Published: February 05, 2024 · Updated: May 16, 2025
How to Bake Your Pasture-Raised Ham and 5 Ways to Glaze It
By Heartstone Farm Kitchen
The beautiful thing about a pasture-raised ham from Heartstone Farm is all you have to do is thaw it and it's ready to go. It's already been smoked to perfection with hickory wood by our friends at Serendipty Farm with no antibiotics to get in the way of the pure, rich, succulent pork flavor. All you need to do is warm it through in the oven and if you want to dress it up for the holiday and add a little extra flavor, stud it with some cloves and brush it with one of our favorite glazes or a family recipe of your own.
Glaze with Ease
Glazes are great because they serve multiple purposes. They add caramelization to the exterior of the ham which creates a delicious, golden-brown crust on the surface; they add extra moisture and tenderness to the ham; they infuse complementary flavors into the pork like sweetness from maple, honey or brown sugar; acidity from vinegar; and herbaceous flavors and fragrance from spices like rosemary or thyme. It's fun to experiment with different flavor combinations and ultimately, if you like the glaze components separate from the ham, you're likely to enjoy them on the ham so don't be afraid to go with the flavors you love most.
Feel Good Knowing You're Eating the Healthiest Pasture-Raised Hams Full of Flavor, Vitamins & Nutrients
No matter how you cook our pasture-raised ham, you can look forward to taste and quality that is far superior to factory-farmed hams because the animals are allowed to roam freely in open pastures, feeding on a varied diet that includes foraged plants and insects. The result is meat that is not only more flavorful due to the diverse and natural diet but also healthier with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids; beneficial minerals including copper, manganese, and selenium; and nutritious vitamins, such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, folate, betaine, vitamin B12, vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin E.
Order with Leftovers in Mind
Be sure to order a size larger than you need so you'll have leftovers for incredible ham and cheese sandwiches, ham salad, and a quick flavor-packed protein fix as-is with a little slather of mustard. Ham it up!
How to Bake Your Pasture-Raised Ham and 5 Ways to Glaze It
6-8
15 minutes
2 hours
American
ham
Ingredients
- 1 Heartstone Farm Pasture-Raised Ham
- whole cloves for studding your ham (optiona)
CHOOSE ONE OF OUR 5 FAVORITE GLAZES (or create your own):
1. Maple Dijon Glaze
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- pinch of ground clove
2. Pineapple and Brown Sugar Glaze
- 1 cup crushed pineapple (with juice)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3. Bourbon and Marmalade Glaze
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 1/4 cup orange marmalade
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4. Mango-Chili Glaze
- 2 fresh mangos, peeled, chopped and pureed with the habanero
- 1 habanero (or hot pepper of choice), stem removed (remove seeds if you want the glaze less spicy)
- 1 tbsp honey
- juice of 1 lime
5. Pomegranate & Rosemary Glaze
- 1/2 cup Pomegranate molasses
- 1 tbsp honey
- juice of 1/2 orange
- pinch of cinnamon
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely minced plus extra sprigs to garnish ham before serving
- pomegranate seeds to garnish ham (along with the rosemary) before serving
Directions
Prep and Bake the Ham
Thaw your ham in the refrigerator for 48-72 hours. It is fully cooked making it possible to serve directly from the refrigerator
Preheat oven to 300°F
Place your ham in a roasting pan lined with parchment paper or foil.
Stud your ham with cloves (optional). Studding your ham with whole cloves (simply pushing them into the ham with your thumb a couple inches apart from each other all over the ham) makes for a nice presentation, imparts warm, earthy spice into the ham, and smells amazing
Cover the ham with parchment paper or foil and bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound. Ham is ready when internal temperature reaches 140°F
If glazing the ham, brush your glaze of choice all over the ham 30-40 minutes before you take it out of the oven. Let it cook uncovered during that time. If it starts to get too brown, cover it again with foil or parchment paper
Rest ham 15 minutes before slicing for best results
Simmer Glazes
Choose one of our glazing recipes or make your own creation with the flavors you love. Simply simmer the ingredients for your glaze of choice on the stove in a small saucepan until the liquid thickens enough that you can brush it on the ham without it dripping down the sides
Brush all over the ham 30-40 minutes before you take it out of the oven, reserving a little to brush on again after it’s out of the oven
Serve with your favorite side. Some suggestions: mashed sweet potatoes, baked beans, green beans, roasted asparagus.
