no fat layer in an area do not remove the rind, leave it on. Score the top of the ham in a crisscross pattern, creating little squares of fat. Do not cut through to the meat.
- Place a rack in a roaster and place the ham on the rack. If you don't have a rack, place little balls of aluminum foil under the ham to elevate it.
- Preheat your oven to 325℉. Place the oven rack on the second lowest or lowest rack of your oven. Depending on how high your ham is, you want it far from the top element. My ham in my roaster is very tall, so I use the bottom rack.
- Pour the two cups of ginger ale over the ham, then cover with the roaster lid or tent with aluminum foil. Bake for 90 minutes or until the center of the ham is around 110℉ when tested with an instant-read thermometer.
Prepare the Glaze
- Place the brown sugar, maple syrup, orange juice, mustard, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat the mixture, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Boil for another 5-10 minutes until thicker and reduced to a syrup consistency. Remove from the heat.
- Remove the lid or foil from the ham. Baste the ham with half of the sauce, covering the top and sides where the fat is scored. Do not use all the glaze now; use about half of the glaze. Add a cup or two of water to the bottom of the pan. This will help keep the ginger ale from burning if you want to make the sauce for the ham.
- Turn the oven temperature up to 350℉ and continue to bake. Baste the ham with the remainder of the glaze again after 15 minutes, then continue to cook. Re-baste the ham every 10 minutes, using the drippings in the pan, until the ham's internal temperature reaches a minimum of 145°F. If the glaze isn't sticky and dark brown, broil for 4-5 minutes at the end to achieve this.
- Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for ham for 15 minutes.
- If desired, take the drippings and place in a saucepan. Add some more ginger ale if needed. Create the cornstarch slurry. Heat the drippings to a simmer, then whisk in the slurry until the sauce has thickened. Remove and place into a gravy boat.
- Remove the ham and slice.
- Serve the ham with the prepared sauce.
Video
Notes
Nutritional values are for the brown sugar glaze only.
Nutrition
Calories: 1309kcal | Carbohydrates: 332g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 273mg | Potassium: 774mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 320g | Vitamin A: 262IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 321mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheKitchenMagpie or tag #thekitchenmagpie!
Karlynn J says
I am SO glad to hear it! Thanks for letting me know!!!
Aline says
Your recipe was AMAZING. Everyone loved it so… much. Thank you for this recipe and all of the great tips.