This easy 3-ingredient ham glaze transforms Christmas ham into an elegant centrepiece. The combination of honey, Dijon mustard and brown sugar creates a beautifully caramelised glaze.
It’s the kind of effortless recipe that makes entertaining feel achievable, even when you’re juggling a full festive menu.
Ingredients
Method
Combine honey, mustard, brown sugar and 2 tablespoons boiling water in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a large wire rack over a roasting pan lined with foil or baking paper
Score through the ham rind about 15cm from the shank end of the leg. To remove the rind, run your thumb around the edge of the rind just under the skin. Start pulling the rind from the widest edge of the ham; continue to pull the rind carefully away from the fat up to the score line. Remove the rind completely. (Reserved rind can be used to cover the cut surface of the ham to keep it moist during storage.)
Using a sharp knife, score across fat at 1cm intervals across the ham, cutting just through surface of the top fat. Do not cut too deeply or the fat will spread apart during cooking.
Place the ham on the rack in the pan; pour 2 cups water into the dish. Cover shank end with foil. Brush ham liberally with some of the glaze.
Bake ham for 1 hour 15 minutes or until evenly browned all over, rotating the dish and brushing every 20 minutes with the glaze during cooking, and adding extra water to pan if needed.
Transfer ham to a large platter, remove foil from the shank and wrap in baking paper and tie with a ribbon.
What are the 3 ingredients in this ham glaze?
Honey: Creates that gorgeous glossy, caramelised finish for that salty-sweet ham we all love.
Brown sugar: Brings deep caramel flavour and a golden coating as it melts during baking.
Dijon mustard: This creamy condiment is mild with a tangy flavour that balances the sweetness.
Hot honey ham glaze variation
We’ve also tried this 3-ingredient glaze with hot honey, which gives the ham a delicious spicy kick.
Can I glaze a half leg of ham?
You sure can! If you’re glazing a half leg of ham, simply halve the glaze recipe.
Can I prepare this recipe in advance?
You can score the fat of the ham 24 hours ahead and cover it with the removed skin. Refrigerate until ready to glaze and cook.
How to glaze and carve a ham (video)
