My bourbon and peach glazed smoked ham will turn up your family feast with an abundance of flavor and just a little bit of effort! This main dish uses easy ingredients without much fuss, so you'll be the holiday dinner hero without breaking a sweat.
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my Cajun butter turkey breast, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Simple to Make - You don't need to be a chef to pull off a stunning ham for Thanksgiving. This sticky peach-glazed ham recipe comes together with just a handful of common ingredients, and you probably have most of them in your kitchen already! My step-by-step pictures and pro tips break down the process so you can get it right the first time.
Layers of Flavor - If you know me, you know we're adding flavor every step of the way! This peach bourbon-glazed bone-in ham comes out moist and tender with sweet molasses-y, smoky, spicy, and tangy tasting notes that will please any hungry crowd.
I love making main dishes that look fancy but are secretly easy, so my family can enjoy the best and I can rest! Check out my French rack of lamb, sticky braised short ribs, crispy roast chicken, and Cajun smothered turkey wings next.
What You'll Need for this Recipe
Smoked Ham, preferably spiral-sliced so we can get glaze all up and through. Purchase a fully-cooked whole or half ham, and it can be cured or uncured, depending on what you and your family prefer. Either way, I recommend bone-in ham, as it will be juicier compared to boneless, which tends to dry out more easily.
Fresh Peaches add sweet, fruity flavor to the sauce that pairs so nicely with the ham. This ain't no peach jam ham glaze, though! It's richly flavored with warming spices and a splash of lemon for brightness, similar to my DIY peach syrup recipe.
Bourbon Whiskey from your favorite bottle. You can use any brand or expression, but I recommend a high-quality bourbon for the best taste--think of one you wouldn't mind sipping neat!
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Lemon Juice - You can use fresh-squeezed lemon juice or concentrated juice from a bottle. And if you can't get lemon, try lime, sour orange, or apple cider vinegar instead for similar taste.
Mustard - As a Third Coast southern gal, I'm partial to spicy Creole mustard; however, you can use whichever kind you like, including brown deli mustard, dijon mustard, or even classic yellow mustard.
Fresh or Preserved Peaches - Fresh peaches are the best option here, so if you can get them, get them! And frozen peaches are second-best, followed by canned peaches.
How to Make a Peach Glazed Spiral Ham
- Step 1: Mix up the brown sugar and savory spices to make the ham dry rub.
- Step 2: Coat the ham in mustard, then rub in the spice and brown sugar mix.
- Step 3: Roast the ham in a pan covered snugly with foil.
- Step 4: Meanwhile, slice the peaches and cook them down with more brown sugar and sweet spices, then add the bourbon and puree until smooth.
Pro Tip #1
You can make the simple peach sauce for your ham up to three days ahead of time and store it refrigerated. Just let it come to room temperature before you use it.
- Step 5: Baste the ham with a generous coating of the peach bourbon sauce.
- Step 6: Continue roasting the ham uncovered, basting a few more times, until it has a glossy crust reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.
Pro Tip #2
As you baste, make sure to push the glaze in between the ham slices, which will open up more as the ham bakes.
Pro Tip #3
If the top of your ham starts to char, tent a piece of foil over it and continue roasting in the oven.
Cook Time for Smoked Ham
The total cook time for a bone-in ham is 10 minutes per pound. So, with this method, an eight-pound ham would cook for 50 minutes at 350, then about 30 minutes at 400 degrees. I recommend using a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Keeps for up to five days.
To freeze, let the ham come to room temperature, then divide into portions (a few slices each), and wrap each portion individually in aluminum foil. Place the wrapped ham portions in an airtight, freezer-safe container, then into the freezer. Keeps for up to two months.
How to Serve
Baste the baked ham with pan drippings and more sauce before serving warm so it has a nice, glossy finish. For extra razzle dazzle, garnish it with fresh peach slices and parsley.
Of course, this ham goes hard at the Thanksgiving dinner table, but it's just as good on your Christmas menu or for Easter celebrations.
For a Soul Food Thanksgiving, pair it with smoky collard greens, baked mac and cheese (with a roux), crockpot candied yams, bourbon cranberry sauce, and sweet dinner rolls.
Use any leftovers to make easy sliders or pulled ham sandwiches, serve them up with your eggs for post-Thanksgiving breakfast, or follow the freezing directions above to keep them a lil longer.
More Favorite Pork Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you and yours will enjoy this peach and bourbon-glazed ham soon and very soon. And sharing is caring, so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Bourbon Peach Glazed Ham
Equipment
- 1 pastry brush optional
- 1 oblong roasting pan about 9 x 13 inches or larger
- 1 knife
- 1 Blender or food processor or immersion blender
- 1 food thermometer optional
Ingredients
For the Ham
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons Creole mustard or dijon mustard, deli mustard, or yellow mustard
- 6-8 pounds bone-in, spiral-sliced smoked ham
For the Peach Bourbon Glaze
- 2 pounds fresh peaches about three large peaches
- ½ lemon
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅓ cup bourbon whiskey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour one cup of water into the bottom of the roasting pan, then set aside.
- Prep the Ham: Combine the brown sugar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl and mix together until uniform.1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Use pastry brush to spread the mustard all over the ham in a thin layer then coat with the mixed seasonings. Place the ham, cut side down, inside the pan then cover snugly with aluminum foil before transferring to the oven to bake for 10 minutes per pound.2 tablespoons Creole mustard, 6-8 pounds bone-in, spiral-sliced smoked ham
- Make the Bourbon Peach Glaze: While the ham roasts, pit and slice peaches, leaving the peels intact, and add to a small saucepan with juice of half a lemon, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg over medium heat.2 pounds fresh peaches, ½ lemon, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Stir to coat the peaches in all the ingredients then cook the mixture down until it is jammy and thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat then stir in the bourbon.⅓ cup bourbon whiskey
- Let the mixture cool for about 30 minutes then transfer to a blender or food processor and pulse until liquified.
- Finish the Ham: Remove ham from the oven and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the aluminum foil and coat the ham with about half of the glaze.
- Once the oven reaches temperature, return the ham to the oven, uncovered, and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees Fahrenheit, basting with the pan drippings every 10 minutes--make sure to get the sauce and drippings in between the ham slices as they open up during cooking. If the top of your ham starts to char, tent a piece of foil over it and continue roasting in the oven.
- Remove ham from the oven, baste it with the pan drippings, then allow it to rest for about 15 minutes so that the juices can redistribute and your ham slices will be juicy. Serve with remaining glaze.
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