Save yourself some serious money during the holidays by making your own Honey Baked Ham recipe at home!ย Tender ham is cooked with butter and honey, then slathered with a sticky sweet and smoky glaze that’s broiled until it gets a great sugary crust!
This Copycat Honey Baked Hamย is one of those recipes we have love to have for holidays like Thanksgiving and Easter.ย A couple of our other favorite Easter recipes are my Honey Butter Roasted Carrots and Broccoli Salad.ย This is one of my Easterย recipes I know youโll want to keep on hand!
HONEY BAKED HAM
In our family, we always got a big Honey Baked Ham for the holidays… a ham for Easter and either a ham or turkey breast for Thanksgiving. ย One of my relatives used to work for Honey Baked, so we could score them at a pretty good discount… but even with that reduction in price, they were still pretty expensive!
An 8 lb bone-in half ham (like you can find in most grocery stores), from Honey Baked will run you over $75. ย Seventy Five!!! ย That’s a 300% markup from what I can buy at my grocery store.
So why not save some serious cash this holiday, and make your own version at home!
HOW TO MAKE HONEY BAKED HAM
I prefer my ham to be warm, so that’s what I’ll be detailing here.
- If warming in the slow cooker, trim ham to fit (if needed).ย Depending on your ham and your slow cooker, you may need to shave off a little bit to make the ham fit.ย If you’ll be warming your ham in the oven – omit this step.
- Combine butter and honey then massage into ham.ย ย I like to get some of the honey butter mixture in between the slices.
- Cover and cook on LOW for about 4 hours.ย ย Again, this is for warming the ham in the slow cooker – omit if warming in the oven.
- Combine dry glaze ingredients.
- Pat half of the sugar mixture on the warmed ham, then broil.ย ย Just for a few minutes, until bubbly and a little caramelized.ย Then remove from the oven.
- Add remaining sugar mixture to saucepan with water or ham juices.ย ย Heat this mixture to a boil, and boil for about a minute, then remove from heat and brush or pour the glaze over the ham.
- Broil ham again.ย Just for a minute or two, being careful not to let it burn!
- Let ham rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.ย This allows the glaze to fully harden and get that classically crackly crust.
ADDITIONAL COOKING TIPS
- DRY THE HAM – The hams from the grocery stores come in those sealed bags, which contain water.ย Give the ham a little pat dry with some paper towels to make sure the butter and honey don’t just slide right off.
DO YOU HAVE TO COOK A HAM
It depends. ย Most hams you buy at a grocery store are pre-cooked and/or smoked, which means you don’t have to cook them. ย You certainly can if you want to, but it comes down to whether you want cold or warm ham to serve. ย Just double check the package when you’re buying… if it doesn’t say pre-cooked or smoked, head over to the meat counter and ask the butcher to be sure.
VARIATIONS OF THIS RECIPE
- BOURBON – Not traditional to a Honey Baked Ham, but oh so delicious!ย Instead of using water or ham juices to make the glaze, try using some of your favorite bourbon.
- OVEN – Bake ham, covered loosely in foil, at 275 F degrees on a foil lined roasting pan or super heavy duty rimmed baking sheet. ย Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes per pound. ย Then glaze as directed in the recipe and broil.
- ROOM TEMPERATURE – if your ham is smoked or pre-cooked, you don’t have to warm it at all.ย Take the ham out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.ย Massage the ham with the butter and honey mixture, then glaze as directed in recipe and broil.
MAKING COPYCAT HONEY BAKED HAM AHEAD OF TIME
I’ve not made this entire ham ahead of time, so I can’t guarantee the flavor and freshness if you make it that way.
However, you can combine all your dry glaze ingredients (sugar, seasoned salt, onion powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, paprika and allspice), and store in an airtight container.
STORAGE
Leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container and consumed within 4 days.ย Leftovers can also be frozen.
You’ll probably have quite a bit of ham leftover, so here are my personal favorites to use up those leftovers (aside from a classic ham sandwich!).
