A Honey Baked Ham from the store is fully cooked and ready to serve. The goal is to warm it without drying out the meat or melting its signature glaze. Because the ham is spiral-sliced, gentle handling is the key.
Why We Love Honey Baked Ham
- Taste: Sweet, smoky, and salty, with tender meat and a crisp, caramelized glaze.
- Spiral-sliced: The ham comes fully cooked and evenly sliced, making it easy to carve and serve.
- Total time: 30-45 minutes to come to room temperature.
- Preparation: No cooking is required; warm only individual slices if desired.
- Why you'll love it: It creates an impressive holiday centerpiece with almost no preparation and feeds a crowd easily.
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Jump to:
- Why We Love Honey Baked Ham
- How to Serve Your Honey Baked Ham (Quick-Start)
- Our First Honey Baked Ham
- What Is a Honey Baked Ham?
- History of Honey Baked Ham
- How To Serve Honey Baked Ham
- Heating Honey Baked Ham
- Garnishing the Ham
- Leftovers and Freezing
- Sides
- Nutrition in Honey Baked Ham
- Takeaway
- FAQ
- How to Warm a Honey Baked Ham
How to Serve Your Honey Baked Ham (Quick-Start)
Do not heat the whole ham in the oven. It will melt the glaze and could dry out the meat.
Serve it at room temperature. Let the ham sit out for 30-45 minutes before carving.
You'll notice plenty of juices in the foil and more as you slice. Spoon them over the ham.
Serve with a potato and a vegetable. It couldn't be easier!
Our First Honey Baked Ham
I've worked in wholesale grocery for decades, and I've learned that products don't sell millions of units by accident. When something remains popular year after year, it's usually because people love the flavor and keep coming back.
Honey Baked Ham is one of those products. With more than 400 retail locations, it's easy to understand why it's a holiday favorite.
I first tried one after my brother called me just after Thanksgiving. He kept telling me how sweet and delicious it was and insisted that I try one soon.
His excitement convinced me to pick up a 9-pound spiral-sliced ham. Luckily, I found a store nearby, which can be a challenge with national chains here in the Keys.
I kept it refrigerated for two days, then pulled it out and wondered why I had bought such a huge piece of meat. The package clearly stated:
FOR BEST RESULTS, SERVE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
Your Honey Baked Ham is fully cooked and ready to serve. We recommend that you remove it from the refrigerator and let it stand 30 minutes prior to serving.
I let it sit for an hour, then cut off a corner to taste. Home run!
I called in my husband. He took a bite and said, "Oh my God, this is so good!"
What Is a Honey Baked Ham?
A Honey Baked Ham is a fully cooked, spiral-sliced ham coated in a sweet, crunchy glaze made from sugar and spices.
The Honey Baked Ham Company was founded in 1957 and is known for applying its sweet, crunchy glaze by hand. The caramelized coating gives the ham its crisp finish and signature flavor.
I bought this one at the Honey Baked Ham store in Kendall, Miami. When I picked it up, the staff gave me a quick rundown on how it should be served.
They reminded me that the ham is fully cooked and the glaze is delicate, so it's best served at room temperature.
I also picked up a bottle of honey mustard sauce. It's a popular accompaniment, along with the company's chutney, and it pairs perfectly with the sweet and salty ham.
The stores also carry heat-and-serve sides such as macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, cornbread stuffing, and green bean casserole, as well as smoked and roasted turkey.
History of Honey Baked Ham
The Honey Baked Ham Company was founded by Harry J. Hoenselaar, a Detroit butcher who wanted to make carving a bone-in ham easier.
He opened the first Honey Baked Ham store in 1957, offering fully cooked hams that could be sliced and served with very little preparation.
Because carving a large bone-in ham was difficult, Hoenselaar spent years developing a solution. In 1944, he created a spiral-slicing machine using a tire jack, a pie tin, and a washing-machine motor. It produced thin, even slices that stayed on the bone and changed how ham could be served.
He also developed a curing and smoking process. The hams are smoked over hardwood chips for up to 24 hours, then finished with the signature glaze.
This glaze is caramelized with a torch to create the crackly crust that everyone knows.
What began as a single store grew into a national brand with more than 400 retail locations. Shipped products are also available at HoneyBaked.com.
How To Serve Honey Baked Ham
Keep the ham in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve it. The company recommends serving it at room temperature.
Leave the foil on and let the ham rest at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before carving.
You can easily slide the slices right off the bone. While I always carve a turkey in the kitchen, this ham can be sliced right at the table.
(If you're cooking turkey for the holidays too, my Butterball turkey recipe is a great guide to keep on hand.)
Because the ham is spiral-sliced, slip a knife between the layers and gently lift the slices away from the bone.
Heating Honey Baked Ham
If you want the ham warm, heat it slice by slice. This keeps the rest of the ham from drying out.
