My Dad’s Clever Trick for Making Honey Glazed Ham Taste Ridiculously Amazing (It’s Probably in Your Fridge)

There’s something so nostalgic and inherently Christmas about a glossy glazed ham. It wasn’t always the main attraction at our table, but as my family got more settled into the South, so did our craving for a good holiday ham (and several other groceries that basically come with a Southern kitchen).

My chef dad spent years tweaking and perfecting the glaze for the aforementioned ham until he tried a simple, yet unexpected trick (which he probably found on Facebook): adding Duke’s mayonnaise. Here’s how he does it.

When he first made it a few Christmases ago, he didn’t mention the secret ingredient until well after dinner. We were already raving about how juicy and perfectly glazed the ham looked. No one could believe one ingredient — Duke’s Mayonnaise — was the reason.

As he explained it, the mayonnaise acts as an emulsifier, keeping the glaze smooth while helping it cling to the ham and brown beautifully in the oven. Duke’s is the mayonnaise and is incredibly creamy and savory; that it lathered up on some ham just makes sense. (Plus, it tastes utterly delicious.)

A little bit of Duke’s Mayonnaise does wonders for our family’s honey baked ham. My dad whisks together his classic honey glaze: ½ cup honey, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. He brushes about half of the glaze on the 10-pound ham, making sure to get in between the slices.

Then he covers it with foil and bakes it in the oven for 60 to 75 minutes at 325°F, brushing with more glaze every 20 minutes. With 15 to 20 minutes cooking time to go, he removes the foil and brushes on the remaining glaze before increasing the oven temperature to 400°F. The result is a glossy, deeply golden, and lightly caramelized exterior.

His method blends classic honey glaze ingredients with a spoonful of Duke’s, creating the most flavorful ham you’ll ever serve. The mayo melts into the glaze as it bakes, locking in moisture and creating a caramelized, slightly tangy crust that tastes rich without being heavy.

1. Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 325°F. Place your fully-cooked, bone-in spiral ham cut-side down in a large roasting pan or baking dish. Add about 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the pan to keep the ham moist as it heats.
2. Make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together: 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons Duke’s Mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Glaze the ham. Brush about half of the glaze all over the ham, making sure it gets between the slices. Cover the ham loosely with foil.
4. Bake and baste. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, brushing with more glaze every 20 minutes. Keep the ham covered for most of the baking time so it stays juicy.
5. Caramelize the glaze. During the final 15 to 20 minutes, remove the foil and brush on the remaining glaze. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F and bake until the exterior is glossy, deeply golden, and lightly caramelized.
6. Rest and serve. Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for around 15 minutes; serve warm.