Preparing Glazed Ham in a Roaster is the best way to cook your holiday ham! The sticky glaze adds crazy-good flavor and keeps the ham moist – no dry ham here! Plus it leaves the oven free for all those delicious side dishes.
Whether it’s Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas dinner we always have ham and turkey on the menu. Now don’t tell Mr. Gobble, but Mr. Piggie is my favorite. Sometimes my in-laws spring for a Honey Baked Ham because they are convenient – and I will concede that they are tasty. But have you seen their price tag? Oh my! So expensive.
Luckily, this ham recipe is less than half the cost and solves the problems that arise when making a ham for the holidays.
For this recipe you only need two ingredients.Ham: Spiral cut hams are the easiest to cook and serve. However this method will work for any precooked ham. If you haven’t chosen a ham before see the notes below on how to choose a spiral sliced ham.Glaze: If your ham comes with a sweet glaze packet, feel free to use it. Although this easy Pineapple Glaze for Ham takes only 10 minutes and is perfectly spiced with pineapple and brown sugar for deep flavor. We think its better than Honey Baked Ham.
*Note: This recipe only requires two ingredients, but you will also need a disposable large roasting pan. I use a half size steam tray. Its dimensions are 13x11x2.5 inches.
Why Use An Electric Roaster Oven
An electric roaster is basically a smaller version of a regular oven, powered by electricity. I always think of it as a cross between a Crock-Pot and a toaster oven. The main reason to buy an electric roaster is to roast a Thanksgiving turkey, but it is useful any time you need extra oven space.
I love to use my electric roaster for holiday meals because it’s essentially an extra oven. By cooking this maple glazed ham in a roaster oven, I can reserve space in my regular oven for other holiday favorites, like potatoes, rolls, cakes, pies, or roasted vegetables.
You can use it for much more than holiday ham or turkey:
I recommend the 22-Quart Oster Roaster Oven with Self-Basting Lid, which can cook a turkey up to 26 lbs. This is an updated version of the roaster I own, and also slightly larger. I cannot imagine needing anything bigger than this.
I’ve owned my electric roaster for over five years, I use it a few times a year, and it still pretty much looks and works as if it’s brand new.
Some models come with removable serving dishes – something I really think is worth buying. They’re great for serving at parties, and even if your roaster doesn’t come with serving dishes, you can buy them separately. Prices for electric roasters generally range from $30 to $130, depending on size and quality. I swear by my electric roaster, but there are a few pros and cons to consider:
How To Buy A Spiral Ham
Maple Glazed ham is one of the easiest and most impressive holiday dishes. At the grocery store, look for a high-quality ham that’s large enough to feed your crowd.
In fact, spiral hams are already fully cooked when you purchase them. So you’re not really cooking it, just heating it through. And in this case, adding a sweet homemade maple ham glaze. So after you’ve bought the ham, you’re halfway to the finish line.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when buying your holiday ham:
How To Use a Probe-Style Food Thermometer
A probe-style food thermometer really helps when cooking a large piece of meat like maple glazed ham. I have a Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo Ambidextrous Backlit Professional Digital Cooking Thermometer, and it works perfectly. If you want the most accurate, top-of-the-line probe thermometer, I also recommend the ThermoWorks ChefAlarm, rated #1 by Cook’s Illustrated.
To use the thermometer, insert the probe into your roast, and set the alarm to go off when it reaches the desired temperature. You won’t have to lift the roaster lid or unwrap the ham to check the temperature, so the ham stays nice and juicy. How to know that your spiral ham is done? The thermometer should register 140 degrees F.
The key when cooking maple glazed ham in an electric roaster is to heat the ham all the way through and keep it from drying it out. Here are some helpful tips:
You’ll apply some of the homemade maple glaze when the ham is 3/4 of the way done cooking, then again when the ham is almost finished. You can also turn up the heat and uncover the ham during the last few minutes of cooking to caramelize the maple glaze if you like.
FAQ
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