This Holiday Ham is smoky, sweet, citrusy, and beautifully caramelized with a glossy cherry-citrus glaze. Layers of BBQ seasoning, orange, apple juice, warm spices, Dijon, honey, and cherry preserves give this ham incredible depth without any extra work. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or anytime you need a show-stopping centerpiece.
2orangesone sliced for roasting, one for the glaze
Apple juice2–3 cups for the roasting pan
3–4 cinnamon sticks
Clovesoptional, for seasoning the pan
For the Cherry-Citrus Glaze
½cupcherry preserves
1 ½cupsbrown sugar
¼cupDijon mustard
¼cuphoney
1stick butter
Dash of Frank’s RedHotfor depth, not heat
Juice + zest of 1 orange
Pinchof clove or allspice
Pinchof cinnamon
Instructions
Remove the ham from all packaging and pat it completely dry. Season the outside generously with BBQ seasoning — this adds savory balance and helps build those crispy caramelized edges. Place a wire rack into a roasting pan. Beneath the rack, pour 2–3 cups of apple juice and add sliced oranges, cinnamon sticks, and a pinch of cloves. This creates a flavorful steaming environment that keeps the ham juicy and aromatic. Set the seasoned ham on the rack, cut side down.
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Cover the ham loosely with foil and bake for 1.5–2 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 120–130°F. Spiral hams are already fully cooked — this step is simply warming and hydrating it. While it heats, prepare your glaze.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the cherry preserves, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, honey, butter, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon, clove/allspice, and a small dash of Frank’s RedHot. Let it simmer for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until glossy and slightly thickened. Taste and fine-tune: more sugar for sweetness, more mustard for tang, or another small splash of hot sauce for depth.
When the ham reaches temperature, remove the foil and brush a generous layer of glaze over the surface. Increase your oven temperature to 400°F and bake the ham uncovered for 15–25 minutes, glazing again halfway through. The edges should become sticky, glossy, and caramelized with deep shine — that’s exactly what you want.
Let the ham rest for 10–15 minutes so the glaze can set. Slice and serve with extra warm glaze on the side for maximum flavor.
Notes
The apple-orange-cinnamon steam creates incredible holiday aroma and keeps the ham juicy.Cherry preserves add richness and color without being overly sweet.BBQ seasoning gives the ham a smoky backbone that pairs beautifully with the glaze.Dijon and citrus brighten the sweetness and balance everything.Frank’s adds depth — not spice.