Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (2024)

Easter is coming—the goose is getting fat!

Wait. That's Christmas.

And Christmas isn't coming. At least not for another 200+days.

Okay, now that I've both confused and depressed everyone: Here's the recipe for my yummy sweet-glazed ham—the same ham recipe I'll be making for Easter brunch with all the best ham side dishes. It's totally easy, exceedingly delicious, and results in a purty and glossy Easter ham that'll make your guests say "Oooooooh!" with wide, expectant eyes and, hopefully, hearty appetites because this ham could feed an army. If you're not feeding an army, you'll likely have some leftover ham. To me, that's one of the best parts of cooking a ham—just imagine all the possibilities!

What's the secret to the best holiday ham?

Let's get something straight: Is glazing a ham necessary? No. Is it worth it? Yes! Ham is just regular 'ol ham until you top it with a tangy, sweet, sticky, addictive glaze. For this one, all you have to do is pop open a can of Dr Pepper and mix it with mustard, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Since the ham comes from the grocery store pre-cooked, this is an easy extra step that results in major flavor. Plus, it gives it that gorgeous glossy, lacquered look that just screams holiday ham!

What kind of ham is best for Easter dinner?

Look for a fully-cooked, bone-in ham that isn't spiral cut—it stays juicier in the oven! Shank-end hams are the big, beautiful ones you're used to seeing for the holidays and those work great here. Just remember to do the math on how much ham per person is needed before you put in your order with the butcher!

When should I put my glaze on my ham?

The idea is to wait until the ham is almost fully heated, then add the glaze as one of the last steps. You don't want to add it too early or the sugars in the glaze could cause it to burn, and you don't want to add it too late or you won't get that caramelized coating. I usually bake the ham for about 2 hours before adding some of the glaze. Then I'll pop it back in the oven for 20 minutes, add more glaze, and repeat. The goal is to repeat this process until the ham is nice and glossy. The magic happens when you glaze it 2 or 3 or 4 times.

Do you cook a ham covered or uncovered?

Cover the ham to keep it moist! I've found that just tenting the ham with foil does the job. Keep it tented until you brush on the glaze. Once glaze in on the ham, remove the foil so the glaze has a chance to get all caramelized and yummy.

What can you do with leftover ham?

What can't you do is the real question. Since this is a bone-in ham, save the bone and make ham stock for future soups and stews! With leftover ham, make something breakfast-y like quiche, toss it into your favorite pasta dish or on top of a pizza, or just make a really good ham sandwich.

whole fully cooked bone-in ham (15 to 18 pounds)

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Yields:
18 serving(s)
Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
3 hrs
Total Time:
3 hrs 20 mins

Ingredients

Directions

    1. Step1Preheat the oven to 325°F.
    2. Step2Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern about 1/8-inch deep. Place cloves in the middle of each diamond. Place the ham in a large roasting pan with a rack, tent it with foil, and bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours—or longer, depending on the package directions. (Some hams may require 3 to 3 1/2 hours at a lower temperature; just check the package.)
    3. Step3In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and sodauntil bubbly. Cook until reduced and a bit thicker, about 15 minutes.
    4. Step4After about 2 hours of baking time, remove the foil and brush the glaze on the ham in 20 minutes intervals (put the ham back in the oven, uncovered, in between) until it's nice and glossy. Remove from the oven and allow to rest 15 to20 minutes before carving.

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (2)

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (4)

Get a big honkin’ bone-in ham. Fully cooked.

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (6)

Use a really sharp knife to score a diamond pattern all over the surface of the ham: First cut lines in one direction…

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (8)

Then cut in the other direction.

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (10)

Grab a handful of cloves and poke them into the center of each diamond…

And keep going until the whole surface is dotted. I do this for looks more than flavor: I just think it looks lovely and traditional when it’s all done baking.

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (14)

Cover the ham with foil, then put it into the oven to warm it up. I do 325 for at least 2 to 2 1/2 hours, but I’d say just look at the instructions on the package and follow those. Some hams say to go 3 to 4 hours, some at a lower temperature. The whole goal here is just to heat the ham slowly…and it takes awhile to do that.

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (16)

While the ham is in the oven, you can make the glaze: Throw 3 cups of brown sugar into a saucepan…

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (18)

Along with 1/2 cup of grainy, spicy mustard for a nice tang…

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (20)

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar for a little bite…

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (22)

And the star of the show!

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (24)

A whole can of Dr Pepper.

You can use Coke. Heck, you could probably even use root beer. But please, for the love of all things good and caramelized, do not use diet pop.

(It’s the sugar we’re after here.)

Amen.

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (26)

Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat…

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (28)

And simmer it for a good 15-20 minutes until it’s gotten darker and thicker.

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (30)

After the ham has cooked for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, brush the surface with some of the glaze. Then pop it back into the oven, uncovered, for another 20 minutes or so.

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (32)

Pull it out and brush on more glaze, then pop it back in the oven.

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (34)

Then pull it out and brush on more glaze! Keep doing this until the ham is fully heated and the glaze is really gorgeous and glossy.

Note: On my Food Network episode last weekend, I only glazed it once because I had been at church and didn’t want to add too much more time before we ate. It was still totally delicious, but glazing the ham 2 or 3 (or 4) times really results in more of a masterpiece in terms of gorgeous surface.

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (36)

Mmmm. Easter feast!

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (38)

Enjoy, guys. This ham’ll take you far in life.

