Baked Ham Recipe with Apples

I love hosting holiday parties, and when it comes to choosing the perfect main, I always go with this baked ham with apples recipe. This juicy entree is slathered with a sweet honey mustard glaze, stuffed with crisp apples, and roasted to perfection.

From the music and twinkling lights to the incredible food, I get sooo excited and giddy during the holidays. Every time the season rolls around, I make sure to cook a show-stopping Thanksgiving ham recipe. I mean, nothing says “holiday feast” quite like this juicy, caramelized baked ham centerpiece stuffed with slivers of sweet apples and coated in a rich honey-mustard glaze. My mouth is literally watering just writing about it. Trust me, this is the kind of main that will disappear fast — no one can resist this crispy, tender, and absolutely delicious pork dish.

Sommer’s Recipe Highlights

Only 6 Simple Ingredients – Believe it or not, this gorgeous holiday centerpiece, that is actually stuffed with apples, requires only 6 pantry ingredients, including a smoked spiral-cut ham.

Perfect Balance of Textures – One of the reasons why I’m obsessed with this baked ham dish is the textures. The outside edges are perfectly caramelized, crispy, and crunchy, and the inside is so juicy and melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Great for Leftovers – IF you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, you can make the most delicious ham sandwiches, loaded omelettes, ham and potato casserole, or whatever else your appetite desires. I like to keep it simple and just reach for a slice (or two) straight from the fridge.

Key Ingredients and Tips

• Spiral-cut ham – You can find a fully cooked spiral-cut, bone-in ham at the grocery store! It makes life so much easier. Since it’s precooked, you are really just warming the meat to the center, and creating a crust over the surface.
• Granny Smith apples – I use crispy Granny smith apples that I’ve made sure to peel and cut into thin slices. Granny Smiths hold their shape well while cooking, compared to other apples. If you slice them too thick, then they won’t melt as well into the ham.
• Whole-grain mustard – This is the secret to getting that irresistible, textured, and flavored glaze! Definitely go for a high-quality version, it makes a big difference.
• Dijon mustard – For a little extra tang and depth, I add a dollop of Dijon. I think it balances out the sweetness from everything else.
• Honey – This is how you’ll get that caramelized exterior. Just a drizzle of this sweet stuff and you’ll have the most gorgeous-looking ham. Plus, it easily mixes into the glaze.
• Ground cardamom – Finally, to boost those fall flavors, I love to use my favorite warming spice — ground cardamom! Just a little goes a long way.

How To Make

Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.

Prep the Oven. The first critical step is to make room in the oven for that hunk of meat! To do that, I remove one of the racks and move the remaining one to the lowest position. Then, I preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, I line a big baking sheet with foil and set the ham right on top.

Slice the Apples. I peel and core those crispy Granny Smith apples and slice them into paper thin slices. The thinner the better, because this way the apples will meld right into that juicy ham.

Stuff the Ham. Now comes my favorite part! I tuck those apples between the slices of ham, sometimes skipping a row here and there. Once the ham is stuffed, I stand it tall and flip it flat-side down.

Mix the Glaze. I grab all the ingredients for my honey mustard glaze and whisk them together in a small bowl. Then, I grab a brush and slather it generously onto the ham. Make sure to get every nook and cranny coated in that sweet sauce, and bake for one hour.

Bake and Brush. Once the ham has baked for an hour, I pull it of the oven and brush the pan juices all over it again. I bake it for another hour until the edges are nice and crispy. When I’m ready to serve the ham, I coat it one final time in those delicious sauces.

Expert Tips

You don’t need to cover the ham before baking it. The apples keep it nice and moist on the inside, and the mustard glaze gets it crispy and perfectly caramelized on the outside.

Recipe Variations

• Pineapple – For a tropical version of this holiday classic, you can totally swap the apples with canned pineapple rings. (Don’t use fresh pineapples – it breaks down the meat!)
• Pears – For a fun twist on this dish, use a blend of apples and pears in between the slices of ham.
• Maple syrup – Instead of honey, I sometimes use maple syrup because it gives an even deeper caramel flavor I love.
• Spicy – Turn up the heat by adding a sprinkle of cayenne pepper to the mustard glaze, or replace the honey with hot honey. That’ll give every bite a kick!

Serving Suggestions

Imagine an enormous glistening baked ham with honey mustard and apples as your table centerpiece this season. Crispy edges, juicy pork, and sweet baked fruit nestled between the slices… What more could you ask for?

Then surround it with some of these delicious sides:

• The best mashed potatoes ever
• Homemade rolls
• Slow cooker stuffing
• Sweet potato casserole

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing

You can store the leftover ham in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.

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More Holiday Recipes to Try

Deep Fried Turkey Recipe

Christmas Fettuccine Alfredo

Butternut Squash Casserole (Savory)

Standing Rib Roast

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Cook Mode

Baked Ham Recipe with Apples

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

I love to host holiday parties, and when it comes to choosing the perfect main, I always go for this baked ham with apples recipe. This juicy entree is slathered with a sweet honey mustard glaze, stuffed with crisp apples and roasted to perfection.

Servings: 12

Video

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• 8-10 pound spiral-cut smoked ham
• 3 Granny Smith apples
• 1/4 cup whole-grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (or substitute cinnamon)

Instructions

• To fit the standing ham in your oven, remove one oven rack and lower the other rack to the lowest position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and set the spiral ham on top. 
• Peel and core the apples, then slice into paper-thin rounds.
• Tuck the apple slices between the slices of ham, skipping a row here and there, and spacing them out all the way around the ham. Once the ham gets too full of apples to hold its shape, turn the ham flat-side-down.
• Whisk the mustards, honey, and cardamom together in a small bowl. Brush over the entire surface of the ham. Bake for 1 hour. 
• Brush the pan juices over the ham, and bake for 1 more hour, until crispy on the outside. Brush the pan juices over the ham again before serving warm.

Notes

In this recipe, there is no need to cover the ham before baking it. The apples will keep the ham super moist on the inside, and the honey mustard glaze will get nice and caramelized on the outside!

You can store the leftover ham in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 8ounces, Calories: 349kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 50g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 145mg, Sodium: 3759mg, Potassium: 873mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 25IU, Vitamin C: 2.1mg, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 4.1mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Author: Sommer Collier

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