Turkey may get most of the Thanksgiving attention, but ham has a few advantages that are hard to ignore.
It is easier to carve.
It reheats well.
It feeds a crowd without much fuss.
And a glazed ham can sit in the middle of the holiday table looking impressive while requiring considerably less supervision than a whole turkey.
The real trick with Thanksgiving ham is not cooking it longer. It is keeping an already-cooked ham juicy while building a flavorful glaze around the outside.
For these Thanksgiving ham recipes, we’re making brown sugar Dijon glazed ham, maple bourbon ham, honey orange ham, cranberry glazed ham, and slow cooker apple cider ham.
Five different flavors.
One very useful holiday main dish.
What You’ll Need
Brown Sugar Dijon Glazed Ham
- 1 fully cooked bone-in spiral ham, 8 to 10 pounds
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup apple juice or water
Maple Bourbon Glazed Ham
- 1 fully cooked bone-in ham, 8 to 10 pounds
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup water
Honey Orange Glazed Ham
- 1 fully cooked spiral ham, 8 to 10 pounds
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 cup water
Cranberry Glazed Ham
- 1 fully cooked bone-in ham, 8 to 10 pounds
- 1 1/2 cups whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup water
Slow Cooker Apple Cider Ham
- 1 fully cooked boneless or bone-in ham, 5 to 7 pounds
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Tools You’ll Need
Ham is fairly forgiving, but one tool matters more than the others.
A thermometer.
Use it.
You’ll also need:
- Large roasting pan
- Roasting rack, optional
- Slow cooker
- Medium saucepan
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon
- Pastry brush
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Aluminum foil
- Instant-read or probe thermometer
- Serving platter
- Carving knife
1. Brown Sugar Dijon Glazed Ham
This is the classic holiday version.
Sweet brown sugar.
Sharp mustard.
A little honey.
Enough acidity to keep the glaze from tasting like candy.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Place the ham cut-side down in a roasting pan.
Pour the apple juice or water into the bottom of the pan.
Cover the ham tightly with foil.
Warm according to the package directions for your specific ham.
A fully cooked ham generally needs gentle reheating rather than aggressive cooking.
Make the Glaze
Combine brown sugar, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, butter, cinnamon, and cloves in a saucepan.
Cook over medium-low heat for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
The sugar should dissolve and the glaze should become smooth.
During approximately the final 30 minutes of heating, remove the foil.
Brush the ham generously with glaze.
Return it to the oven.
Brush with another layer about 10 to 15 minutes later.
Continue until glossy and lightly caramelized.
For a USDA-inspected fully cooked ham reheated before serving, aim for 140°F in the center unless the package gives different directions.
Let the ham rest for about 15 minutes before serving.
That gives you enough time to finish the gravy.
Or discover that someone has already started eating the crispy glazed edges.
2. Maple Bourbon Glazed Ham
Maple and ham already work beautifully together.
Bourbon adds a deeper flavor without turning Thanksgiving dinner into a cocktail.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Place the ham in a roasting pan.
Add 1/2 cup water.
Cover tightly with foil.
Begin reheating.
Meanwhile, combine maple syrup, brown sugar, bourbon, Dijon mustard, butter, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and black pepper in a saucepan.
Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook for approximately 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
The glaze should thicken slightly.
Remove the foil during the final 30 minutes of heating.
Brush the ham with glaze.
Return to the oven uncovered.
Add another layer of glaze every 10 to 15 minutes.
Heat the fully cooked ham to 140°F, following its package instructions where they differ.
Let rest before slicing.
If you prefer to skip alcohol, replace the bourbon with apple cider or orange juice.
You’ll lose some of the deeper flavor.
You will not lose Thanksgiving.
Pro Tips for Juicy Thanksgiving Ham
Check the label before cooking. Most holiday hams are already fully cooked, which means you’re reheating rather than cooking from raw.
Keep it covered for most of the heating time. Foil helps prevent moisture loss.
Glaze near the end. Sugary glazes can burn if exposed to oven heat for too long.
Use a thermometer. Guessing based on time alone is an excellent way to turn juicy ham into expensive salt-flavored leather.
Let the ham rest before carving. About 10 to 15 minutes makes serving easier and gives the rest of dinner time to catch up.
3. Honey Orange Glazed Ham
Thanksgiving can become very rich very quickly.
Orange gives this glaze a little brightness that works particularly well beside creamy potatoes and casseroles.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Place the ham cut-side down in the roasting pan.