Ree's Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham Is the Only Recipe You'll Need This Easter (2024)

FAQs

Do you put the glaze on a ham before you cook it or after you cook it? ›

The glaze should not be applied until the final hour to 30 minutes, in order to avoid burning the sugars. What you're going to do with the glaze ingredients is just combine most of them into a paste, and then apply it to the ham. After that, the heat in your oven will take care of everything.

What is the best cut of ham for Easter dinner? ›

What kind of ham is best for Easter dinner? Look for a fully-cooked, bone-in ham that isn't spiral cut—it stays juicier in the oven! Shank-end hams are the big, beautiful ones you're used to seeing for the holidays and those work great here.

Why is Easter ham a thing? ›

Before the advent of modern refrigeration, pigs were often slaughtered in the fall, and the meat was preserved through the winter months using salt and smoke. By the time spring arrived, the preserved ham was ready to be consumed, making it a natural choice for a celebratory Easter feast.

Should Easter ham be served warm or cold? ›

Pre-cooked ham can be served directly from the refrigerator. If you'd like to serve it hot, heat in a 350° oven to an internal temperature of 140°. At 140°, the ham will be thoroughly warmed and moist.

How do you use the dry glaze packet that comes with the ham? ›

In shallow roasting pan, place ham. In large saucepan, stir together glaze packet contents, 2 cups water and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes or until brown sugar is dissolved.

Do you cover glazed ham with foil? ›

If you don't cover your ham while cooking it will quickly dry out. Instead: Put some aluminum foil over your ham while it's cooking. It is recommended that the ham is covered for at least half of the cooking process and only removed during the last half when you glaze it.

What is the most popular meat eaten on Easter? ›

There's no question lamb is front and centre at the Easter table - and for good reason - but there are plenty of alternatives to choose from. This is our list of some of the best meats to have for your Easter dinner: Easter Lamb.

Which ham is sweeter? ›

The honey flavors the ham, making honey-cured hams just as sweet as they sound. Sugar-cured ham: Another sweet ham you'll find on the market is a sugar-cured ham.

What cut of ham has the best flavor? ›

The shank end (or leg portion) sports that classic ham profile, so it's a good choice for a picture-perfect table. The meat tends to be leaner and it has one long bone, which makes carving easier. The butt end (the top half of the ham) has more tender, fattier meat, lending a richer flavor.

What not to eat on Easter Sunday? ›

For ages, Christians have avoided eating meat on Easter Sunday. Many individuals, devout or not, continue to eat solely fish on this day. Every year, millions of people around the world observe the tradition of eating fish on Easter.

What color represents Easter? ›

Specific colors are associated with different days of Easter week, with purple for Palm Sunday, black and red for Good Friday, black for Holy Saturday, and gold and white for Easter Sunday.

Why do you not eat meat during Easter? ›

Christians don't just observe the Friday fast at Easter, throughout Lent it is observed. The idea of the tradition is that Jesus sacrificed his own flesh on Good Friday and thus meat is given up in substitute.

What liquid keeps ham moist? ›

Any meat that is roasted in the oven needs moisture so it won't burn at the bottom of the pan or dry out. The trick is to make sure you add some kind of liquid to your pan. So here's the hack: Add half a cup of wine or stock to the bottom of your pan before popping that ham in the oven.

How long to cook a 10 lb fully cooked ham? ›

Plan on baking your pre-cooked ham at an oven temperature of 325 degrees Fahrenheit, covered with foil, until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit, as recommended by the USDA. A pre-cooked 10-pound ham, bone-in will need about 2 1/2 hours.

Do you bake a bone-in ham covered or uncovered? ›

Ham is traditionally baked in the oven. Cook for approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound at 300 F. No matter the size of the ham and the temperature of the oven, it should be cooked until the internal temperature reaches 140 F. Covering with foil throughout the cooking process keeps it moist.

Can you add glaze to an already cooked ham? ›

Apply the glaze just before putting it into the oven to bake. Remember, the ham is already cooked, so all we're doing here is warming it back up again with the glaze.

At what temp do you put the glaze on a smoked ham? ›

If you're short on time, store bought will work fine too. I use a disposable aluminum pan to smoke my ham to keep the mess to a minimum. Be sure to place the cut side of the ham face down in the pan as shown in the photos. Once the ham temperature registers around 135 degrees F, start preparing your glaze.

What happens if you glaze a ham too early? ›

When should I glaze a ham? The ham should be glazed towards the end of the cook. Whether you are baking the ham in the oven or doing a twice smoked ham on the smoker, the glaze should be added at the end. If you glaze your ham too early, the sugars could burn from the heat.

Do you cook ham face up or down? ›

Remove all packaging materials and place ham on its side, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan; cover loosely with aluminum foil. Heat approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound until heated through. Remove ham from oven and let stand, covered, 20 minutes before serving.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Moshe Kshlerin

Last Updated:

Views: 5868

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (57 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Moshe Kshlerin

Birthday: 1994-01-25

Address: Suite 609 315 Lupita Unions, Ronnieburgh, MI 62697

Phone: +2424755286529

Job: District Education Designer

Hobby: Yoga, Gunsmithing, Singing, 3D printing, Nordic skating, Soapmaking, Juggling

Introduction: My name is Moshe Kshlerin, I am a gleaming, attractive, outstanding, pleasant, delightful, outstanding, famous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.