Baked Ham Recipe with Chipotle-Honey Glaze

This easy baked ham recipe is finished with a sweet and spicy chipotle-honey glaze that is huge on flavor. Perfect for the holiday honey baked ham!

The holidays are upon us, my friends, and that means BIG MEALS. Cooler weather is descending and the gatherings are being planned. Whether you're getting together with extended family or all of your close friends, you'll likely need a recipe for something that will feed a large group.

Turkey is oh-so-common around the holidays, with good reason, but don't forget that other somewhat overlooked option that is WAY EASIER to make - Baked Ham with Chipotle-Honey Glaze.

This is one of my favorite baked ham recipes for a few reasons.

First, it's DELICIOUS. Everyone loves a good bit of ham.

Second, it feeds a crowd. Easily. Most of these huge hams are 8-10 pounds, so you can feed your whole crew and still have some leftovers.

Third, it's very easy to make. Ham has a lot of flavor and its already cooked, so you really only need to heat it to temp and serve it up.

Of course there are all sorts of ways to develop flavor with a baked ham, honey baked ham being one of the most popular ways. You'll find glazes made with maple syrup, pineapple juice or orange juice, mustard glazes, brown sugar glazes and more, but I make mine a bit differently.

I combine honey and spicy chipotle for a baked ham you're sure to love as a spicy food lover.

In particular, chipotle in adobo sauce. Chipotle in adobo sauce is smoky and spicy and massively HUGE on flavor. The honey sweetens it up in just the right way that is ideal for a baked ham, and combined, you get this wonderful sweet and spicy glaze that everyone will love.

So yeah, this isn't any old honey baked ham recipe. What we have here is Chipotle-Honey Baked Ham, and you're going to keep this one in your back pocket not only for the holidays, but for anytime of the year when you need to cook for a big group.

Let's talk about how to make baked ham, shall we?

Baked Ham Ingredients with Chipotle-Honey Glaze

• Fully Cooked Bone-in Ham. 8-10 pounds.
• Brown Sugar.
• Honey.
• Apple Cider Vinegar.
• Chipotles in Adobo Sauce.
• Garlic.
• Brown Mustard.
• Ancho Powder.
• Hot Sauce.
• Cumin.
• Salt and Pepper. 
• Beer. Use an amber colored beer. I used a Mexican lager.

How to Make Baked Ham with Chipotle-Honey Glaze - the Recipe Method

Heat the Oven. First, heat your oven to 325 degrees F. Place the room temperature ham into a lightly oiled roasting pan, cut side down.

Bake the Ham. Use a knife to score the surface of the ham with a cross-hatch pattern. Bake the ham for 90 minutes, uncovered.

Make the Chipotle-Honey Glaze. While the ham is baking, make the chipotle-honey glaze. Add the following ingredients to a food processor: brown sugar, honey, vinegar, chipotles in adobo, garlic, mustard, ancho powder, hot sauce, cumin and a bit of salt and pepper.

Process to form a thick paste.

Transfer the mixture to a large pan and stir in the beer to incorporate. Bring the glaze to a quick boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes to reduce it slightly. Reserve half of the glaze to serve it with the finished ham. 

Glaze the Ham. After 90 minutes, brush the ham with glaze then continue to bake another 30 minutes, adding a bit more glaze a few times during the final cooking.

Cook the Ham to Temp. Continue to cook until the internal temperature of the ham measures 140 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer. Cooking times can vary.

NOTE: When cooking pre cooked or fully cooked ham, you should cook it 15 minutes to 20 minutes per pounds until you reach the desired internal temperature.

I like to use my Thermapen meat thermometer from ThermoWorks (I’m an affiliate). Works great! Looks like it is done cooking!

Remove the ham and cool it slightly. Carve and serve with the extra glaze. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm if needed.

BOOM! Done! Easy enough, isn't it? The only real work here is lifting the ham into a roasting pan and then making a glaze. OK, you have to carve it, too. Not so hard! Honey glazed ham is the best, especially with chipotle added in.

It's huge and really does serve a crowd. Perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner!

