When my son was a newborn, my father-in-law gifted us a small honey baked ham for the holidays. The sweetest gesture, truly. Then I saw the receipt. Over $100! For one ham, y'all!
I looked at that ham, looked at my kitchen, looked back at that ham, and told myself I know good and well I can do this myself. And I've been making my own 'honey-baked' hams for a fraction of the cost ever since.
I recipe-tested six different hams to find the most beginner-friendly, foolproof method. That included a control ham that was (and I need y'all to hear me) terrifyingly dry. Like somebody left it out in the sun dry. My family was looking at me sideways for a week.
But that's how we ended up here: the oven bag method that keeps every single slice juicy and tender, and this glaze that your grandma will ask the recipe for.
This could be your very first holiday meal and nobody would ever know, friend. That's how good we're about to eat.
What Makes This Fig Glazed Ham So Good
- The oven bag keeps it super juicy! All those spiral-cut slices lose moisture fast. The bag traps steam so the juices stay in the meat, not your pan.
- The glaze is sweet, savory, and tangy. Fig preserves, orange juice, Dijon, and a splash of vinegar give this glaze layers not that one-note candy situation most ham glazes have going on.
- The cornstarch slurry FTW. Glossy, thick, clings to every slice instead of sliding into the pan.
Ingredients for Honey Fig Glazed Ham
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- A Fully Cooked, Bone-In Spiral Cut Ham - we aren't going for raw pork here. We want a spiral cut, smoked/cooked ham.
- Fig Preserves - preserves, not jam. Jam has way more sugar and less actual fruit, so you end up with a cloyingly sweet glaze. If you can only find jam, use it but cut the honey back by half.
- Butter - richness and body for the glaze. That's it's job.
- Thyme - fresh or dried work, it gives our glaze touch of earthy herbaceousness.
- Orange Juice and Zest - I wanted the acidity from citrus to brighten up all the sweetness in the glaze and orange works amazingly flavor-wise with figs.
- Whole Grain Dijon Mustard - I really love the texture of a grainy mustard in the glaze, but smooth dijon mustard works just as well.
- Ground Cayenne and Cinnamon - I didn't want them to pack too much of a punch, but add their warmth and that hint of spice.
- Honey - this is a 'honey baked' kind of ham! Use a lighter honey like wildflower or orange blossom, which also have some floral notes, so we have some nice well-rounded notes.
- Cornstarch and Water - a cornstarch slurry will give the glaze shine and thicken it to that Honey Baked Ham consistency.
How to Bake a Honey Fig Glazed Ham in an Oven Bag
Step 1
Bag the Ham and Let It Roast Low and Slow
Let the ham sit out for an hour to take the chill off. Preheat oven to 250ºF. Place ham in an oven-safe roasting bag, tie it closed, and cut a couple slits at the top for steam. Set it in a baking dish, cut side down/bone up. Roast for 1½ to 2 hours (15 minutes per pound).
Step 2
Make the Honey Fig Glaze
Start this during the second half of roasting.This is really simple: melt the butter down and sizzle the thyme and orange zest to bloom those flavors, then stir in the fig preserves, orange juice, and mustard.
Step 3
Open the Bag and Glaze
Ham should read 110ºF on an instant read thermometer. Carefully open the bag (watch the steam!) and crank the oven to 375ºF. Brush the glaze generously over the entire ham with a silicone brush, working it into the slices.
Step 4
Baste, Caramelize, Repeat
Return ham to oven uncovered. Bake 30-40 minutes, brushing more glaze on every 10 minutes (about 3 more coats). Ham is done at 125ºF at the thickest part, not touching bone.
Optional: LOW broil for 3-5 minutes at the end for extra caramelization — remove the bag from the dish first, it is NOT high heat friendly!
Step 5
Rest and Serve
Rest 10-15 minutes before carving. Serve with extra glaze on the side. Garnish the platter with fresh figs, herb sprigs, and orange slices.
Variations, Tips & Storage
- Buy holiday hams on sale and freeze one. I got an 8-pound ham from ALDI for $8.97 around Christmas. Buy two: cook one now, freeze the other for the next holiday.
- Use an instant read thermometer, not a timer. Every ham is a different size and shape. Temperature is the only thing you can trust: 110ºF before glazing, 125ºF when done.
- Don't boil the glaze after adding cornstarch. It'll break down and your glaze will go thin on you. Keep it at a gentle simmer.
- The glaze is versatile! Change the fig preserves for apple jam or peach preserves, or swap the honey for brown sugar for a delicious fig brown sugar glazed ham.
