There is one thing I have learned from photographing big hunks of meat. It is not easy! I can’t tell you how much I fought with this ham. It did not want to cooperate. Not that it can really help it. I mean, it is only a hunk of meat. I did my best though, and I really wanted to post a ham recipe this year, since I have yet to do that in this almost 3 years of sharing recipes. I think it was about time, don’t you? This brown sugar beer glazed ham is everything you crave in an Easter ham. It is super moist and delicious, with a glaze that is so sweet and decadent you’ll be slurping it up with a spoon!
I am so hit or miss when it come to ham. I was never one of those people that was like … “ohhhhh ham, that’s my favorite food everrrr!” No, I never have been excited over ham. Maybe it’s because ham tends to be boring. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I totally love ham IN things. It’s the ham by itself that doesn’t have me super excited. I always need it doused in sauce, gravy or glaze and topped with mashed potatoes or another vegetable of a creamy consistency.
Because of my aversions to ham on it’s own, I’ve decided to create a glaze that will make ham pop! I mean ham is SUPER salty. Like sooooooooo salty, but douse it with a glaze made of a robust coffee ale, a big old heaping cup (or cup and a half) of brown sugar, a healthy dollop of stone ground mustard, and some essential seasonings and spices and you have yourself heaven on a serving platter!
It’s all very simple.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place an oven-safe oven rack on top if you wish. I personally like for the ham to sit in it’s own glaze, but feel free to not do this. Place the ham, flat-side down, on the pan.
Score a grid-like pattern into the ham, cutting down about 1/2 inch.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the beer, brown sugar, maple syrup, mustard, cornstarch, salt, allspice, cayenne pepper, Chinese five spice and black pepper. Taking about 1/3 of the mixture, brush the entire ham generously.
Place the ham in the oven, uncovered and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and brush another 1/3 of the glaze on top and place back in the oven. Bake for an additional hour or until the top is brown and crisp. Remove from heat. In a small saucepan, add the remaining 1/3 of the glaze. Heat over medium-low heat until the alcohol has cooked out and the glaze is thick. Remove from heat and pour into a serving bowl. Slice the ham to your liking and serve warm with glaze.
So easy, right?! I blow my own mind sometimes. Full recipe and ingredients list is below! Have a wonderful Monday everyone! xo
Brown Sugar Beer Glazed Ham
Servings:
10 -12Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 7-8 pound smoked ham
- 12 ounces dark beer with coffee I used a coffee porter
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons allspice
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place an oven-safe oven rack on top if you wish.
- Place the ham on the rack and score a grid-like pattern, cutting down about 1/2 inch.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the beer, brown sugar, maple syrup, mustard, cornstarch, salt, allspice, cayenne pepper, Chinese five spice and black pepper. Taking about 1/3 of the mixture, brush the entire ham generously.
- Place the ham in the oven, uncovered and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and brush another 1/3 of the glaze on top and place back in the oven. Bake for an additional hour or until the top is brown and crisp. Remove from heat.
- In a small saucepan, add the remaining 1/3 of the glaze. Heat over medium-low heat until the alcohol has cooked out and the glaze is thick. Remove from heat and pour into a serving bowl.
- Slice the ham to your liking and serve warm with glaze.
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24 Responses
I grew up eating my grandmother’s melt-in-your-mouth ham and it was SO good. I rarely make it because my husband isn’t a fan. It’s a once a year thing pretty much. I can tell you I’ll make this recipe every time — these flavors sound incredible!
Again! Why do men seem to hate ham! I need to get to the bottom of this. Zach doesn’t love it either! Thank you so much, Marcie. ;)
I think your pictures look great!!
Awe, thanks Sloane! ;)
I’ve been so reluctant to post big hunks of meat… but this one actually DOES look good! As much as you fought with it ;) Love that glaze!
Stupid big hunks of meat! I still hate them! haha … thank you so much Ashley!
This looks so good!! I wish my hubby ate ham. I miss honey baked hams at holidays. Maybe I should make it and change his mind. Pinned! ;)
This must be a trend with men! I have found a lot of them that do not like ham! Crazy! Thank you so much for pinning, Cyndi!
That is one gorgeous ham! It makes me totally want to plan Easter dinner. YUM! I never can resist a brown sugar glaze.
I can never resist a brown sugar glaze either, Melanie. ;) Thanks girl!
WHY are the tastiest things the hardest to photograph. GAH. But you did an amazing job. I mean, I’m totally drooling! YUM!
Ugh, I know! It’s soooo annoying! Thanks, Liz!
I think that ham looks amazing – those photos are great! But it IS so frustrating when they just won’t turn out like you want, especially when you KNOW how good the food is!! Love that glaze, the coffee beer is such a great idea!
Thank you so much Stacey! :)
Holy cow girl! I think you did an amazing job photographing this! It looks gorgeous! And that glaze – drool!!
Thanks girlfriend! <3
My husband would be putty in my hands if I made this for him….beer + ham? Two of his favorite things!
Thanks, Mary!
Hey Justine. Was just looking around online for a large ham recipe, and out of everything out there, yours sounds most amazing! I’m going to make it tomorrow. I’m just a bit confused about what you mean by “dark beer with coffee”. Can you please clarify? Do I add coffee to the beer, and if so, how much would you recommend? Thanks a million! <3
Hi there! I’m happy you stumbled across the recipe! By dark beer with coffee, I mean a beer that has been brewed with coffee. So there are a ton of stouts and porters out there that have coffee-like notes because they have added coffee into the brewing process. You certainly don’t have to go this route though, if you have trouble finding a beer that has been brewed with coffee. As an alternative, I find that just using a good regular stout or porter and then adding 1/2 cup of brewed coffee into the mix also works just as well. I hope this clears things up! Let me know if you have any more questions!
I made this for Easter 2019 and it was delicious, my family went crazy for it. Just took a poll on who wants what for Thanksgiving dinner. They want me to make this ham again, no surprise to me lol! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I will never cook my ham any other way ever again!