With Easter coming up, it’s the perfect time to watch your grocery store for the prices of bone-in half hams to go down. ย When you see them on sale, grab one! ย They can be frozen if need be. ย This way you can save even MORE on your main dish for the holiday get together!
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR THIS RECIPE
- Slow Cooker – this 7 qt slow cooker is big enough to hold most 8 lb spiral hams without too much trimming. ย Plus, it’s programmable!
BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT OTHER READERSโ COMMENTS FOR TIPS AND REVIEWS.
AND DONโT FORGET, IF YOUโVE MADE THIS RECIPE, LEAVE A COMMENT AND PLEASE GIVE IT A STAR RATING LETTING ME KNOW HOW YOU ENJOYED IT!
Recipe originally published in Feb. 2018 and has been updated in Mar. 2020 with additional information.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 8 lb bone-in spiral sliced half ham
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- pinch of allspice
Instructions
- Trim ham if needed, then place in slow cooker. Combine melted butter and honey, then massage over ham, getting in between the slices a little. Cover and cook on LOW 4-5 hours.
- At the end of the cooking time, preheat broiler to HIGH, and line a roasting pan with heavy duty aluminum foil.
- Combine sugar, seasoned salt, onion powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves, paprika and allspice in a small bowl. Pat half of the sugar mixture over the top of the ham.
- Broil for several minutes, until bubbly and caramelized, then remove from oven.
- To a small saucepan, add remaining sugar mixture. Add 3 Tbsp of either water or ham juices from bottom of the slow cooker. A combination of water/ham juice and bourbon is a nice alternative! Stir, and heat to a boil. Boil for about a minute, then remove from heat.
- Brush or pour glaze over the ham, then broil again for a minute or two (careful... don't let it burn!). Remove from oven and let ham rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Serve warm or cold and enjoy!
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Chef Tips
- Preheat oven to 275 F degrees. ย Adjust oven rack to the lower third position. ย Line a roasting pan or large dutch oven with a long strip of foil (heavy duty works best). ย
- Position ham flat side down in center of pan.
- Brush with honey/butter mixture, if possible, getting some in between the slices.
- Bring sides of the foil up over the ham and cover loosely. ย If needed, add a sheet of foil over the top. ย
- Bake approximately 12-15 minutes per pound. ย An 8 lb ham will take approximately 1 hour 30-40 minutes.
- Continue with steps 2-7 as directed.
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Jason says
Is your cooking methods & times the same regardless if it is pre-cooked or raw?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve only made this with the standard pre-cooked spiral hams, so I can’t say what the exact cooking time/method would be for a non-cooked ham.
Courtney says
Do you salted or unsalted butter? Ty
The Chunky Chef says
Whichever you prefer ๐
Molly Uhlir says
Haven’t made yet but gonna! Just want to know exactly what type of ham to buy.. smoked ham? Honey ham? Any particular name brand you’d recomend? Thanks!
The Chunky Chef says
This is the one I prefer to buy ๐ http://www.smithfield.com/products/smoked-hams/hickory-smoked-spiral-sliced-ham/
Kelley R Fisher says
AMAZING!! No more $80 hams!!! 2nd year in a row using your recipe. Although I do use a torch to get that yummy crust. Thank you for sharing. I sent your recipe to my mom!
Kathy B says
My son worked at Honey Baked Ham when he was in college and used a torch to get that crunchy crust. Honey Baked had a lot of confidence in how well they trained those 19 year old guys!!
Cindy Wooldridge says
Hi, is there something I can substitute for allspice? Stores by me are very low on spices right now and I have been unable to find it as it’s not something I generally use.
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve not tested this myself, but it seems you can make a homemade version of allspice. Not spot on, but very similar https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/homemade-allspice/
Kristin says
Does this need to be made with a bone in ham? Could I use a boneless?
The Chunky Chef says
You could use a boneless ham, but the cooking time will likely be a bit less to warm the ham through.
Yolanda Page says
First time making my own ham, and I and my family loved it! My son and daughter said it was “Fire” and better than the “Honey Bake Ham” we buy every year. So needless to say I won’t be buying anymore but making my own. It was a very easy to do recipe!
