Rum Ham: the delicious recipe for rum-glazed ham

With a crispy, caramelized glaze on the outside and plenty of juicy, tender meat, rum ham is an amazing, flavor-packed dinner that's amazing to serve during holiday meals such as Christmas or Thanksgiving ones. It's a sophisticated yet surprisingly easy recipe that is equally tasty as a main meal or enjoyed the next day as leftovers. Making rum glazed ham is as simple as scoring the ham, whisking up the glaze, and baking it. It's a classic dinner that's sure to please.

What is Rum Ham?

Rum ham is a baked ham liberally brushed in a homemade brown sugar rum glaze. It's an incredibly flavorful dish, that is often served during the holidays or at gatherings with larger groups. Rum ham is an easy dinner to make, and it's great for leftovers. You can use leftover rum ham in sandwiches, served for breakfast with eggs, or chop it and add it to pasta dishes.

How to Make Rum Ham 

While it might seem like rum ham is difficult to make, it's actually very easy to prep and bake this gorgeous dish. Score the ham in criss-cross patterns then wrap it in foil and bake it for 2 hours or so. Just before the 2-hour mark, whisk up the brown sugar, rum, and mustard. Then it's time to grab your pastry brush. Generously brush the ham with the rum glaze then bake it a little longer in the oven. This will caramelize the sugars in the glaze, giving the ham a beautiful color and enhancing its flavor.

Tips for Making Rum Glazed Ham

– For the best ever rum glazed ham, be sure to pick up a fully cooked bone-in ham. Choose a wet-cured ham – this will help prevent it from drying out while you're baking it.

– Don't forget to wrap the ham in foil before baking it. This will help keep it juicy and tender.

– While this recipe is for a brown sugar rum glaze, there are many tasty variations you can try. Add some orange or lemon zest, throw in some spices (cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg are all fantastic options), use brandy instead of rum You can also add in a touch of maple syrup or honey like in these honey glazed or baked ham recipes.

– You don't need to bake your glazed ham in the oven. This recipe is equally delicious when made in a slow cooker. Make the glaze and pour it over the ham. Place it in the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or on low for 3 to 4 hours. Take the ham out, baste it, then broil it for 5 or so minutes to caramelize the glaze.

How to Store Rum Glazed Ham 

Leftover rum glazed ham can be wrapped or stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Using a sharp knife, score the ham in a diagonal pattern, making cuts about 1-inch deep. Turn the ham and score it in a diagonal pattern again to form a cross pattern.

Place the ham on the rack of a roasting pan. Pour 1 cup of water into the pan. Cover with foil.

Bake for 2 to 2 ½ hours.

Whisk sugar, rum, and mustard together.

Remove the foil from the ham and brush the ham with the rum mixture. Cook the ham for 15 more minutes uncovered. Remove the ham from the oven and brush with the rum mixture. Bake for another 15 minutes or until browned.

Notes

Use an instant-read meat thermometer to tell when the ham has finished cooking. It should read 140°F.