10+ Festive Thanksgiving Ham Recipes

"Ham" for Two Recipe

Holiday ham leftovers take weeks to finish. Instead, prepare a basic one pound pork tenderloin just as you would prepare a ham. The result is a traditionally brined, brown-sugar-coated "ham" for two in just one day. It even comes out pink! This recipe uses pink brining salt from Williams Sonoma, but you could use Prague #1 instead. 

Honey-Port Lacquered Ham with Whipped Dijon Cream Recipe

This isn’t your salty, pink smoked ham that’s typical of a holiday event. Covered in a shiny cracklin’ shell, it’s a showstopper worthy of the center of the table. This delicious cream is great over ham, but it also works well over grilled meats, such as steak or pork. Add your favorite herbs to personalize the taste.

Maple Mustard-Glazed Ham Recipe

For a classic flavor profile, you absolutely can't miss with this sweet glazed ham. The combination of Dijon mustard and real maple syrup beats anything you'll get from a flavor packet. Plus, this crowd-pleasing ham is made in the slow cooker, saving you effort and oven space.

Ham Steak with Cranberry-Mustard Glaze Recipe

This flavorful ham dish comes together in just 35 minutes. 

If you’re going to do a whole ham, it’s OK to be a little extra with the glaze.

Ham with Spiced Cherry Sauce Recipe

Classic Baked Ham with Maple-Mustard Glaze Recipe

Ham is the centerpiece of any Easter meal; it's quick to prepare and easily serves a crowd. A simple maple-mustard glaze delivers the sweetness of traditional pineapple rings and maraschino cherries, but adds a layer of spice. Prep and Cook Time: 2 1/2 hours. Notes: You can heat the ham ahead, then keep it warm in a low oven. Save the bone for split-pea soup.

Holiday Ham with Apricot Glaze Recipe

Refrigerate any leftover ham in individual servings. In the days after Christmas when your house is still full and your energy is waning, this will make it easy for guests to fix a meal on their own.

Brown Sugar-Bourbon-Glazed Ham Recipe

It’s hardly the holidays without a ham, and with a deliciously sweet glaze (made with whole cloves, brown sugar, brown mustard, cola, and bourbon), this one delivers big on festive flavor. For this bourbony brown sugar glazed ham recipe, choose a bone-in half-ham, brined with natural juices. Leaving a thin layer of fat after trimming amps up the flavor and keeps the meat moist.

Gingersnap-Crusted Ham with Apricot-Mustard Sauce Recipe

Whole hams usually weigh at least 15 pounds; ham halves, which are labeled either "shank" or "butt end," are more manageable. A bone-in shank is easier to carve than the butt end, which contains part of the hipbone.

Honeycomb Spiral Ham Recipe

This recipe, from the Savannah Bee Company, features honeycomb tucked into slices of picnic ham. Purchase honeycomb at savannahbee.com, or look for it in jars of raw honey from specialty markets. If unavailable, drizzle about 1/4 cup honey over ham before serving.