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Sara Haas
There’s a chance that at some point you’ll need a good ham recipe. Maybe you’re celebrating a holiday or hosting a family get together, or you just need something delicious to feed a hungry crowd. Ham is a great option since it doesn’t require much prep work or babysitting as it cooks. It also pairs well with many different side dishes, like mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and almost any salad. There are plenty of great ham recipes on our site, thanks to you, but we selected and made five of them to see which one was the best. Here are the results.
Which Ham Recipes Did I Test?
There are pages and pages of ham recipes on our site, which made it hard to choose the best of the best. After reviewing each, which included reading the comments, we narrowed it down to five. Each has an average star rating of 4.7 or above and a collection of glowing reviews submitted by the community.
One recipe is made in the slow cooker and another embraces the classic pineapple and maraschino cherry combination. There’s a recipe that involves a tangy glaze made with Dijon mustard and pineapple juice, while another uses brown sugar and honey. Finally, there’s a basic recipe made with brown sugar and plenty of whole cloves.
- Honey Glazed Ham by Colleen
- Tangy Honey Glazed Ham by Sue S.
- Slow Cooker Ham by Patricia Anderson
- Baked Ham by Auntie KK
- Ham with Pineapple by NODIETSFORME
How I Judged the Recipes
There are a variety of opinions about what makes a ham “good.” That’s why I gathered a group of testers to help critique and categorize the recipes. I asked them to focus on flavor, but also texture. I also wanted them to explain what it was they liked or didn’t like about the hams. Here are the results.
The Results
Best for Those Whole Like a Sweet Exterior
Sara Haas
- The recipe: Honey Glazed Ham submitted by Colleen
- Average rating: 4.7
- Rave review: “This is the best recipe I’ve found to make my own honey-glazed ham. It’s easy, economical and taste even better than commercially-glazed hams.” —Grandma of 14
There’s a reason there’s a whole business dedicated to selling honey-coated hams! Now, with this recipe, you can make your own right at home. The recipe comes together quickly and starts with scoring a ham and pressing ¼ cup whole cloves into the top. Next, you make a glaze with corn syrup, honey, and butter, which then gets used for basting the ham every 10 minutes while it bakes.
The result is a ham with a crust that delivers big sweet honey flavor with every bite. All of my testers enjoyed the ham, especially the crust, which they ate first. I liked it too, but I will say that basting a ham every 10 minutes isn’t a task I enjoyed. While I like the recipe, I’ll save it for when I have time and feel like hanging out in my kitchen.
Get the recipe: Honey Glazed Ham
Best Hands-Off Ham Recipe
- The recipe: Slow Cooker Ham submitted by Patricia Anderson
- Average rating: 4.7
- Rave review: “Easy and sooo delicious!! Never had such a yummy tasting ham… did this for a family gathering… and everyone loved it!!” —Tina Bills
I use my slow cooker at least weekly and I love it for recipes just like this! It almost feels like cheating, but it’s what I like to call “smart cooking.” You only need two ingredients to make this ham recipe – brown sugar and a ham. There is a note to add a 6-ounce can of crushed pineapple, which was an easy add, so I did it. After covering the ham with everything, I stuck in my slow cooker (trimming the top just a bit so that it would fit), and cooked it on low for 4 hours.
The result was a delicious ham that didn’t elicit any “wows” from my testers, but was certainly enjoyed by all. I was definitely a fan, but not because of the flavor or presentation, but because it didn’t require much in the way of prep or hands-on cooking.
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Ham
Best For Showing Off Ham’s Natural Deliciousness
Sara Haas
- The recipe: Baked Ham submitted by Auntie KK
- Average rating: 4.7
- Rave review: “This was THE BEST HAM I have ever made. My family RAVED about it being sooooo moist. The key is definitely the water and the foil tent. Thank you so much for this recipe!” —Carla Ray
Are you a purist when it comes to ham? Then this is the recipe for you. With only three ingredients beyond a bone-in ham, it’s a simple recipe that delivers one delicious ham. After covering the top with cloves and a bit of brown sugar, you add it to a roasting pan along with some water then cover and bake it until it’s warm throughout. You’ll be rewarded with a tasty ham that offers just a tiny hint of sweetness and spice. My testers enjoyed it the night I prepared it, but also the next day as sandwiches.
Get the recipe: Baked Ham
Best Show-Stopping Ham Recipe
Sara Haas
- The recipe: Ham with Pineapple submitted by NODIETSFORME
- Average rating: 4.7
- Rave review: “I’m keeping this recipe! First time I cooked a ham on my own , it was juicy and tender and everyone loved it.” —Cindy Hutchison
This is the ham that gets the “oohs” and “ahhhs.” The addition of pineapple rings and maraschino cherries is enough to have everyone stop talking at your table and pay attention. There’s a bit more fuss with the preparation of this ham, even beyond the accoutrement you add to the top. You’ll also need to score it and create a basting concoction made with pineapple juice, lemon-lime soda and brown sugar. Is it all worth it? My testers said “yes!” They loved the presentation and flavor and it was a showstopper that brought a lot of joy.
Get the recipe: Ham with Pineapple
Best Overall
Sara Haas
- The recipe: Tangy Honey Glazed Ham submitted by Sue S.
- Average rating: 4.8
- Rave review: “It is absolutely the best ham glaze I’ve ever had. My family absolutely loves the taste. My ham comes out perfect time after time.” —CleverChop9254
It’s a fussy recipe, but honestly, the fuss is worth it for the results. And to be fair, it’s not a significant amount of extra work, it just requires the extra step of making a glaze. But there’s something pretty special about this glaze though, the combination of dark brown sugar, pineapple juice, honey, orange, Dijon mustard and cloves work together to bring out the best of the salty goodness of the ham. My testers agreed and we were unanimous in our adoration for this particular recipe. While I prefer a more hands-off approach to baking a ham, this one is worth the little extra effort of basting. It’s not an “every-night-ham,” but it’s definitely a “when-the-mood-strikes” type of ham that will please anyone and everyone.
Get the recipe: Tangy Honey Glazed Ham
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