Ina Garten’s Baked Ham Trick Uses Just One Pantry Staple, and It Changes Everything

Every Easter table has its centerpiece, and in early spring, few things pull a crowd like a burnished, fragrant baked ham emerging from the oven. That glaze can be tricky to perfect — it needs to be sticky enough to cling, flavorful enough to complement the rich meat, and simple enough for a host already managing numerous dishes.

Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, made her name with this kind of quiet precision: the one move that makes everything else fall into place. Her baked ham relies on a single pantry staple, and once you understand its effect on the meat, you won't need anything else. This recipe is worth saving for Easter and beyond.

Ingredients

For the ham

• 1 bone-in smoked ham, about 7–9 lbs (3.2–4 kg), pre-cooked
• Whole cloves, for studding (optional but traditional)

For the Dijon glaze

• 1 cup (240 g) Dijon mustard — the pantry staple at the heart of this recipe
• 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Equipment

• Large roasting pan with rack
• Sharp carving knife
• Pastry brush or silicone basting brush
• Mixing bowl
• Aluminum foil
• Instant-read thermometer

Preparation

1. Bring the ham to temperature

Remove the ham from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before roasting. A cold ham placed directly into a hot oven cooks unevenly — the outside overcooks while the center struggles to warm through. Allowing it to sit at room temperature gives the meat a head start, resulting in a more consistent texture and better glaze adhesion throughout. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C) while you prepare everything else. Place the ham cut-side down on a rack set inside a large roasting pan. The rack keeps the base from sitting in its own drippings, which would steam rather than roast the bottom.

2. Score the skin and stud with cloves

Using a sharp knife, score the ham's surface in a crosshatch pattern — diagonal cuts about 1 inch apart, roughly ¼ inch deep. This technique serves two purposes: it opens up the surface so the glaze can penetrate below the outer layer rather than simply sitting on top, and it creates those iconic diamond shapes that caramelize beautifully in the oven. If you're using whole cloves, press one into the intersection of each diamond. Their aromatic oils will slowly infuse into the meat during the long roast, adding a subtle warmth that deepens the overall flavor without announcing itself too loudly.

3. Make the Dijon glaze — and understand why it works

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, brown sugar, black pepper, and ground cloves until fully combined. Here’s the trick. Dijon mustard is not simply a flavor — it is a structural agent. Its natural emulsifiers and acidity allow it to bond with the sugars and create a glaze that grips the surface of the ham rather than sliding off during baking. Where a pure sugar glaze can pool at the base of the pan or burn too quickly at high heat, the mustard holds everything in suspension. The result is a lacquered, mahogany-colored crust that stays on the meat from oven to table. Brush a generous first coat over the entire scored surface, working the glaze into the cuts with the brush.

4. First stage of roasting — covered

Tent the ham loosely with aluminum foil and slide it into the preheated oven. Roast for approximately 15 minutes per pound during this first phase. The foil traps steam from the meat, keeping it moist while the interior heats through gradually. A bone-in ham of 8 lbs will need around 2 hours in this covered phase. Avoid opening the oven frequently — each time the door opens, the oven temperature drops and the roasting time extends.

5. Glaze and finish — uncovered

Remove the foil for the final 30 minutes of cooking. Apply a second coat of the Dijon glaze generously with the pastry brush, then return the ham to the oven. At around the 15-minute mark, brush a third and final coat over the surface — this layering is what creates that deeply caramelized, slightly sticky exterior that catches the light on a serving platter. The internal temperature should reach 140°F (60°C) when measured with an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone without touching it. The surface should be a deep amber, with some edges catching toward a darker brown — this is exactly what you want.

6. Rest before carving

Transfer the ham to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil for 20 minutes. Resting allows the internal juices — which have been pushed toward the center by the heat — to redistribute evenly throughout the meat. A ham carved immediately after coming out of the oven will bleed onto the board; one that has rested properly will hold its moisture with every slice. Carve against the bone in long, thin strokes for the cleanest presentation.

Chef's note

The quality of your Dijon mustard matters more than you might expect. A grainy or whole-grain Dijon will create a slightly more textured, rustic glaze — beautiful in its own right, but different in finish from the smooth lacquer of a classic smooth Dijon. Garten uses a smooth variety for that mirror-like caramel surface. If you want to push the glaze further toward complexity, add a tablespoon of good bourbon or a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the mix — the acidity brightens the sweetness and plays off the smokiness of the ham. In early spring, a few teaspoons of orange zest stirred into the glaze adds a brightness that lifts the whole dish without changing its character.

Wine and drinks pairing

The glaze's sweet-savory balance — that interplay of mustard sharpness, caramelized brown sugar, and smoky pork — calls for wines with enough fruit and acidity to match without overwhelming the table.

A Pinot Noir from Oregon or Burgundy is a natural pairing: its red cherry notes, gentle tannins, and earthy undertones hold up to the richness of the ham without competing with the glaze. For something with more body, a Zinfandel from California echoes the smokiness beautifully. If the table leans toward white, an off-dry Alsatian Riesling — with its stone fruit and mineral edge — plays directly against the sweet-salt contrast of the glaze. For a non-alcoholic option, a sparkling apple cider with good acidity performs the same function with genuine elegance.

About this dish

Baked ham has been a fixture on American Easter tables since at least the 19th century, tied in part to the practical reality that hogs slaughtered in fall were cured through winter and ready to eat by spring. The timing aligned naturally with Easter celebrations, and the tradition became a cultural staple. Over the decades, glazes evolved from simple honey or brown sugar applications to the more complex combinations that define contemporary recipes.

Ina Garten's contribution to this lineage is characteristic of her broader philosophy: strip the recipe to its most effective form, understand why each element is there, and trust the process. The Dijon mustard trick is not new in a strict historical sense — French cooks have long used mustard as a coating for roasted meats — but its application to the American holiday ham, popularized through Garten's cookbooks and television presence, gave it a new audience and a new home. Her version remains one of the most replicated Easter recipes in the country, and the reason is straightforward: it works every time.

Nutrition facts (per serving, approximate values)

Frequently asked questions