Thank you so much ๐
Have a Merry Christmas ๐
Jennifer Dick says
Did you do the slow cooker or oven method?
Kenneth Davis says
Can you use this recipe in a pellet smoker?
The Chunky Chef says
Without testing and retesting it myself, I can’t say for certain if that would work. However, my gut says it would ๐ If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out!
Kennydavis says
I will let you know after xmas,
I plan on a 10 lb spiral cut ham
At 250 for about 3 hours to get it some good apple and hickory smoke on it then finish it in the oven,
And pretty much follow the recipe,
I’m thinking it will be great!!!
Kenny Davis says
I did cook this in a smoker for 3 hours at 250 degrees with cherry and pecan wood for the smoke other than that I followed the recipe and it was outstanding,
Will definitely be doing this again and not wait until Christmas!!!!!!
Ciara says
This is the absolute best ham Iโve ever had, let alone made by me. For Thanksgiving, I did 4 hours low in the crockpot and then finished by broiling. I will be making this ham once a month (or more) from now on. Thanks so much for sharing and Happy Holidays!
Amy S says
SO GOOOOOD! I will never make a turkey again. And I will never pay a king’s ransom to the Honeybaked company for their delectable ham again. Bought a 9lb smoked ham and followed your instructions with no changes (heated in the oven to serve warm). We’re still talking about how delicious it was, and looking forward to leftovers. Thank you!
Mel P. says
Made this recipe for Thanksgiving. This was by far the best ham I have ever made! It was juicy, crispy on the edges, so wonderfully flavored. I will never use a different recipe. I’ve been cooking hams for 20+ years and they always turn out dry and the glaze tends to run off. With this recipe, the layering of the flavors combined with not overheating is the winning combination!
Zeida Lugo says
Never buying another Honeybaked Ham ever again!!! This receipe is amazing. I ended up using brown sugar and granulated and doubled the butter and honey mixture. It came out so good and got lots of compliments. Thank you for my new holiday ham tradition! Yum!
Anka Dinich says
I made this for Thanksgiving this year and it was the best recipie ever!. My kids, husband and mother were so impressed. Definelty a keeper. Saved me over $45 ( had to purchase some spices)
Katherine says
I honestly thought this was going to be just another โcopy catโ recipe that wasnโt even close – well thank you! It was awesome! ย My husband said it was one of the best hams heโs ย ever had! And heโs a super picky eater. This recipe has certainly replaced our $80+ honey baked holiday hamย
Michelle says
Happy thanksgiving! I only could find a brown sugar hickory smoked ham. Would you change anything up for this recipe because of the brown sugar?
The Chunky Chef says
I wouldn’t, since most of the flavor of the flavored smoked hams comes from the glaze packet that usually accompanies them ๐
Crystal says
Hi I have a 4 lb pre cooked boneless ham. I put it in the crockpot for 2 hours since the recipe says 4 hours but for an 8 lb ham. Iโm getting ready to broil it. What degree do I set the broiler on?ย
The Chunky Chef says
I don’t have a broiler that is specific with degrees, just high and low, and I do high.
DeeDee says
Anyone use the slow cooker method? This far Iโve seen commets from people who used the oven method.ย
The Chunky Chef says
I use the slow cooker method every year ๐
Elizabeth Thompson says
OH MY GOODNESS! Your instructions were great! It was SO easy! I just want to THANK YOU โค๏ธ SO MUCH!!!! Back story here, my place of employment give us a coupon for our choice of various places. One of them being Honey Baked Ham. Well last year, the store made us pay in addition to our gift card. SAD!!! Not just a small amount, but like buying a regular Ham at the store. I just can’t see that, paying for a gift I want. Now I can make this anytime. I get hungry for it. Thanks again for sharing ๐ And the presentation is beautiful. I’d take a picture and send it to you if I could!
Sarah says
Amazing!
Gena Tee says
Hi, my family doesn’t eat pork. We have always gotten the Honeybed smoked turkey in the past. Do you think we could use this recipe to replicate their smoked turkey breasts?
Thank you
The Chunky Chef says
I think you absolutely could!