Ham with Coca Cola Glaze

Baked ham with a Coca-Cola glaze is a savory-sweet twist on a classic favorite. Discover how to create this incredible ham to serve at your next special occasion.

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When it comes to holiday dinners or special gatherings, there’s nothing quite like the aroma of a perfectly glazed ham wafting through the air. And what better way to infuse that ham with sweetness and depth of flavor than with the magic of a sticky and sweet Coca Cola glaze?

Choosing the best cut of meat for glazed ham

Ham originates from the hind legs and thigh region of a pig, presenting as a substantial portion of meat. Due to its size, most retail grocery stores offer it in halves. Typically, commercial hams are fully cooked ham. If you seek a fresh ham that is uncooked, exploring local farmers in your vicinity might yield better options.

Hams are available boneless or bone-in, with three primary cuts being the butt end, ham shank, and center slice.

• The butt or sirloin end, derived from the upper leg, contains the femur and pelvic bones, often referred to as the aitch. While slightly pricier, this cut boasts leanness, tenderness, and enhanced flavor, albeit requiring careful carving around the bones.
• The shank, constituting the lower leg, is the quintessential choice for baked ham. With only the femur bone present, it offers easier carving and proves more economical, though it tends to dry out quicker during cooking.
• Center-cut slices originate from the central region of the leg and are typically sold in ½ to 1-inch portions, encompassing the leg bone, top, bottom, and eye muscles.
• Spiral cut ham is pre-carved in a continuous fashion around the center bone, ensuring uniform slices and facilitating effortless carving and serving.

For this recipe, I chose a spiral-cut ham for the simple fact that it’s already cut and easier to serve. However, any of the options above will also work.

How much ham should I expect to serve per person?

If the ham is the main course and there aren’t many other protein options, plan for around 1/3 to 1/2 pound (about 150 to 225 grams) of boneless ham per person or 3/4 to one pound of bone-in ham per person. If the ham is part of a buffet or there are other main dishes available, you can plan for around 1/4 to 1/3 pound (about 110 to 150 grams) of ham per person.

When determining how much ham to buy, also consider the type of crowd you are serving. If it’s a group known for hearty appetites or if ham is a favorite, you might want to lean towards the higher end of these estimates.

Why you should bake a ham before glazing it

As I mentioned earlier in the post, hams purchased at the grocery store are already pre-cooked. All we are doing is reheating the ham. However, a glaze contains sugar that will eventually burn if exposed to heat for long periods of time. That’s why we bake our ham just until heated through, applying the glaze within the last 30 minutes of cooking time. This gives the glaze just enough time to caramelize without becoming a charred mess.

How long to bake a pre-cooked ham

The baking time for a precooked ham can vary depending on its weight. In general, it can take approximately 15-20 minutes per pound of ham based on an oven temperature of 375 degrees F. The times below provide a general guideline and may differ depending on your altitude and the type of oven you are using. A ham is considered heated through when the internal temperature of the ham reaches 140 degrees F.

• 6 pounds = 60 minutes (1 hour)
• 7 pounds = 75 minutes (1 hour 15 minutes)
• 8 pounds = 90 minutes (1 hour 30 minutes)
• 9 pounds = 105 minutes (2 hours 5 minutes)
• 10 pounds = 120 minutes (2 hours)
• 11 pounds = 135 minutes (2 hours 15 minutes)
• 12 pounds = 150 minutes (2 hours 30 minutes)

How to make Baked Ham with Coca-Cola Glaze

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place the whole ham in a roasting pan or baking dish cut side down. Baking it cut side down will protect the meat from drying out.
3. Cover with aluminum foil. Adjust the oven rack in the center of the oven and bake the ham in the preheated oven according to the guide above.
4. While the ham is baking, make the coke glaze. Combine the soda, brown sugar, mustard, chicken broth and vinegar. Whisk in the cornstarch until the glaze is smooth. Bring the glaze to a boil over medium heat and cook until it has thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
5. Thirty minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the ham from the oven.
6. Apply 1/3 of the glaze liberally to the outside of the ham. Return it to the oven, uncovered. Baste the ham with the remaining glaze every ten minutes for 30 minutes.
7. Remove the Coca-Cola ham from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Don’t toss those juices on the bottom of the roasting pan! Strain them into a serving dish or gravy boat and serve it alongside your holiday ham.

Slow cooker instructions

Most oval-shaped slow cookers are between 7 and 8 quarts and can accommodate a ham up to seven or eight pounds. Some extra large-capacity cookers may be able to hold a ham larger than that. 

You don’t have to worry about placing the ham cut side down — just fit it in any way you can as long as the lid is secure. Since slow cookers trap much of the moisture during cooking, there isn’t as much of a risk of the ham drying out. Cover the Crock Pot with the lid. Plan on cooking the ham on low for one hour per pound or on high for 30 minutes per pound. Apply the glaze during the last hour of cooking time.

Instant Pot instructions

If you are planning to cook your ham in an Instant Pot or another brand of electric pressure cooker, please keep in mind the size constraints of these appliances before purchasing a ham. A 6-quart electric pressure cooker will hold approximately a 5 to 6-pound ham. An 8-quart electric pressure cooker will hold approximately a 7-8 pound ham.

You will need to add at least one cup of water to the bottom of the Instant Pot insert. Place the trivet inside the insert. Wrap the ham in foil in such a way that allows you to pour the glaze down over the top of the ham while keeping the liquid contained inside the foil. Seal the foil. Select the MANUAL function and set the timer. Cook the ham for 1 1/2 minutes per pound. For example, an eight-pound ham will need to cook for 12 minutes. Release the pressure manually or allow the pressure to drop on its own. Remove the ham from the pressure cooker and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Storage, freezing and reheating instructions

Storage. Leftover ham should be stored in an airtight food-safe container or plastic freezer bag in the refrigerator within two hours. Consume or freeze within four days.

Freezing. Transfer any remaining ham to a plastic freezer bag or vaccum seal. Consume within three months. Allow the ham to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Reheating. Individual ham slices can be reheated on high for up to one minute in the microwave. If you are trying to reheat a lot of sliced ham, place it in a covered casserole dish to keep the slices from drying out and, and bake at 250 degrees F for 45 minutes to one hour until heated through.

Frequently asked questions