Looking for a centerpiece-worthy Christmas or Easter entrée that garners eager accolades from your hungry holiday guests? This succulent orange-pepper glazed baked ham won’t disappoint!
Though it boasts the classic ham flavor, the mouthwatering fusion of garlic, cloves, mustard, brown sugar, orange zest and wine makes this Christmas ham distinctly better than the rest.
A word about wine: Riesling is a crisp white wine that boasts strong orchard fruit aromas and nectarous fruit flavors. Rieslings are commonly known for their sweetness, but they can be dry or sweet, depending on the region where the grapes are grown. For this ham, go with a sweet Riesling, with origins from Germany or California.
Not all hams are created equal! Ideally, you want to start with a ham that is not adulterated “with natural juices” or “with water added” or an added “water product.” Definitely avoid purchasing a ham that is labeled as already glazed or injected with maple or honey, since these added flavors will compete, counter or ruin this glazed ham recipe.
MORE: You might also like this recipe for a Roast pork tenderloin with dried fruits
We love holiday hams for their unbeatable flavor and delicious potential for leftovers, but we also adore this particular Christmas ham recipe because it is incredibly easy to prepare and serve for your holiday feast.
You may not be the most skilled in the kitchen, but we can assure you that this glazed ham recipe will make your dinner guests think you are a seasoned Christmas dinner pro.
Orange-pepper glazed baked ham
Yield 8
Ingredients
- 1 ham, 10-12 pounds
- 8 cloves of garlic, left whole
- 20 whole cloves
- 1 cup Riesling white wine
- 1 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons marjoram, dried
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper, coarsely ground
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Trim excess fat off ham and score the top diagonally.
- Place the ham in a large roasting pan over a V-rack.
- Poke whole cloves throughout the diagonal scores of the ham.
- Add garlic cloves to the bottom of the pan.
- In a medium bowl, mix wine, orange juice and zest.
- Pour orange juice mixture over ham.
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, blend together the Dijon mustard, brown sugar, marjoram, garlic powder, ground pepper and chicken broth.
- Increase oven temperature to 450F.
- Smear the entire ham with the mustard blend. Bake another 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
- Pour off the excess juices and cook in the pan until thickened.
- Serve extra drippings as a sauce for the ham.
Courses Dinner