Pour 1/2 cup water into the bottom.
Cover tightly with foil.
Begin reheating.
In a saucepan, combine honey, orange juice, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, orange zest, butter, cinnamon, and ginger.
Simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir frequently.
During the final 30 minutes, uncover the ham.
Brush generously with the orange glaze.
Continue heating uncovered, brushing with more glaze every 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove once the ham reaches the appropriate reheating temperature, generally 140°F for a packaged fully cooked ham.
Rest for about 15 minutes.
Spoon a little extra glaze over the sliced ham before serving.
Keep the rest nearby.
Someone will ask for it.
4. Cranberry Glazed Ham
Cranberry sauce doesn’t need to stay beside the turkey.
Its tartness works especially well against salty ham.
This is also a useful recipe if you want the main dish to look unmistakably Thanksgiving without doing anything particularly complicated.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Place the ham in the roasting pan.
Add 1/2 cup water.
Cover with foil.
Begin reheating.
Meanwhile, combine cranberry sauce, brown sugar, orange juice, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, orange zest, cinnamon, and black pepper in a saucepan.
Cook over medium-low heat for approximately 7 to 10 minutes.
Stir occasionally.
The cranberries should soften into a thick glaze.
For a smoother finish, mash them gently with the back of a spoon.
Uncover the ham during the final 30 to 40 minutes.
Brush on a generous layer of cranberry glaze.
Return to the oven.
Add another layer every 10 to 15 minutes.
Heat the fully cooked ham to the temperature directed on its packaging, generally 140°F when reheating.
Rest before carving.
Serve additional warm cranberry glaze on the side.
It gives you the cranberry-and-meat combination people expect at Thanksgiving, just in a completely different direction from turkey.
5. Slow Cooker Apple Cider Ham
This one solves a very specific Thanksgiving problem.
The oven is full.
Turkey.
Stuffing.
Sweet potatoes.
Mac and cheese.
Someone’s casserole that apparently requires its own climate.
A slow cooker gets the ham completely out of that situation.
Choose a fully cooked ham that comfortably fits inside your slow cooker with the lid closed.
Pour the apple cider into the bottom.
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, and cloves.
Rub or spoon the mixture over the ham.
Dot with butter.
Cover.
Cook on LOW for approximately 4 to 6 hours, depending on the ham’s size and your slow cooker.
Spoon some of the cooking liquid over the ham once or twice if convenient.
Do not repeatedly remove the lid.
Check the internal temperature toward the end.
A packaged fully cooked ham should generally be reheated to 140°F, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Once hot, transfer the ham to a serving platter.
Make a Thicker Glaze
Pour about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid into a saucepan.
Simmer until reduced to a syrupy consistency.
Brush it over the ham.
For a more caramelized exterior, place the ham under the broiler briefly after slow cooking.
Watch closely.
Sugar can go from glossy to charcoal with impressive speed.
Which Thanksgiving Ham Should You Make?
The ham itself can stay simple.
Choose the glaze based on the rest of dinner.
| Ham | Main Flavor | Sweetness | Best With |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown sugar Dijon | Classic sweet-savory | Medium | Traditional Thanksgiving sides |
| Maple bourbon | Deep maple | Medium-high | Roasted vegetables |
| Honey orange | Sweet and citrusy | Medium | Rich casseroles |
| Cranberry glazed | Sweet and tart | Medium | Classic holiday menu |
| Apple cider | Warm apple spice | Medium | Oven-heavy dinners |
For the most traditional option, choose brown sugar Dijon.
Maple bourbon is great when you want a deeper glaze.
Honey orange works particularly well if your table contains lots of rich sides.
Cranberry gives the ham a distinctly Thanksgiving flavor.
And apple cider slow cooker ham wins when oven space matters more than anything else.
What Kind of Ham Is Best for Thanksgiving?
The grocery store gives you more choices than anyone really requested.
Here’s the useful version.
Spiral-Sliced Ham
This is one of the easiest options.
It is already sliced, so serving is simple.
The downside is that all those exposed surfaces can dry out more quickly.
Keep it covered for most of the reheating time.
Bone-In Ham
Bone-in ham tends to have good flavor and makes an impressive centerpiece.
The bone also gives you something useful for soup later.
Boneless Ham
Easy to slice.
Easy to fit in a slow cooker.
Easy to serve.
It may not have quite the same presentation as a large bone-in ham, but Thanksgiving dinner is not an architecture competition.