Recipe Tips & Notes

• The Ham. I picked up a cooked ham from my local grocer and carved it myself. If you want to save yourself a bit of time, buy a spiral cut ham, which is pre-cut into thin slices. Works great for serving and for making sandwiches later. Smoked ham is great, too.
• The Chipotle. You can use any brand of chipotles in adobo sauce found in the grocery store. You can also find crushed chipotles in adobo, which works good here because everything gets processed anyway. Go for it!
• The Chili Powder. I am using ancho powder for this recipe because it is one of my favorite chili powders. Also, it pairs nicely with chipotle. Just wonderful. However, if you're unable to find it, go with your favorite chili powder blend.
• The Leftovers. Leftover ham freezes very nicely. We like to divide up the ham after carving into 6 and 8 ounces portions, then either bag them in freezer bags or vacuum seal them for freezing. They last several months this way and make for nice quick sandwiches, but can also be chopped and tossed into soups and stews. Ham is GREAT for leftovers!

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my Chipotle-Honey Baked Ham recipe. It totally ROCKS and I'm not afraid to say so. Spice it up as much as you desire. Just be sure to give Grandma a warning.

If you're making this recipe, here are some side dish ideas.

Side Dishes to Serve with Baked Ham

• Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Sausage Stuffing
• Cornbread Dressing
• Jalapeno Popper Twice Baked Potatoes
• Papas con Chile – Cheese Tex-Mex Mashed Potatoes
• Spicy Oven Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
• Spicy Deviled Eggs with Bacon and Jalapeno

Try Some of My Other Popular Chipotle Recipes

• Chipotle Sauce
• Easy Chipotle Chicken
• Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Chicken Tinga (Chipotle Shredded Chicken)
• Shrimp in Fiery Chipotle-Tequila Sauce

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

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Baked Ham Recipe with Chipotle-Honey Glaze

This easy baked ham recipe is finished with a sweet and spicy chipotle-honey glaze that is huge on flavor. Perfect for the holiday honey baked ham!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chipotle, ham, holiday, recipe, spicy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Calories: 52kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings: 20

Tap or hover to scale

5 from 3 votes

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Ingredients

• 1 fully cooked bone-in ham 8-10 pounds
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 7 ounce chipotle peppers in adobo sauce 1 small can
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
• 1 tablespoon ancho powder or use your favorite chili powder blend
• 1-2 tablespoons hot sauce use your favorite!
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 ounces amber colored beer I used a Mexican lager

Instructions

• First, heat your oven to 325 degrees F. Place the ham into a lightly oiled roasting pan, cut side down.
• Use a knife to score the surface of the ham with a cross-hatch pattern. Bake the ham for 90 minutes, uncovered.
• While the ham is baking, make the chipotle-honey glaze. Add the following ingredients to a food processor: brown sugar, honey, vinegar, chipotles in adobo, garlic, mustard, ancho powder, hot sauce, cumin and a bit of salt and pepper. Process to form a thick paste.
• Transfer the mixture to a large pan and stir in the beer to incorporate. Bring the glaze to a quick boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes to reduce it slightly. Reserve half of the glaze to serve it with the finished ham.
• After 90 minutes, brush the ham with glaze then continue to bake another 30 minutes, adding a bit more glaze a few times during the final cooking, until the internal temperature of the ham measures 140 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer.
• Remove the ham and cool it slightly. Carve and serve with the extra glaze.

Notes

Heat Factor: Mild-Medium. You'll get a bit of a kick from the chipotle in adobo sauce, but not a big one. If you're looking for spicier, add in some spicy chili flakes or a hotter chili powder. For me, this recipe is more about flavor than heat, and much will depend on the people you are serving.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 52kcal   Carbohydrates: 12g   Protein: 1g   Fat: 1g   Saturated Fat: 1g   Cholesterol: 1mg   Sodium: 202mg   Potassium: 46mg   Fiber: 1g   Sugar: 11g   Vitamin A: 287IU   Vitamin C: 2mg   Calcium: 13mg   Iron: 1mg

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.