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Best Brown Sugar Bourbon Glazed Ham: Small Batch Recipe

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A small batch ham recipe with a sticky, caramelized brown sugar bourbon glaze, perfect for a special Tuesday or a small gathering. This budget-friendly recipe uses simple ingredients and a layering technique to create a beautiful, flavorful crust.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 (3 to 4 pound) bone-in, fully cooked ham half (shank or butt portion)
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1/4 cup bourbon
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (plus whole cloves for studding)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven and prep the ham (10 minutes): Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Take your ham out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to take the chill off. Remove any plastic packaging or netting, but leave the skin on if it has one. If there’s a thick layer of skin, you can trim it off, leaving about a 1/4 inch layer of fat. Pat the ham dry with paper towels.
  2. Score the ham (5 minutes): Using a sharp knife, make shallow cuts about 1/4 inch deep in a diamond pattern across the entire surface of the ham. The diamonds should be about 1 to 1.5 inches wide.
  3. Stud with cloves (5 minutes): Press a whole clove into the center of each diamond.
  4. Make the glaze (10 minutes): In a small saucepan, combine the dark brown sugar, bourbon, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, ground cloves, and cinnamon (if using). Whisk everything together over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Let it bubble away for about 5 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the glaze is slightly thickened.
  5. First bake (1 hour): Place the ham on the rack in your roasting pan, cut side down. Pour about 1/2 cup of water into the bottom of the pan. Tent the ham loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches about 110°F (43°C) on your meat thermometer.
  6. Glaze and bake again (30-40 minutes): Remove the ham from the oven and carefully take off the foil. Using your pastry brush, generously brush about one-third of the glaze all over the ham. Return the ham to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 15 minutes. Then, brush on another third of the glaze. Bake for another 15 minutes. The ham is done when the internal temperature reaches 135°F to 140°F (57°C to 60°C) in the thickest part, not touching the bone.
  7. Rest and serve (15 minutes): Remove the ham from the oven and tent it loosely with foil. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes. While it rests, warm the remaining glaze and set it aside for serving. Carve the ham against the grain, and drizzle with the extra glaze.

Notes

Patience with the glaze is key. Apply the glaze in layers for a beautiful caramelized crust. Watch the sugar as it burns easily. Don’t skip the water in the pan to keep the ham moist. Let the ham rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown sugar bourbon glazed ham, small batch ham, glazed ham, Easter ham, Christmas ham, bourbon ham, ham recipe

Find it online: https://leilameals.com/best-brown-sugar-bourbon-glazed-ham-small-batch-recipe/