Fully Cooked Ham
This is what many people buy for holidays.
Read the package.
If it says fully cooked or ready to eat, you mainly need to heat it gently.
Fresh Ham
Fresh ham is raw pork.
It requires completely different cooking instructions from the recipes here.
Do not treat raw fresh ham like a fully cooked holiday ham.
That distinction matters.
How Much Ham Do You Need Per Person?
Ham is easier to estimate than turkey.
For bone-in ham, plan around 1/2 to 3/4 pound per person.
For boneless ham, around 1/3 to 1/2 pound per person is usually enough.
For 8 guests:
- About 5 to 6 pounds bone-in
For 12 guests:
- About 7 to 9 pounds bone-in
For 16 guests:
- About 9 to 12 pounds bone-in
You can make more if you specifically want leftovers.
And with ham, you probably do.
Leftover sandwiches alone make a convincing argument.
How Long Does Thanksgiving Ham Take?
Always start with the instructions printed on your ham.
Different products vary in size, cut, processing, and recommended reheating method.
As a rough planning estimate, many fully cooked hams reheated at 325°F need somewhere around 10 to 15 minutes per pound.
But the thermometer matters more than the clock.
An 8-pound ham might take roughly 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
A larger ham may need longer.
Start checking early.
If the ham reaches its target temperature ahead of schedule, you can cover it and let it rest while finishing the sides.
Far easier than discovering dinner is ready but the center of the ham is still cold.
How to Keep Spiral Ham From Drying Out
Spiral ham is convenient because the slicing has already been done.
Those slices also expose more meat to hot air.
So moisture matters.
Place the ham cut-side down.
Add a small amount of liquid to the roasting pan.
Try:
- Water
- Apple juice
- Apple cider
- Orange juice
Cover tightly with foil.
Keep the oven around 325°F.
Uncover only toward the end when glazing.
And stop heating when the ham reaches the proper temperature.
The biggest secret to juicy ham is simply not continuing to cook it after it’s already hot.
More oven time does not make it more Thanksgiving.
How to Get a Sticky Glaze Without Burning It
Sugar burns.
Most ham glazes contain quite a lot of it.
That means timing matters.
Keep the ham covered while it heats.
Start glazing during approximately the final 30 to 40 minutes.
Apply several thin coats instead of one enormous layer.
That lets each coat become glossy and sticky.
If you want more caramelization at the end, increase the oven heat briefly or use the broiler.
Stay nearby.
This is not the moment to start peeling potatoes.
Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Ham
Ham is already one of the easier Thanksgiving mains, but you can still move some work earlier.
Two Days Before
Prepare the glaze.
Refrigerate it in an airtight container.
Chop herbs and prepare garnishes.
Make sure your roasting pan is large enough.
A surprisingly useful thing to discover before Thanksgiving morning.
One Day Before
You can place the ham in the roasting pan and refrigerate it covered.
Prepare any sauces you plan to serve alongside it.
Set out your carving equipment and serving platter.
Thanksgiving Day
Take the ham from the refrigerator while the oven preheats.
Reheat according to the package instructions.
Prepare or warm the glaze.
Glaze near the end.
Rest.
Carve.
Serve.
If you’re making ham alongside turkey, consider putting the ham in a slow cooker.
One less large item competing for the oven can make the whole cooking schedule easier.
Serving Ham and Turkey Together
You absolutely can serve both.
This works especially well for larger Thanksgiving gatherings.
Turkey is mild and traditional.
Ham is salty, sweet, and easy to carve.
Together, they give guests more choice.
If serving both, you don’t need a full portion of each meat per person.
Reduce the quantities because most guests will take smaller portions of both.
Keep the side dishes fairly balanced.
Since glazed ham is often sweet, include savory and acidic sides such as:
- Green beans
- Brussels sprouts
- Salad
- Savory stuffing
- Mustard-based sauces
- Cranberry sauce
If the ham has a very sweet glaze, you may not need every vegetable on the table covered in maple syrup too.
Thanksgiving has other flavors.
We should occasionally allow them to attend.
Substitutions and Variations
Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works.
Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup for the intended flavor.
Honey: Maple syrup can replace honey.
Bourbon: Replace with apple cider, apple juice, or orange juice.
Orange juice: Apple cider works for a warmer fall flavor.
Cranberry sauce: Homemade or whole berry canned cranberry sauce works.