- Broiler finish. For an even more caramelized, crackly crust, skip the last 5 minutes of oven time and broil on LOW instead. Watch it like a hawk.
To Store
- Fridge: Leftover ham keeps 3-5 days in an airtight container.
Freezer: Slice the ham, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then into a freezer bag. It'll stay good for up to 3 months. Glaze freezes well in a separate container too.
Reheat: Cover the slices of ham loosely with foil and warm in a 325ºF oven until heated through. Add a splash of chicken broth to the pan to keep things moist. Don't microwave if you can help it, it dries the ham out fast.
Equipment I Used
Honey Fig Glazed Ham FAQ
You can! Boneless hams cook a little faster, so watch your thermometer closely. Bone-in gives you more flavor and a ham bone for soup, which is why it's my go-to.
Absolutely! You can make the honey fig glaze ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to a week. Just reheat it before glazing the ham, and it will be ready to go.
The sugars in the glaze will burn if you apply it too early. The ham roasts in the bag first, then you glaze during the last 30-40 minutes at a higher temperature. That's what gives you caramelization without bitterness.
About ¾ pound per person for bone-in. A 10-pound ham feeds roughly 13-14 people. I always buy a little extra because leftovers are half the point of a ham.
Try making a croque madame sandwich with leftover slices of ham or try dicing some up and adding it to mac and cheese. It's also great in breakfast hash with potatoes and eggs!
Sides That Go with Glazed Ham
When you've got a big ol' honey fig glazed ham on the table, you need sides that can keep up. Here's what I'd put next to it every single time:
- Mac and cheese — cheesy, creamy, bubbly browned top. Salty-sweet ham with a forkful of mac is undefeated.
- Collard greens — that deep, soulful flavor grounds everything on the plate.
- Scalloped potatoes — cheesy, buttery, layered comfort. A must for Easter.
- Sweet potato casserole — sweet and savory were made for each other, and this next to the ham proves it.
- Cornbread — soft, buttery, perfect for mopping up glaze. Always.
- Honey butter biscuits — flaky, warm, and if you put a slice of this ham between one you'll understand why I don't make the rules, I just eat them.
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Honey Fig Glazed Ham
Ingredients
- 1 (9-10 pound) bone-in spiral cut ham
For the Honey Fig Glaze:
- ½ cup fig jam or preserves
- 2 tablespoon butter, salted or unsalted
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard, whole grain, preferred
- ¼ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 250ºF. Let the ham come to room temperature on the counter top for an hour to get the chill off.
- Place your ham into a large oven-safe roasting bag and tie the bag with the special tie it comes with. Place the ham into a baking dish, cut a few holes at the top to release steam, and put the ham into the oven for about 1 ½ hours before moving on to glazing the ham.1 (9-10 pound) bone-in spiral cut ham
Making the Glaze
- While the ham is baking, make the glaze. In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the fig preserves, butter, honey, Dijon mustard, orange juice and zest, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, thyme, and ground cayenne until the fig preserves loosen up and everything comes together½ cup fig jam or preserves, ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup Dijon mustard, ¼ cup orange juice, 2 teaspoon orange zest, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoon butter
- Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it becomes smooth and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low.
- Whisk together the cornstarch and water and stir it into the glaze to help thicken it. Do not let it boil or the cornstarch will lose its thickening properties.1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon cold water
- Once thick, tak the glaze off the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper, if needed.kosher salt and black pepper
- After the ham has cooked for 1 ½ hours and/or has reached an internal temperature of 110°F, carefully remove it from the oven.
- Turn the oven temperature to 375ºF. Open the oven bag carefully (be cautious of the hot steam). You can discard it here or keep it as long as it can handle high temperatures.
Glazing and Baking
- Use a silicone brush to brush some of the honey fig glaze generously over the entire surface of the ham, getting into the slices. You can also spoon some glaze between the slices for extra flavor.
- Return the glazed ham to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the ham reaches 125ºF with an instant read thermometer at the thickest part without touching the bone, basting with more glaze every 10 minutes until the glaze is caramelized. I like broiling for the last 3-5 minutes at a LOW broil to give it a little last kiss of caramelization (remove the bag before this, it WILL melt under a broiler).
- Once the ham is beautifully glazed and caramelized, remove it from the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes before carving.
Recipe Notes
Chef's Tips
- This recipe can be made with any type or size ham, as long as you keep an eye on the temperature of the ham instead of the timing.
- The glaze is versatile! Change the fig preserves for apple jam or peach preserves, or swap the honey for brown sugar for a delicious fig brown sugar glazed ham.
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