Root Beer Glazed Spiral Ham is a southern version of baked ham with a delicious glaze that's tangy and sweet and caramelized to perfection.
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Whether you're hosting a holiday dinner, feeding a crowd at a party, or just looking for a delicious and easy meal option like my One-Pot Chicken or my Juicy Tender Meatloaf. This glazed ham recipe is tender and juicy and smothered in a sweet sticky glaze will be a perfect main course.
why this recipe works
Root Beer Glazed Spiral Ham would be fantastic for your holiday dinner table along with my Honey Roasted Carrots and Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Au Gratin Potatoes. Ham is always a delicious holiday meal or Sunday supper whether it's this root beer ham or a traditional ham like my Slow Cooker Glazed Honey Ham it's always an easy main dish!
Ingredients Needed
Ingredient Notes
- Ham: Make sure it's fully cooked.
- Root beer: Any brand is fine, Dr. Pepper is a great substitute.
- Mustard: Yellow mustard or Dijon mustard.
- Brown Sugar: Dark or light works fine.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds the perfect amount of tang.
How to make Root Beer Glazed Ham
- Step 1: Preheat the oven place ham on a large roasting pan and cover it with aluminum foil.
- Step 2: Heat a medium saucepan on medium-low and add the glaze ingredients except for root beer and mix.
- Step 3: Add in the root beer, and mix.
- Step 4: Simmer until reduced and thickened.
- Step 5: Drizzle about 3-4 tablespoons of the glaze on top of the ham.
- Step 6: Brush or spread all over the top, bake, and repeat every 15-minute intervals until done. Save any remaining glaze.
Recipe Tips
- You want to make sure your ham is already fully cooked.
- Make sure to cover the ham while it bakes before putting the glaze on, this will ensure it stays moist and doesn't dry out.
- You can place the ham on its side or face down, I just think the glaze gets into the ham slices better if it's on its side.
- To give the ham that delicious caramelized crust on the top half of the ham you need to put it under the broiler for a few minutes in the end.
Recipe Faq's
No, you can use a bone-in-shank ham but I prefer a spiral-cut ham because it's already presliced. But if you use a shank ham score the ham before glazing, and use a sharp knife to score shallow gashes on the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern.
For large gatherings plan on each guest eating between 1/3 and 1/2 pounds of ham. Taking into account that a spiral-cut ham does have a bone.
Adding root beer to a glaze can add a unique flavor and sweetness to the glaze. Root beer is a soda that is made with a blend of various herbs and spices, including sassafras, vanilla, and wintergreen, which gives it a distinctive flavor profile. When used in a glaze, it can add a subtle sweetness and a hint of those herbal and spicy notes to the dish. The carbonation in soda can help to create a lighter texture in the glaze, making it more airy and delicate for a flavorful ham.
Of course, I like to dice leftover ham up and put it in a ziplock freezer bag with any extra glaze and freeze it for up to 3 months. It's delicious in my Scalloped Potatoes and Ham.
What to serve with root beer glazed ham
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Root Beer Glazed Spiral Ham
Ingredients
- 10-12 lb fully cooked bone-in spiral ham
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup yellow mustard
- 1 can root beer
- 3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325
- Place ham in a roasting pan and cover with foil. Bake 2 hours
- In a small saucepan on medium-low. Add the sugar, mustard, root beer, vinegar, and cornstarch and whisk until combined. Reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered until reduced and thickened into a glaze, about 20-30 minutes
- After about 1 hour of baking time remove the ham and brush on some glaze. Place ham back into the oven uncovered. Repeat glazing every 15-20 minutes until the ham is done.
- Let rest 15 minutes before serving, and pour juices over the ham.
Yay Deb! So happy you enjoyed it!
I made this ham, and I will never male it any other way again. It was the best ham I have ever had! Really moist! Thank you Wendy!
This recipe requires frequent basting, so I'd probably say no. Here is a fantastic crockpot ham recipe https://butteryourbiscuit.com/slow-cooker-honey-glazed-ham/
Can you do this in crockpot?
Good stuff
Its not supposed to be super thick. You just want it to a glaze and the cornstarch should help it thicken up. If you have the temperature to low it will take longer.
Help!! I can’t get my glaze to thicken I put just what u said but mine is not glazing up I don’t know what to do
Hi Hilda, If you scroll up on this page you will see the recipe 🙂
I need the receipe for that spiral ham please help me