Dijon mustard: Whole-grain mustard gives the glaze more texture.
Apple cider: Apple juice works if cider isn’t available.
Cloves: Leave them out if you don’t enjoy their stronger flavor.
Smoked paprika: Regular paprika can be used for a milder glaze.
You can also add small amounts of:
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Sage
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Orange zest
- Black pepper
Don’t add everything at once.
Ham glaze does not improve simply because the spice cabinet became involved.
What to Serve With Thanksgiving Ham
Ham works with almost every traditional Thanksgiving side.
Try it with:
- Garlic mashed potatoes
- Mac and cheese
- Green bean casserole
- Brussels sprouts
- Sweet potato casserole
- Corn casserole
- Herb stuffing
- Cranberry sauce
- Roasted carrots
- Thanksgiving salad
- Dinner rolls
- Homemade bread
For a sweet ham glaze, include at least one fresh or acidic side.
Cranberry sauce, vinaigrette-dressed salad, or roasted vegetables with lemon can keep the plate balanced.
How to Carve a Thanksgiving Ham
Spiral ham is already mostly handled for you.
Use a carving knife to cut around the bone and release groups of slices.
Then separate the slices as needed.
For a non-spiral bone-in ham, allow it to rest first.
Place it securely on a cutting board.
Cut slices perpendicular to the bone.
Then cut along the bone to release them.
Keep the slices reasonably thin.
Ham is rich and salty, so thick steak-sized pieces aren’t necessary on a Thanksgiving plate already holding eight other foods.
Transfer the slices to a warm platter.
Spoon a little glaze over them.
Serve additional glaze separately.
Leftovers and Storage
Refrigerate ham within 2 hours of serving.
Store it in airtight containers.
Most cooked ham leftovers should be used within 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
For sliced ham, add a small splash of water or broth and cover while reheating.
That helps prevent drying.
Leftover ham can become:
- Ham and cheese sliders
- Breakfast casserole
- Ham omelets
- Potato and ham soup
- Ham mac and cheese
- Split pea soup
- Grilled ham sandwiches
- Ham fried rice
- Cheesy ham potatoes
The ham bone can also be saved for soup.
Which means the Thanksgiving main dish is still finding work several days later.
Very responsible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thanksgiving ham usually already cooked?
Many holiday hams are sold fully cooked, but always check the package label. Fresh ham is raw and requires different cooking instructions.
What temperature should I heat a fully cooked ham to?
A packaged fully cooked ham from a USDA-inspected plant is generally reheated to 140°F. Follow the package directions for your specific ham.
How do I keep Thanksgiving ham moist?
Heat it gently, keep it covered for most of the cooking time, add a little liquid to the pan, and avoid overheating it.
When should I glaze the ham?
Add glaze during roughly the final 30 to 40 minutes so the sugar caramelizes without burning.
How much ham do I need per person?
Plan around 1/2 to 3/4 pound per person for bone-in ham or 1/3 to 1/2 pound for boneless ham.
Can I make Thanksgiving ham in a slow cooker?
Yes, provided the fully cooked ham fits inside with the lid completely closed.
Can I make ham glaze ahead?
Yes. Most glazes can be prepared one or two days ahead and refrigerated.
Can I serve ham and turkey at Thanksgiving?
Yes. Serving both is particularly useful for larger gatherings. Reduce the amount of each because guests will likely sample both meats.
What glaze goes best with Thanksgiving ham?
Brown sugar mustard, maple, honey orange, cranberry, and apple cider glazes all work well.
Can I use leftover Thanksgiving ham for sandwiches?
Absolutely. Leftover ham works well in sliders, grilled sandwiches, breakfast dishes, soups, and casseroles.
Wrapping Up
Thanksgiving ham doesn’t need much interference to become a great holiday main dish.
Start with brown sugar Dijon ham for a familiar sweet-savory glaze.
Make maple bourbon ham when you want deeper fall flavor.
Choose honey orange ham to add a little brightness to a rich Thanksgiving menu.
Try cranberry glazed ham for a main dish that feels particularly suited to the holiday.
Or put apple cider ham in the slow cooker and reclaim some desperately needed oven space.
Whichever version you choose, remember the most important part.
Check whether the ham is already fully cooked.
Keep it covered while it heats.
Glaze toward the end.
And use the thermometer instead of repeatedly giving the ham a concerned look through the oven door.
A juicy glazed ham can handle the centerpiece job just fine.
The turkey can share the attention this year.
