Can I make this Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham ahead of time?

Yes. You can bake the ham a day in advance, wrap it tightly in foil, and refrigerate it. Reheat at 300°F for about 20–30 minutes, then brush on a little fresh glaze before warming to bring back the glossy finish.

What type of ham works best with this orange marmalade glaze?

A bone-in, unsliced ham gives the juiciest results and the best surface for caramelizing the orange marmalade glaze. Spiral hams also work well; just keep a closer eye on moisture and baste frequently so they don’t dry out.

Do I have to score the ham before glazing?

If your ham isn’t spiral-sliced, scoring is a good idea. Cutting a crisscross diamond pattern in the fat creates small pockets that catch the glaze, help it soak in, and give the ham that classic holiday look.

Can I use a different marmalade or jam for the glaze?

Yes. Orange marmalade is traditional, but apricot preserves, peach jam, or pineapple jam also work well. Choose a jam with some acidity and brightness so the glaze doesn’t end up too flat or overly sweet.

Why do you add soy sauce to a ham glaze?

Soy sauce adds salt, umami, and depth to the glaze, balancing the sweetness of the marmalade and brown sugar. It also helps the ham brown and caramelize into a rich, savory-sweet crust.

What is the best way to store leftover ham?

Allow the ham to cool, then store leftovers in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Refrigerated ham keeps well for 3 to 5 days. For longer storage, slice or cube the ham and freeze it in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 2 months.

How can I use up leftover orange marmalade glazed ham?

Leftover ham is great in fried rice, breakfast frittatas, ham-and-cheese biscuits, soups, quiches, casseroles, and hearty sandwiches. Don’t forget the ham bone—it adds amazing flavor to a pot of beans or homemade soup.

Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham – Sweet, Sticky & Easy Holiday Recipe

Jump to Instructions

Simple Living ❤️ Country Style — one glossy, caramelized ham at a time.

If you’re looking for a holiday ham that’s juicy, glossy, and bursting with sweet-and-savory flavor, this orange marmalade glazed ham with soy sauce and mustard is the one you want on your table. It slow-bakes into a sticky, caramelized glaze that tastes like you spent hours fussing over it… when really the oven does most of the work while you check on the chickens or pretend to fold laundry.

I originally published this post on April 22, 2025, and have updated it on December 4, 2025: Added new pro tips, serving suggestions, leftover ideas, and improved FAQs for easier holiday cooking and better glaze results.

The result? Juicy, tender ham with just the right balance of sweet, salty, and tangy flavor. Whether it’s part of a holiday feast or just a well-deserved tasty meal anytime, this ham turns any meal into an occasion.

This recipe checks all the boxes: simple ingredients, easy prep, and flavors that everyone loves.

My blog readers know that I prefer slow-cooked, oven-based meals, which provide me with free time to do other tasks, such as pulling carrots from the garden, checking on my chickens, or working on one of the many projects we have going on around the property.

The orange marmalade glaze transforms into a deep, glossy crust during baking. The ham is always difficult to protect from sneaky hands during its resting time. It’s just that irresistible!

I also enjoy that the leftovers will create other great meals, such as fried rice (a family favorite) or be part of a breakfast, such as frittata or eggs Benedict, covered with my foolproof hollandaise sauce.

Why You’ll Love This Ham
Ingredients
What Type of Ham to Use
Step-By-Step Instructions
How to Make the Ham Sauce
Pro Tips
Serving Suggestions
How to Store Leftovers
Final Thoughts
FAQs

Why You’ll Love This Ham

Sweet, sticky, glossy glaze thanks to orange marmalade, mustard, soy sauce, and brown sugar — a flavor combo that tastes way fancier than the effort required.
Slow-baked and hands-off, giving you time to check the chickens, pull carrots, or pretend you’re tackling the laundry pile.
Perfectly juicy every time, since the oven does the heavy lifting and the glaze caramelizes into a gorgeous crust.
Crowd-pleasing holiday centerpiece that looks impressive but is secretly simple.
Works with any bone-in or spiral ham, making it an easy fit for family gatherings big or small.
Leftovers are pure gold — fried rice, sandwiches, frittatas, ham biscuits, you name it.
Homestead-friendly pantry ingredients, so you can make it anytime without a special grocery run.

Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham Recipe

Ingredients

1 fully cooked bone-in Ham (9-10lbs), spiral-cut or whole
Orange Marmalade – store bought or try my Simple Orange Marmalade recipe.
Brown Sugar – or make your own with my Homemade Brown Sugar recipe.
Stone-ground Mustard – substitute with Dijon mustard
Soy Sauce
Chicken Broth
Cornstarch
Optional: Orange slices and parsley for garnish

🐖 What Type of Ham Should You Use?

Yes, there is more than one kind of ham, and not all are created equal when it comes to glazing and roasting.

1. Bone-In Whole Ham

Best for: Classic presentation, maximum flavor, feeding a crowd
This is a big ham. It includes both the shank and butt portions and gives you lots of juicy meat (and a bone for soup later).

2. Bone-In Half Ham

Best for: Smaller gatherings, easier handling
Sold as either the shank end (easier to slice, leaner) or the butt end (more tender, a bit trickier to carve). Either way, bone-in half hams still bring great flavor and that gorgeous roasted look.

3. Spiral Ham

Best for: Convenience, stress-free slicing
This one’s pre-sliced and usually bone-in. It’s super convenient but can dry out faster, so glazing and basting become essential. Great for buffet-style meals or anyone who doesn’t want to wrestle with a carving knife.

4. Boneless Ham

Best for: Weeknight dinners, sandwiches, and smaller ovens
Fully cooked and super easy to slice and tasty when glazed well. Just don’t expect that dramatic holiday centerpiece moment.

