Food Holidays & Occasions Easter 13 Enticing Easter Ham Recipes The crust is key on these glazed holiday centerpieces. By Food & Wine Editors Food & Wine Editors This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 24, 2024 Close Photo: Photo by Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford / Food Styling by Ali Ramee Ham is a classic menu choice for Easter, whether it's the anchor of your brunch spread or the main event at dinner. We've collected our favorite Easter ham recipes for your menu, from glazed hams to brined fresh ham. Impress your guests with this showstopping Saba-and-Dijon-Glazed Easter Ham, a simple and flavorful Apple Cider-Glazed Ham, or a Pomegranate-Jalapeño-Glazed Ham that pairs perfectly with a rich red Rhône blend. Want to serve ham steaks instead? Try them alongside Sweet Pea-Leek Pan Sauce for a quick, spring dish. Whichever preparation you choose, you'll have a satisfying holiday meal. Read on for more of our best Easter ham recipes. 01 of 13 Saba-and-Dijon-Glazed Easter Ham Eva Kolenko Chef Sarah Grueneberg switches up the traditional sugar-crusted Easter ham using saba — a sweet and slightly acidic syrup made from cooked-down grape must (similar to aged balsamic). The ham is baked on a bed of carrots and shallots so the drippings flavor the vegetables in the oven. Get the Recipe 02 of 13 Madeira-Glazed Ham Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Glistening in a spiced madeira and honey glaze, served on a bed of greens and citrus, this holiday ham is tailor-made for a special occasion meal. Get the Recipe 03 of 13 Apple Cider-Glazed Ham Photo by Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Missie Crawford / Food Styling by Ali Ramee Pulling off an impressive holiday ham at home takes just a few simple steps. Start with a good-quality, bone-in spiral-cut ham — make sure it's unglazed. Coat it with this deliciously sweet apple cider glaze featuring light brown sugar, honey, and Dijon mustard for a wonderfully sticky and caramelized crust. Get the Recipe 04 of 13 Guinness-Glazed Ham Caitlin Bensel In this ham recipe, a simple glaze of dark stout and brown sugar develops a malty, caramel-like bittersweetness in the oven. Irish ham is a bit less salty than American ham and has a thin layer of fat, which absorbs the flavors of the glaze. Get the Recipe 05 of 13 Spiced Brown Sugar Ham with Apple Jus © Marcus Nilsson The secret to this super-tender ham is keeping it wrapped in foil while it's cooking and resting, letting it reabsorb any moisture released during the cooking process. Get the Recipe 06 of 13 Honey-Bourbon-Glazed Ham © Petrina Tinslay The sweet, sticky glaze on this juicy ham is subtly spiced with fennel, coriander, and star anise. Get the Recipe 07 of 13 Smoky Glazed Ham with Red Pepper Jelly © John Kernick To achieve the perfect holiday ham, chef Jonathon Sawyer makes the sauce that becomes a sweet-sticky glaze and the spicy pepper jelly a few days in advance. On Easter Sunday, the only thing left to do is to bake the ham. Get the Recipe 08 of 13 Pomegranate-Jalapeño-Glazed Ham © Con Poulos Chef Akasha Richmond prepares a sweet and spicy glaze for ham using housemade pomegranate-jalapeño jelly. An easier alternative: doctoring store-bought jalapeño jelly with pomegranate juice. Get the Recipe 09 of 13 Ham Steaks in Madeira Sauce Greg DuPree The legendary Julia Child was a champion of ham. For this recipe, she was inspired by a French dish called jambon à la morvandelle, featuring ham steaks basted in a mushroom and Madeira sauce. Child called the dish one of her "fast entrées for fancy people." Get the Recipe 10 of 13 Dr Pepper-Glazed Ham with Prunes © Keller & Keller Most smoked hams are sold fully cooked, so "why bake them again?" meat master Bruce Aidells asks, before answering his own question: to improve the texture and add a homemade glaze — in this case, one made with Dr Pepper soda and prunes — for extra flavor. After the ham is cooked, Aidells reduces the pan juices and tosses in prunes to make a sauce. "Glazes flavor only the outside of the ham," he says. "But you can spoon pan sauces over every slice." Get the Recipe 11 of 13 Lemon-and-Pickled-Pepper-Glazed Ham © James Baigrie Any pickled pepper will work in this recipe, but former F&W editor Grace Parisi loves hot Peppadew peppers for their fruity flavor and sweet-and-sour brine. Since the heat level of pickled peppers can vary greatly, you might want to add them gradually while making the glaze. Get the Recipe 12 of 13 Chile-Brined Fresh Ham © Con Poulos Chef Ryan Farr likes to brine fresh ham in a chile-spiked liquid. While it roasts, the pork skin turns wonderfully crackly in the oven. Pair the ham with a full-bodied white wine like a Chenin Blanc. Get the Recipe 13 of 13 Spring Ham Steaks with Sweet Pea-Leek Pan Sauce © Christina Holmes Ham steaks make a quick and low-key Easter dinner. Sear them until golden brown and dress them with a simple sauce made from peas, leek, fresh tarragon, and butter, with some salt and pepper for seasoning. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit