Chipotle-Honey Baked Ham Recipe
This easy honey baked ham recipe is finished with a sweet and slightly spicy chipotle-honey glaze that is huge on flavor. Perfect for the holidays!
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 hugely popular option that is WAY EASIER to make – Honey Baked Ham.
YES!
Honey Baked Ham is at the top of so many recipe lists around this time of year 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. I love it, too, but as a spicy food lover, I just need a touch more development.
I’m sure you’re like me, you crazy spicy food lover, you. That’s why, with this recipe, I’m introducing another flavor element that pairs perfectly with honey – chipotle.
In particular, chipotle in adobo sauce. OH YEAH! 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. 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 we make the recipe, shall we?
Ingredients Needed to Make Chipotle-Honey Baked Ham
- 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)
How to Make Chipotle-Honey Baked Ham – the Recipe Method
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.
Continue to cook until the internal temperature of the ham measures 140 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer.
NOTE: When cooking pre cooked ham, you should cook it 15 minutes to 20 minutes per pounds until you reach the desired internal temperature.
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.
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.
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.
- 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. 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 Honey 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
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.
- 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
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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.
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.
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i have never baked a ham…now i think i just might with the festive season approaching.
this looks delicious.
i may halve the quantities as my oven (nor stomach) could accommodate a beast of that size!
thanks as always.
Yeah, Col, this one sure was a beast! I have a LOT leftover in my freezer for future meals! Have a good one.