5. Fresh Ham (Uncured, Unsmoked)

Best for: DIY curing/smoking folks
This is basically a raw pork leg—no smoke, no cure, just pork in its natural state. You’ll have to season and cook it like a roast. It’s not ideal for this specific glaze recipe, but it’s great if you’re going full homesteader mode.

Instructions To Make Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Prepare the ham by scoring the outside, including the sides of the ham, in a diamond pattern about 1 inch in size. Place the flat side down in a baking pan and cover loosely with foil.

Bake the ham for about 3 hours (if using a 9-10 lb. ham). Cooking times will vary if you have a smaller or larger ham.

Meanwhile, mix the glaze. Combine the glaze ingredients in a bowl: 3/4 cup of the orange marmalade, brown sugar, mustard, and soy sauce.

glaze ingredients in a mixing bowl with soy sauce and oranges on the side

Glaze it up. After the first hour, remove the foil and pour the glaze over the ham. Leave the ham uncovered, and then start brushing with more glaze every 20-30 minutes. If the outside of the ham browns too fast, re-cover with aluminum foil.

Rest before carving. The ham is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F with an instant-read thermometer. Let the ham rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes before slicing. This gives the juices time to redistribute and keeps the ham juicy.

Separate the fat. Take the pan drippings and remove the excess fat. I like to use a fat separator to make this easy. These drippings will be used to make a ham sauce.

How to Make Ham Sauce

While the ham is resting, add the pan drippings to a saucepan and add the remaining 1/4 cup of orange marmalade and the chicken broth. Bring to a low boil and then thicken with a cornstarch slurry made of 2 tablespoon cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water mixed.

orange marmalade glazed ham just out of the oven

Looking for the perfect dessert to serve after? This Farmhouse Carrot Cake fits the bill.

Pro Tips for Baking the Perfect Ham

1. Don’t dry it out.
Hams are already cooked, so you’re just reheating and glazing. Overbaking is how you turn a beautiful ham into jerky. Tent with foil early on and always bake low and slow—325°F is your golden zone.

2. Score the fat for bonus points.
If your ham isn’t spiral cut, use a sharp knife to score the surface in a crisscross diamond pattern. This helps the glaze seep into the nooks and crannies. Plus, it looks impressive and rustic.

3. Use a roasting rack if you’ve got one.
Keeping the ham slightly elevated allows heat to circulate more evenly, especially if it’s a bone-in whole ham. But if you don’t have one, don’t sweat it—just nestle it into a bed of sliced onions or carrots.

4. Baste, but don’t drown.
Brushing the glaze on every 20- 30 minutes near the end of baking creates a glossy, caramelized coating. But save some glaze for serving—it makes a great sauce.

5. Let it rest.
Just like with any good roast, resting is important. Slice too soon and all those juices run out. Give it at least 15 minutes to relax before carving.

6. Choose the right ham.
A bone-in ham brings flavor and moisture. Spiral-cut makes for easy slicing, but it can dry out faster if you’re not careful. If you want maximum juiciness and don’t mind carving, go for a whole, unsliced bone-in ham.

7. Save that bone!
The leftover ham bone makes the best soup or pot of beans. Wrap it up and freeze it if you’re not ready to use it immediately.

sliced ham in serving dish with orange slices and parsley as garnish

Serving Suggestions for Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham

Pair this ham with Cowboy Caviar or a healthy Broccoli Salad as a fresh side.
Or serve alongside a warm, buttery batch of Moist Cornbread or Homemade Biscuits made with soda for a truly Southern-style feast.
Don’t forget the Zesty Mustard Relish or Apricot Mandarin Cranberry Sauce, which are both great complements for ham.
Save the bone! Tuck it into a freezer bag and stash it in the freezer. It adds unbeatable flavor to homemade broth, soups, or a pot of beans.

How to Store Leftover Ham

Refrigerate:

Once your ham has cooled to room temperature, store leftovers in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. It’ll stay fresh in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.

Freeze:

If you’ve got more ham than you know what to do with, freeze it! Slice or cube the ham and store it in a freezer-safe bag or container. It’ll keep well for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to use it, just thaw in the fridge overnight.

If you need inspiration for those leftover slices, turn them into homemade fried rice or whip up a quick frittata — this recipe makes it easy.

Final Thoughts

This orange marmalade glazed ham delivers everything a good holiday centerpiece should—sweet, sticky, caramelized edges, tender slices, and a flavor that feels special without demanding much work from you. It’s the kind of recipe that looks impressive coming out of the oven but is secretly simple enough for any Sunday dinner on the homestead.

Whether you’re feeding a full holiday table or just want a cozy, comforting meal that guarantees leftovers for days, this ham has you covered. It’s hearty, homemade, and full of the sweet-and-savory goodness that makes gathering around the table feel extra meaningful.

Because at the end of the day, good food doesn’t have to be complicated—it just has to bring people together. And this ham does exactly that.

I’d love to hear how this ham turned out in your kitchen! Did you stick with classic orange marmalade, or try a fun twist? Drop a comment 💬 below and share your tips, tweaks, and triumphs — I read every single one.

And if you enjoy simple, homemade recipes with a cozy country touch, be sure to 📬 subscribe to my weekly emails. You’ll get fresh recipes, garden ideas, homestead stories, and seasonal inspiration delivered straight to your inbox.

Let’s keep cooking and creating together — one delicious meal at a time.

close up of sliced ham or orange marmalade glaze

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my weekly emails below.

More Recipes You Might Enjoy

Orange Marmalade Glazed Ham

Yvonne-OurCountryLife.com

This orange marmalade glazed ham is sticky, sweet, and packed with flavor. Made with mustard, brown sugar, and soy sauce, it's perfect for holidays or everyday meals.

No ratings yet

Print Pin Recipe

Servings People