Glazes are fun, but they’re also sugar bombs. A brown sugar and honey glaze is classic, but it burns quickly. Add it only in the last 30 minutes of cooking. Otherwise, you’ll have a ham that looks like it survived a volcano.
Here’s a weird tip: score the ham in a diamond pattern before glazing. It looks fancy and helps the glaze soak in. Plus, you get to play “ham artist.” Your friends will be impressed. They’ll think you went to culinary school. You didn’t. You just watched a YouTube video.
Thermometer: Your Ham’s Best Friend
Don’t trust the timer alone. Use a meat thermometer. It’s the only way to be sure. For fully cooked ham, aim for 140°F. For raw ham, go to 145°F (thanks, FDA). Stick the thermometer into the thickest part, avoiding the bone. The bone lies.
If you don’t have a thermometer, guess gently. That is a joke. Please use a thermometer. Your guests will thank you. Your stomach will thank you. The pig, presumably, is already past caring.
