Fresh Ham with Honey-Mustard Glaze
Carlene Thomas RDN
September 19, 2023
This recipe is a complete guide for totally DIY glazed ham; you’ll start by curing a raw, unsmoked ham and go all the way through the glazing process.
By using sous vide mode in the Anova Precision Oven, you can cook a whole ham to a tender-yet-traditional texture every time, regardless of size.
Notes: This recipe is a multi-day process, so be prepared in advance of a holiday to pull it off. If you can’t find a raw ham, you can also purchase a pre-cooked ham and skip down to step 6. The skin is scored after the sous vide cook to make it easy to remove external moisture prior to glazing. If you’d like, you can use a torch to add additional color to the finished ham.
Serves
26
Prep Time
99:00
Cook Time
03:15
0
1011
Ingredients
1020 g (6 cups plus 6 Tbsp)
Diamond Crystal kosher salt
4.5 cups
packed dark brown sugar, divided
3 Tbsp
liquid smoke
2 Tbsp
pickling spice
4 cloves
garlic, peeled and smashed
1 gal
hot water
2 gal
cold water
5 Tbsp
curing salt (Prague powder #1)
1 (14-lb)
bone-in, skin-on, raw shank-end ham
¼ cup
honey
2 Tbsp
Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp
apple cider vinegar
1.5 tsp
freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp
Worcestershire sauce
Steps
1. Make Brine
Combine the kosher salt, 3 1/2 cups of the brown sugar, the liquid smoke, pickling spice, and garlic in a very large vessel that will fit the ham and brine (and fit in your fridge). Add the hot water and whisk until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
Whisk in the cold water and curing salt. Let the brine cool to room temperature.
2. Brine Ham
Using a meat injector, inject the brine into the ham about every inch. (Injecting brine directly into the ham decreases the total brining time.)
Once the ham has been injected all over, place in the brine container, making sure it is completely submerged. Use a plate as a weight if needed. Refrigerate for 4 days. (The container will be heavy and you’ll want to place it on the lowest area of your fridge.)
3. Rinse and Soak
Remove the ham from brine. Discard the brine and return the ham to the container. Fill with fresh water to cover the ham. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Preheat the Oven and Prepare Pan
Rack
Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.
Sous Vide Mode: On
Steam: 100%
Temp: 194°F
Heat: Rear
5. Insert Probe and Cook
Rack
Insert the probe into the center of the ham, taking care to avoid the bone. Transfer to the oven, attach the probe, and cook until the probe has reached its target temperature, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Sous Vide Mode: On
Steam: 100%
Temp: 194°F
Heat: Rear
145°F Probe Target
6. Prepare Glaze
While the ham cooks, make the glaze. Whisk together the remaining sugar with the honey, Dijon, vinegar, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce in a medium bowl. The glaze should be very thick so that it stays on the ham. (Feel free to double the glaze if you’d like; it makes a great sauce for serving.)
7. Adjust Oven for Glazing
Rack
Remove the ham from the oven before adjusting the settings.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 15%
Temp: 480°F
Heat: Rear
8. Score and Glaze
Transfer the ham to a paper towel-lined tray and pat very dry. Remove the foil from the sheet pan, discarding any liquid. Line the pan with a clean sheet of foil.
Use a sharp knife to score the skin and fat of the ham in a crosshatch pattern, making sure to score the ham on all sides. Brush with glaze.
(The dye marking you see in the photograph is totally fine; it is a plant-based dye that is safe to consume.)
9. Brown
Rack
Return the ham to the oven and bake until the glaze just starts to brown, about 5 minutes.
Remove the ham from the oven and brush with another layer of glaze.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 15%
Temp: 480°F
Heat: Rear
00:05 Timer
10. Brown
Rack
Return the ham to the oven and bake until the new layer of glaze just starts to brown, about 5 minutes.
Remove the ham from the oven and brush with a final layer of glaze.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 100%
Temp: 480°F
Heat: Rear
00:05 Timer
11. Brown
Rack
Return the ham to the oven and bake until the ham is well browned and shiny, about 5 minutes.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: Off
Temp: 480°F
Heat: Rear
00:05 Timer
12. Carve and Serve
Slice and serve with remaining glaze, if desired.
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