Skillet: Place a skillet over medium-low heat and warm each slice for 20 to 30 seconds. The glaze should sizzle lightly without burning.
Oven: Preheat to 275°F (135°C). Wrap slices tightly in foil and heat for about 10 minutes.
Microwave: Place the slices in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate and cover them with a damp paper towel. Heat in 30-second intervals, flipping the slices until warmed through.
Garnishing the Ham
Keep the garnish simple and seasonal. Place the ham on a large platter and decorate with fresh cranberries, pineapple rings, orange slices, and a few herbs like rosemary, thyme, or sage.
Add a small bowl of honey mustard or chutney on the side.
Leftovers and Freezing
The company states that its bone-in half hams stay fresh for 7-10 days when refrigerated. After serving, wrap leftover slices tightly and use them within 3-5 days.
To freeze, divide the ham into small portions, wrap the slices tightly, and place them in a freezer-safe zip-top bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
If you have leftover ham, see my Leftover Ham Recipes for easy ways to turn it into several more meals.
Sides
Honey Mustard Sauce is a classic accompaniment for the ham. You can pick up a bottle at the store. Pour it into a small serving bowl and bring it to room temperature before dinner.
The stores also sell chutney, or you can serve your favorite cranberry sauce.
Honey Baked Ham stores offer several heat-and-serve sides, including scalloped potatoes, cornbread stuffing, potatoes au gratin, double cheddar macaroni and cheese, and green bean casserole.
Serve the ham with dinner rolls, a potato dish, and a vegetable. Here are some easy options:
Nutrition in Honey Baked Ham
These values were gathered from the Honey Baked Ham website for a 4-ounce serving. Nutrition can vary based on size and cut. Please refer to HoneyBaked.com or contact your local store for the most accurate information.
- Calories: 210
- Total Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Sodium: 1370mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 5g
- Total Sugars: 5g
- Protein: 21g
- Potassium: 360mg
Takeaway
Honey Baked Ham remains popular for a simple reason: it's easy to serve and tastes like a classic holiday centerpiece.
The meat is tender, the spiral slices separate easily, and the glaze adds a sweet, smoky, salty crunch.
For the easiest holiday meal, pick up the ham a few days ahead and keep it refrigerated until serving day.
It makes a festive centerpiece with almost no preparation. Bring it to room temperature before carving, or warm only the slices you plan to serve.
Avoid heating the whole ham so the meat stays moist and the glaze remains intact. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and freeze extra portions for later.
Pair it with simple sides for an easy, low-stress Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving meal.
This post is not sponsored or affiliated with The Honey Baked Ham Company. I purchased the product myself. My husband can't wait to get another one ❤️
FAQ
Plan on ½ pound of bone-in ham per person. A 10-pound ham is enough for most family gatherings and still leaves extra for sandwiches or soup. It's always better to have a little extra because the slices go fast.
Honey Baked Ham is sweet, salty, and smoky with a crunchy caramelized glaze. The meat is tender and juicy, and the spiral slices make it easy to enjoy every bite.
Yes. When you buy a ham directly from a Honey Baked Ham store, it's already thawed, fully cooked, and ready to serve. You can slice it cold or warm it gently.
A bone-in ham needs about 2-3 days in the refrigerator. A boneless ham usually needs 1-2 days.
According to the company, a bone-in half ham stays fresh for 7-10 days when refrigerated. After serving, wrap leftover slices tightly and use them within 3-5 days.
Gravy isn't usually served with Honey Baked Ham. The sweet glaze doesn't pair well with traditional gravy. Most people serve honey mustard or a simple fruit sauce like pineapple or orange-honey chutney. You can also use cranberry sauce.
How to Warm a Honey Baked Ham
Ingredients
- 8 pound Honey Baked Ham, spiral-sliced or boneless
Instructions
Chill or Room Temp
- Keep the ham refrigerated until ready to serve. Let it sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before carving.
To Carve
- The spiral-cut meat is already pre-sliced, so you just slip the knife between the layers and the slices almost fall away on their own.
To Heat Individual Slices (Optional)
- Skillet: Warm slices for 20-30 seconds over medium-low heat.
- Oven: Wrap slices in foil and heat at 275°F (135°C) for 10 minutes.
- Microwave: To microwave, place the slices in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate. Cover them with a damp paper towel. Heat in 30-second intervals, flipping the slices until they're warmed through.
Storage
- Wrap leftover slices tightly or place them in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 3-5 days.
Freezing
- Portion slices, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Scalloped potatoes or au gratin potatoes
- Green bean casserole
- Sweet potato casserole
- Roasted Brussels sprouts
- Cranberry-orange relish
- Creamy macaroni and cheese
- Steamed or roasted asparagus
- Honey mustard
- Dijon mustard
- Cranberry sauce or cranberry-orange relish
- Apricot preserves warmed with a little water
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