Ham for Christmas Recipes: Easy Holiday Meal Ideas
Wherever we used to gather around the dinner table during the holidays, there was a massive energy shift that took place. The smell of well-cooked ham filled the air, and each bite reminded us of our grandparents who made ham with love and comfort. So when you’re eating ham, it doesn’t only taste like meat, it’s memories being made in real time.
This is a reason why ham remains so sacred in this Christmas season. It’s not just food, it’s a symbol of togetherness and nostalgia at the same time. This is the reason why Christmasgiftideas.com has formulated the top 5 ham for Christmas recipes guide that will not only feed the mouth but the soul.
Once you are equipped with this knowledge, every ham for Christmas recipes that you place before your guests or family would remind them of love, heritage, and hope of the Christmas season.
Easy Holiday Meal Ideas where the Star of the recipe is Ham
1. Baked Ham with brown sugar glaze
Why is it special?
Baked ham has been a traditional dish in many households, and it vanishes off the plate in an instant. It is a favourite and a non-negotiable dish that is seen mostly on every dinner table. The tender ham with caramelised rind gives the most juicy combination.
Ingredients
- 5-6 lb. fully cooked boneless spiral-cut ham
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- Half a cup cup honey
- One-fourth cup whole grain Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
How to make?
Step 1: Bake the ham at 300 degrees.
Step 2: Mix all the other ingredients in a serving bowl. Take 2 tbsp of the prepared mixture and glaze over the ham in the oven for 10 minutes.
Step 3: After 10 minutes, bring out the ham from the oven and pour the rest of the mixture on the ham and bake for 20 more minutes.
2. Maple Glazed Spiral Ham
Why is it special?
It is a welcome sight at any Christmas dinner table. The fact that the family makes it for Christmas dinner makes it special and rivals any store-bought dish at a fraction of the price. The dish continues to hold star power over every Christmas menu when paired with scalloped potatoes.
Ingredients
- Ham
- Maple syrup
- Stone ground mustard
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- nutmeg and
- cloves
How to make?
Step 1:Bake the ham at 325 degrees and make sure it is golden brown in texture.
Step 2: Mix the ingredients in a bowl and add to a saucepan. Now apply the prepared mixture over the sliced ham and bake it at 400 degrees centigrade for an additional 15 minutes.
Step 3: Pour the reserved glaze on top of the ham and serve after 20 minutes.
3. Honey Glazed Ham
Why is it special?
The classic traditional recipe, which is handed down through generations. It was given to my mother by our grandmother. When paired with this succulent dish with pear and saffron chutney, it takes the dish to another level. The secret lies in its list of ingredients, which makes the Ham for Christmas Recipes flavourful.
Ingredients
- 3kg unsmoked boneless gammon joint
- 4 medium carrots
- 1 leek,
- 1 onion,
- 1 tsp black peppercorns,
- 1 tsp coriander seeds,
- 1 cinnamon stick,
- 3 bay leaves with a handful of cloves
- 100g demerara sugar
- 50ml Madeira
- 25ml sherry vinegar
- 125g honey
How to make?
Step 1: Add the gammon joint to a heated pan with onion, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, carrots, and leek in a saucepan.
Step 2: Add the above mixture to a baking dish after proper heating. Bake it in the oven for 30 minutes at 190 degrees.
Step 3: Remove the baking tray from the oven and add in the prepared glaze from the remaining ingredients which are not used, and again bake the gammon joint for 10 minutes.
4. Air Fryer Christmas Ham
Why is it special?
The perfect recipe that always counts on the calories of the food before eating any meal. With this recipe, you can enjoy ham without thinking about putting on weight.
Ingredients
- Three-fourths cup of crushed pineapple with juice
- Three-fourths cup of brown sugar
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 3 lb ham
How to make?
Step 1: Prepare the sauce in the heated pan, taking all the ingredients except the ham.
Step 2: Bake the ham in the air fryer covered in foil at 325 degrees F.
Step 3: Remove the ham from the air fryer and apply the glazed sauce on top after 10 minutes. Let it bake for another 30 minutes.
5. Bone-in Instant Pot Ham
Why is it special?
Two reasons for this dish being special. It gives the aroma of Christmas dinner and is the go-to recipe for Ham for Christmas Recipes.
Ingredients
- 8 lb one-in Ham
- 1 can of crushed pineapple
- 1 can of pineapple tidbits
- One-fourth cup of orange juice
- one-fourth cup ground mustard
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- Half a cup of honey
- Half cup brown sugar
How to make?
Step 1: In an instant pot, select saute and add pineapple juice, orange juice, cloves, and mustard.
Step 2: Stir well. After some simmering, add ham and pour honey on it. Pressure cook this for 30 minutes.
Step 3: After 15 minutes of natural release, place the ham on a serving dish and glaze with the instant pot mixture. Ready to serve.
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Takeaway
As you serve and bring Ham for Christmas Recipes ideas to life and serve this before your guests. You will notice something unusual taking place. Each recipe will remind you of the hands that prepared it before you, the eyes that sparked when they felt the flavor, and the stories that were exchanged during each serve. At the end of the meal the guest and the family would thank you not only for the dinner but for rekindling the love, laughter, and tradition that they forgot being an adult.
