Whether celebrating a special holiday like Easter or Christmas or just because, baked ham glaze recipes like these are just what you need to take your ham from "yum" to "Oh my gosh I'm never eating turkey again." Seriously. The easy ham glaze recipes on this page are all delicious, all simple to make, and all a little bit different. But if you're looking for even more, you'll also find some great ham recipes on my Ham Dinner Menu Ideas page:

• Honey Baked Ham Recipes
• Leftover Ham Recipes
• Chipotle-Pineapple Glazed Baked Ham
• Spiced Honey Baked Ham with Rhubarb-Raisin Chutney

The Many Benefits of Using a Ham Glaze

Ham is wonderful in all its incarnations. But adding a baked ham glaze recipe is THE thing to take your ham to the next level of awesome. Not only does an easy ham glaze keeps your meat from drying out, but it also compliments the flavor of the ham and your overall menu.

There are so many directions you can take with ham glazes that its a bit overwhelming. This page will go over some great ham glaze recipes and ideas... but you should be sure to add in your personal tastes and own creativity!

Ham and mustard go together like bread and butter-- a classic flavor combination that never fails. This is one of my favorite classic baked ham glaze recipes! Makes enough to glaze approximately a five pound ham.

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Ingredients:
2 tbsp. spicy brown or Dijon mustard
1/2 C. brown sugar
2 tbsp. butter
whole cloves
cinnamon (hint)
pineapple pieces or rings

Instructions: 1. Mix the mustard, sugar and butter in a saucepan and melt together gently. Take off the heat.

2. Dot the top of your ham with whole cloves, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and pineapple pieces. Pour or brush the ham glaze recipe over top in small portions throughout cooking.

The flavors of apple and maple in this baked ham glaze recipe compliment any ham beautifully. The flavors also tend to work well with a wide variety of side dishes (think sweet potatoes, asparagus, orange-almond Asian salad, etc.). This recipe makes one cup of glaze that you should apply to your baked ham throughout the cooking time.

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Ingredients:
1 C. natural applesauce
1/2 C. apple butter
1/2 C. raisins or currants
1/2 C real maple syrup
hint of fresh grated ginger root

Instructions: Making this recipe is simple. Just mix everything together over a low flame then brush it on your ham every 15 minutes or so while it cooks. Keep some aside for a dipping sauce.

Pork works really well with many Asian-inspired ingredients including a simple plum sauce. This tastes fabulous as a baked ham glaze recipe, but you can also use it on a pork roast or chicken. It's delicious no matter how you serve it!

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Ingredients:
1 C. plum jam or preserves
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. hoisin sauce
2 tbsp. fresh chopped green onion
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. toasted sesame seed
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 tsp. freshly grated ginger

Instructions: 1. Just put all your ingredients into a non-reactive pan and simmer gently for about 30-45 minutes.

2. Taste for flavor and seasonings. If you want a more intense flavor reduce the sauce further before applying this easy ham glaze to your ham as it bakes.

This is one of the most flavorful and unusual baked ham glaze recipes I've com across. Mango and peach are fantastic fruits for bringing out unique flavors in meat. They're also rich in antioxidants and other healthful ingredients. And as with the apple maple glaze, putting this together is a breeze.

Hint: you can find organic or kosher nectars at many stores, but otherwise you can make your own from scratch to ensure quality.

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Ingredients:
1/2 C. mango nectar
1/2 C. peach nectar
2 tbsp. fresh minced pineapple
1 tbsp. fresh shredded coconut flakes
red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions: 1. While you may thicken this with about 1 tbsp of cornstarch and bring to a boil so it sticks to the meat. I prefer to reduce it. A little reduction and you don't need the binder. If you're using fresh fruits you'll need to reduce them gently anyway to create a texture that can be easily brushed on to the meat.

2. Bring all ingredients to a simmer in a small saucepan. Simmer on low heat until reduced somewhat. Once you're happy with the flavor, begin basting the ham with the sauce while it cooks.

Summary

Good baked ham glaze recipes aren't really hard to come by.... and fortunately, most of them are very easy to make. The key? Go for intense flavors, and don't be shy. Because your easy ham glaze just hugs the outside of the ham, the flavor will never be overpowering.

Just be patient with yourself and test along the way! In the end you want a flavor signature you and/or your family will love.

You'll find more baked ham glaze recipes on my Ham Menu Main Page!