Easter Ham Recipe 2015: How To Cook The Perfect Honey-Glazed Holiday Dinner In 5 Easy Steps

Easter is almost here and for those planning to cook a special dinner this holiday, you’ve come to the right place. Being that ham is one of the most popular dishes served during the annual affair, we've compiled an easy honey-glazed ham recipe. Whether you’re a professional in the kitchen or a novice, this recipe is for you!

Here’s how to cook the perfect honey-glazed ham for Easter in five easy steps:

INGREDIENTS:

Before you start cooking your holiday meal, you’re going to need several ingredients. Make sure to copy this list before you head to the grocery store. (Expert tip: Don’t wait until Sunday to buy your ham; some stores sell out ahead of time!)

You will need: One 10-pound (bone-in) smoked ham, 1.5 cups of packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup of clover honey. One optional ingredient is 1/2 teaspoon of ground mustard.

(Note: If you’re unsure how big a ham you will need to feed all of your guests, use this chart as a guide.)

Kitchen tools you will need to complete this recipe include: tin foil, a large roasting pan, a saucepan, a meat thermometer, a carving fork and a carving knife.

RECIPE:

The following recipe is a combination of Betty Crocker, AllRecipe.com and Food Network Magazine's guides to making the perfect honey-glazed ham.

1. After heating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, unwrap your ham and rinse it with cold water. Pat it dry and place it on the rack of the roasting pan. Cover the ham with tin foil.

2. After the oven reaches the desired temperature, place the ham in the oven and allow it to cook for roughly 1.5 hours (or 12 to 16 minutes per pound.)

3. While your ham is cooking, make the honey-glaze mixture. Heat a saucepan and combine the brown sugar and honey. (You can also take Betty Crocker’s advice by adding ground mustard to the glaze mix.) Cook over a medium-high heat. You will know the mixture is done cooking when it appears smooth.

4. When the 1.5 hours is up, remove the ham from the oven, and the tin foil covering it, and gently pour the entire glaze mixture onto the meat. Allow the ham to cook for an additional 1.5 hours or until the meat thermometer reads 160 degrees Fahrenheit. (Tip: To make your ham all the more juicy, continually baste it during the remainder of the cooking process.) AllRecipes.com advises turning on your broiler on for the last five minutes of cooking time to “caramelize the glaze.”

5. Once your ham is finished cooking, allow it to sit outside of the oven for at least 15 minutes before carving. Doing this will allow the meat to soak up any additional juices that could be lost if the slicing occurs directly after its finished cooking. (For a guide on how to properly slice a ham, check out the video below.) After you’re done preparing the ham, serve and enjoy!