Whether you're cooking for a big family holiday or indulging in some classic Southern flavors, you'll love this easy recipe!
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- If you like honey ham, you'll adore the sweet and spicy Coca-Cola glaze on this tender, juicy hunk of meat.
- Get ready for a new staple at your holiday table. Everyone will beg for it on Christmas and Easter—it's good all year long!
- Basting is the key to moist, flavorful ham. It's effortless and takes just a few seconds each time.
If your family is like mine, we thrive off of our cozy holiday traditions—and that means using classic, homestyle recipes.
The whole family will love this Southern baked ham recipe, and you'll love that it's a fool-proof way to bring everyone together around the table.
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- If you don't love a spicy kick, substitute the spicy brown mustard with your favorite milder Dijon mustard. Or, cut back on the chipotle powder.
- Some people use orange or pineapple juice if they don't drink soda. It's not technically a cola glaze in that case, but it'll work well, too.
- Dr Pepper and Pepsi are good alternatives to Coca-Cola in this recipe.
- Garnishing with pineapple rings or pineapple slices gives Southern baked ham a sweet, tangy bite.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Mix together the brown sugar, mustard, cornstarch, and chipotle with a whisk.
- Brush the mixture over the ham, making sure to get in between slices.
- Pour the Coca-Cola over the ham.
- Bake for one hour, then uncover the ham and baste it with the pan juices every thirty minutes until it's finished.
🥫 How to store leftovers
Bone-in
I recommend tightly wrapping leftover ham with plastic wrap then aluminum foil. This method will allow you to keep the ham in the fridge for five to seven days.
Off the bone
However, if you want to slice the leftovers off the ham bone, store the pieces in an airtight container. Refrigerated, they'll keep for about five days or in the freezer for about three months.
Reheat
To reheat leftover Southern baked ham, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Place bone-in ham face-down in a baking dish and add about a cup of water to the bottom of the pan.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 325 degrees F until the internal temperature reaches 140°F. You can easily reheat individual slices in the microwave, too.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: The Coca-Cola glaze in this recipe works best with spiral-cut, fully-cooked ham. If yours isn't cut, slice the top into a diamond pattern yourself.
- Be sure you don't bring home an uncooked ham by accident.
- Baste the ham all over using a turkey baster. If you don't have one, a ladle will do the trick, too. A brush is a good last resort.
- Be careful when basting. It's easy to get distracted and accidentally grab the pan—keep your potholders close because it stays hot!
- The brown sugar cola glaze gets really sticky, so I like to line the roasting pan with heavy-duty foil. It makes cleanup much easier.
- One of my favorite parts of Southern baked ham is the leftovers! The possibilities are endless. Whip up ham hash the next morning, make ham sandwiches or ham salad for lunch, and enjoy a gooey ham tetrazzini for dinner. See? Endless!
👩🍳 FAQs
Cured ham is what you'll most often find in the store. It's ready to eat and just needs warming. It's what we use in this recipe. Uncured ham, also called fresh ham, is raw and will take hours longer to cook.
Butchers will slice a cured, bone-in ham using a round, spiral pattern. It's a way to slice ham while keeping it attached to the bone, allowing for better flavor and a show-stopping presentation!
Start the ham covered with foil. This locks in all the moisture and keeps the meat juicy. Then, once you start the basting process, keep the ham uncovered. That way, the sweet soda glaze can thicken up and caramelize!
This depends on the size. Precooked ham generally takes about 10 minutes per pound in a 350-degree F oven. Most full hams you'll buy in the grocery store weigh anywhere from 10-15 pounds.
Absolutely! Just cut the ham glaze recipe in half (or don't—that's up to you.) You'll have a juicy ham in about half of the cooking time listed in the recipe card below.
📚 Related recipes
- Use up your leftover sliced ham by making these delicious Biscuit Ham Sliders. They're easy and so snackable!
- For a quick weeknight dinner option that's creamy and comforting, I always go for delicious Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes and Ham.
- With savory and sweet ingredients and a mouth-watering depth of flavor, this Dr Pepper Glaze is perfect for chicken, beef, and pork.
🍽️ Serve with...
You can’t go wrong with Old Fashioned Baked Mac and Cheese for a festive Christmas dinner or other special occasion.
Green Beans and Potatoes are another great side dish that's super easy to prep.
Easy Vienna rolls make any dinner special and you can use leftovers for sandwich rolls.
Go all out and finish the meal off with Spice Cake with Cream Cheese. It's warm and cozy and will give you a cheery holiday feeling—even if you're enjoying the leftovers in January!
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📞 The last word
There is nothing that screams Happy Holidays louder in the South than a good ham!
This Coca Cola glaze is absolutely delish - you'll be obsessed (hint:it's good on turkey, too).
Be sure to check out the best Thanksgiving side dishes to serve with this!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars!
📖 Recipe
Southern Baked Ham with Coke
Print Pin Recipe SaveIngredients
- 1 spiral cut ham, pre-cooked, bone-in
- 12 ounces Coca-Cola
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ - 1 teaspoon ground chipotle , optional
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Line a large roasting pan with foil.
- Place the ham in the pan.
- Whisk the brown sugar, mustard, cornstarch, and chipotle, if using, in a small bowl.
- Gently rub the brown sugar mixture over the ham and down in between the slices.
- Pour the Coke over the ham.
- Cover the ham loosely with foil and bake for 1 hour.
- Take the ham out of the oven and remove the foil.
- Baste the ham with the pan juices. You can use a spoon, a baster, or a brush.
- Leave uncovered and place back in the oven.
- Cook for 30 more minutes.
- Baste with the glaze and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
- Baste with the glaze and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
-
- Spiral sliced ham works best for this recipe.
- Be sure you don't bring home an uncooked ham by accident.
-
- Baste the ham all over using a turkey baster. If you don't have one, a ladle will do the trick, too. A brush is a good last resort.
-
- Be careful when basting. It's easy to get distracted and accidentally grab the pan—keep your potholders close because it stays hot!
-
- The brown sugar cola glaze gets really sticky, so I like to line the roasting pan with heavy-duty foil. It makes cleanup much easier.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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