Apricot Glazed Ham

Make Apricot Glazed Ham now: bake a 10-pound spiral ham with apricot-dijon glaze for a glossy, crowd-pleasing centerpiece.

Ingredients

• 10 pound spiral ham, boneless, fully cooked (pre-sliced)
• 1 cup apricot preserves
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and position the ham

Preheat the oven to 350°F, then set your 10-pound, fully cooked spiral ham (boneless and pre-sliced) cut-side down into a rectangular roasting pan or a 9x13 baking dish. Position the ham so the spiral slices sit facing up and the bone line (if any) is centered along the long axis. This is the moment to check that the pan is large enough for the slices to fan slightly without overlapping tightly—you want heat and glaze to reach each slice evenly as it bakes.

Step 2: Make the apricot-dijon glaze

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup apricot preserves, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves. Whisk the mixture until smooth, bring it briefly to a boil over medium-high heat, then remove it from the heat so the sugar dissolves and the glaze becomes glossy and pourable. The finished glaze should be shiny, slightly syrupy and free of sugar grit—thick enough to cling to a basting brush but fluid enough to slip between the ham slices.

Step 3: Glaze the ham before baking

Brush roughly half of the warm apricot glaze over the entire surface, making sure to work the sticky glaze deep between the spiral slices so each cut gets a touch of apricot-sweet caramel. Keep a basting brush resting on the pan rim and a small matte ceramic ramekin with the remaining glaze nearby for later. The ham at this point looks wet-shiny with a thin, even coat of glaze threaded through the spirals—ready to be tented and slow-heated to develop internal warmth and flavor.

Step 4: Cover and slow-bake

Tightly tent the pan with foil to keep the ham moist and bake at 350°F for about 90 minutes (or follow your package instructions). The covered bake gently warms the ham through, loosens rendered juices, and allows the initial glaze to set slightly into the exterior without burning. Resist opening the foil often—this is a patient phase where the ham relaxes and reheats evenly.

Step 5: Finish glaze and fast-brown

After the covered bake, remove the ham from the oven and brush the remaining glaze over the top, saving a spoonful if you'd like extra for serving. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F and return the ham uncovered for 8–12 minutes, just long enough to caramelize and create a glossy, slightly crisped, mahogany outer layer. Watch carefully so the sugars caramelize rather than burn—the surface should become deeply browned, sticky, and slightly crackly in places.

Step 6: Rest, slice, and serve

Transfer the finished ham to a rectangular serving platter or keep it in the same roasting pan, letting it rest and cool slightly for about 15 minutes so juices redistribute. Slice through the spirals and arrange overlapping, thick-cut slices so the glossy apricot surface faces up. Serve warm with a small ramekin of extra glaze on the side for brushing or drizzling.

Notes

• Tent the ham tightly with foil during the slow bake to keep meat moist.
• Warm the glaze slightly before brushing so it slips between the spiral slices.
• Watch the 425°F finishing step closely to avoid burning the sugar.
• Use parchment between leftover slices for easy storage and quick reheats.
• Reduce brown sugar to 1/3 cup or use reduced-sugar preserves for a less-sweet glaze.