How to Make Honey Baked Ham Recipe

I never thought about how to make a honey baked ham recipe when I was young; it actually sounded awful to have a sweet ham. I was still a teenager when I tasted my first honey ham; that was the real Honey Baked Ham. Someone in the family purchased one and brought it to our holiday dinner. We also had some of the famous onion buns from our famous local Woody’s supermarket. What a pair! Topped with Dad’s homemade horseradish, this made the best sandwich you could ever imagine eating. Needless to say this combination quickly became one of our family food traditions.

How to Make Honey Baked Ham RecipeHow to Make Honey Baked Ham Recipe

Later on in my life, when I moved to Florida with my children I started to think more about making a honey baked ham recipe. Instead I set out to find one to buy for Christmas dinner. Florida was not like it is today; not nearly as many people, stores or any businesses for that matter. After a lengthy search to where I could buy one of these hams I found one but it was a good drive from my house. I debated, “Was it worth the drive?” Yes; I had to bring a little feeling of home in Ohio to my new home in Florida. If you are familiar to Central Florida, the store was a little east of Altamonte Springs.


I pulled out with my kids in tote to find this store where I could buy my traditional ham instead of learning how to make a honey baked ham recipe. It was three days before Christmas so I was anxious to get there, buy my ham and get back. I knew I was getting close to the area so I started watching the cross streets carefully. Suddenly my attention was pulled from the street signs to hundreds of people lining down the street. “What is going on”, I said out loud. I couldn’t believe all these people! My oldest son said they are all going in that store to get a ham. Oh, no! That just could not be so!


Like I said, I was in a big hurry! I couldn’t believe that there were all those people after a ham but I was not about to return home without one after driving so far. I parked the car; the kids and I got out, crossed the street and got in the end of the line. After about 90 minutes, I was allowed in the store. (Only a few could go in at a time); it was really a little place, especially the sales room.


By now I must tell you I was getting pretty irritable after waiting all this time. As I approached the door, I could smell that wonderful Honey Baked Ham recipe; somehow it soothed my irritability. Then I saw all the other good food; potato salad, macaroni salad, baked beans and I can’t remember what all there was. To my surprise these were being handed out as free samples. Gosh, I didn’t realize how hungry I had gotten since I left home. This was all so delicious! And I realized my grouchiness totally disappeared! It must have been that comfort food! Anyway this became a memorable experience and a renewed tradition. I even figured out a recipe for those delicious Woody’s onion buns.


Even though I make my own honey baked ham recipe now, sometimes I still have to have my traditional fix with the “real thing”.A honey baked ham recipe can be as simple as drizzling honey from the bottle over the ham during baking. In the last hour of baking a ham, drizzle the honey over the ham every 20 minutes. (try sprinkling a little cloves over the honey) You can also make a mixture of honey with other ingredients to coat the ham while baking. Try the following.

HOW TO MAKE A HONEY BAKED HAM RECIPE with HONEY BUTTER 

  • ½ Cup honey
  • ½ Cup water
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • ¼ Teaspoon nutmeg

Heat honey, water, nutmeg and butter in a small saucepan. Spoon over the cooked ham and bake for 30 minutes. Spoon more over the ham and bake for another 30 minutes.

HONEY PINEAPPLE GLAZE

  • ½ Cup honey
  • ½ Cup pineapple juice
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • ¼ Teaspoon ground ginger

Heat ingredients in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Spoon over the ham several times the last hour of baking.

COCA COLA HAM RECIPE

  • Half of ham with bone
  • 2 Liter bottle Coca Cola
  • 2 Liter bottle ginger ale
  • ½ Cup brown sugar
  • Maple syrup
  • Maraschino cherries/ pineapple chunks for garnish

Place ham in stockpot; pour Coca Cola and ginger ale over ham.

Add brown sugar to pot; if needed add enough water to cover ham with liquid.

Cook over low covered for 2 hours; turn off heat and allow to cool enough to transfer ham to large baking pan.

Measure 3 to 4 cups of liquid; pour into bottom of pan and bake ham at 325F degrees for 2 hours.

Mix small amount of maple syrup with juice and baste entire ham while baking.

Cook until golden brown; garnish with pineapple and cherries and bake another 30 minutes (hold on with toothpicks).

ORANGE HAM GLAZE

  • Choice of ham
  • 2 Cups water
  • ½ Cup honey
  • 1 Can (6 ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed)

Combine water, orange juice and honey; place ham in pan and coat with mixture.

Baste often as baking at 350F degrees; cook until thermometer reaches 150F degrees.

Cover with foil if edges begin to get too brown.