Brown Sugar Orange Juice Ham Glaze
This is a super simple Ham Glaze that can be used on any oven baked or slow cooker ham. It’s a no-mustard glaze made with sweet and savory flavors like brown sugar, orange juice, and warming spices.
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Our Favorite Holiday Ham Glaze … Without Mustard!
This delightfully sticky brown sugar and orange ham glaze was inspired by my classic ham glaze recipe. My family loves that glaze, but I’ve received enough messages from readers asking for a mustard-free version that I figured it was time to create a new ham glaze that focuses more on the flavors of brown sugar and orange and less on the mustard.
Whether you have allergies, ran out, or simply don’t like mustard, this brown sugar orange juice ham glaze is for you!
Here’s why this no-mustard ham glaze deserves a spot on your holiday table:
✔ Sweet and Savory Flavor: The combination of orange juice and orange marmalade adds a sweet orange flavor, while the soy sauce and apple cider vinegar add a savory tang.
✔ Warmly Spiced: Just a few dashes of cinnamon, allspice, and cloves evokes the flavors of the holidays in this sticky ham glaze.
✔ Super Easy: Just whisk the ingredients together in a bowl and simmer briefly to thicken. That’s it!
Enjoy!
-Katie
The 7 Main Ingredients You’ll Need
A full list of ingredients with their measurements can be found in the recipe card below, but let’s go over the key items you’ll need to prepare this brown sugar orange glaze for your holiday ham.
- Sweet Orange Marmalade — Any brand will work, just make sure you don’t accidentally purchase bitter orange marmalade which will NOT work.
- Orange Juice — Freshly squeezed, please! If you absolutely must use bottled, check the ingredients to make sure your juice isn’t from concentrate.
- Brown Sugar — This is the secret ingredient that makes the orange spiced ham glaze caramelize and become sticky as it cooks.
- Honey — Also amps up the stickiness while adding a delicate floral sweetness. (If your honey has crystallized, here’s how to smooth it back out.)
- Apple Cider Vinegar — You need a little sour to balance out the sweet, and I prefer using fruity apple cider vinegar rather than eye-wateringly pungent white vinegar.
- Soy Sauce — Is more rich and flavorful than plain salt. If you need to keep the ham glaze gluten-free, swap in coconut aminos or tamari.
- Spices — Just a pinch of ground cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and ground black pepper enhance the holiday flavor of this ham glaze.
How to Make Ham Glaze with Brown Sugar and Orange Juice
This recipe yields a full cup of ham glaze, which is enough for brushing between the slices of a spiral ham. You’ll get full coverage at the start, a generous final coat, plus plenty to mingle with pan juices for a sauce.
- Simmer the glaze until thickened. Simply combine everything in a saucepan and cook until the glaze is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but still drizzles easily. Stir, stir, stir to prevent the glaze from burning!
- Brush your ham with glaze. If your ham isn’t pre-sliced, I suggest scoring the surface in a diamond pattern before glazing. This will help the ham glaze sink into the meat (plus it just looks pretty).
- Cook your ham. I’ve provided my preferred cook times for both oven baked and slow cooker hams in the recipe card below.
- Broil to caramelize. This step is optional, but it caramelizes the edges of the ham and concentrates the flavor of the drippings.
- Create a sauce from the pan drippings. Add the drippings to a saucepan, bring to a boil, and thicken with a cornstarch slurry to create a glossy sauce for topping your orange and brown sugar ham.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Prepping as much as possible before a big holiday dinner is key to a stress-free meal!
Feel free to whisk together and simmer this ham glaze until thickened, but do not glaze the ham until you’re ready to cook it.
Let the thickened glaze cool before storing in an airtight container. It will last up to 3 days in the fridge.
Side Dishes to Make This a Meal
Whether a glazed ham is part of your Thanksgiving menu, Christmas dinner, or Easter spread, here are a few serving suggestions to make this a meal.
- Sides — Apple Cider Roasted Squash, Cranberry Bacon Green Beans, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes, Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots
- Salads — Roasted Butternut Squash Salad, Brussels Sprouts and Cabbage Salad, Balsamic Pear Salad
- Desserts — Caramel Apple Crisp, Bourbon Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Drinks — Cranberry Margaritas, Pumpkin Martini, Blood Orange Whiskey Sour
Have leftover ham? Use it to make ham and cheese calzones, slow cooker ham soup, or split pea soup! It’s also easy to freeze ham if you don’t know what to do with the leftovers yet.
More Easy Holiday Entrees
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Brown Sugar Orange Juice Ham Glaze Recipe
This is a super simple ham glaze that can be used on any oven baked or slow cooker ham. It’s a no-mustard glaze made with sweet and savory flavors like brown sugar, orange juice, and warming spices.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons sweet orange marmalade
- 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 5/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Make the Glaze:
- In a small saucepan, combine marmalade, orange juice, brown sugar, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, and spices.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook until the glaze coats the back of a spoon but still drizzles easily. Stir often to prevent burning.
- Place ham in a roasting pan or slow cooker, spiral slices facing upward. (If using an unsliced ham: Score the surface in a diamond pattern before glazing. This helps the glaze penetrate and creates a decorative finish.)
- Brush all of the glaze over the ham, working it gently between slices.
- Cover loosely with foil (if roasting) or lid (if slow cooking).
- Oven: Roast at 325°F until warmed through, about 10–12 minutes per pound for a pre-cooked ham, or until the thickest part registers 140°F internal temperature. Uncover for the last 30 minutes so the glaze caramelizes.
- Slow Cooker: Cook on low until heated through (4–6 hours depending on size). For a sticky finish, transfer to the oven uncovered for 15–20 minutes at the end.
- For extra caramelization and shine, broil the ham uncovered for 2–3 minutes at the end, watching carefully.
- After broiling, pour pan juices and glaze drippings into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- Whisk 1 - 2 teaspoons cornstarch with 2 teaspoons cold water. Stir slurry into the simmering liquid.
- Cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until thickened and glossy. Add more cornstarch if you would like a thicker consistency.
- Brush a little of this sauce back over the ham before serving, and serve the rest on the side.
Prepare the Ham:
Cook the Ham:
Final Broil
Thicken the Glaze
Notes
This recipe yields 1 cup of ham glaze, which is enough for brushing between the slices of a spiral ham. You’ll get full coverage at the start, a generous final coat, plus plenty to mingle with pan juices for a sauce.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 42Total Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gSodium: 40mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 0g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy. This provided information is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Make This Ham Glaze for Your Holiday Dinner!
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