Ham Press Recipes: A Glazed Ham and a Pressed Sandwich

Search for ham press recipes and you will find two very different things: instructions for a real ham press, a mold used to shape homemade deli-style ham, and recipes for a glazed baked ham that gets weighed down while it heats. This article focuses on the second: a sweet-and-tangy brown sugar and mustard glazed ham that is easy, moist, and perfect for holidays, plus a pressed ham sandwich for the leftovers.

Two Meanings of Ham Press Recipes

A true ham press is a stainless steel mold with a spring-loaded lid. It compresses cooked, cured meat into a uniform shape so that you can slice it like deli ham. Making ham that way involves curing meat, which carries real food-safety risks, so it is a project for a tested, step-by-step curing guide and curing salts used exactly as directed, not a quick weeknight recipe.

The recipe on this page is the home-kitchen version. You start with a fully cooked ham, brush it with a brown sugar, Dijon, and cider vinegar glaze, cover it with foil, and heat it, optionally weighed down with a cast-iron skillet. It is simple and forgiving, and the glaze caramelizes at the end.

What the Skillet Actually Does

Let us be honest about the weight. The foil is what keeps the ham moist, because it traps steam. The skillet mostly holds the foil snug and keeps the ham flat-side down, so it is nice to have, not a must. If you are using a spiral-cut ham, skip the skillet: the ham is already sliced, and a heavy weight can squash it and make the slices separate.

The Glazed Ham, Start to Finish

• Prep: about 15 minutes, including the glaze.
• Heating: plan on roughly 15 to 20 minutes per pound at 325°F for a fully cooked ham, covered. The recipe card says 1 hour, which is usually not enough to heat a whole 8 to 10 pound ham through, so use a thermometer instead of the clock.
• Target temperature: the USDA’s safe temperature chart says to reheat fully cooked hams packaged in USDA-inspected plants to 140°F, and other cooked hams to 165°F. Check your ham’s label.
• Glaze finish and rest: 20 to 30 minutes at 400°F, then 10 minutes of resting.

What You Need

• 1 fully cooked, bone-in ham (8 to 10 lb): spiral-cut is the most convenient. Check the label to confirm it is fully cooked.
• 1 cup brown sugar: for caramelized sweetness.
• ½ cup Dijon mustard: balances the sugar with tang.
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar: adds depth and cuts through the richness.
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika: for a smoky undertone.
• Aluminum foil, a roasting pan, and a meat thermometer. A heavy cast-iron skillet is optional.

Step by Step

1. Heat the oven and prep the ham. Heat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and place the ham flat-side down in a roasting pan. If the ham is not spiral-cut, score the fat in a diamond pattern about ¼ inch deep so the glaze can stick and soak in.
2. Make the glaze. Whisk the brown sugar, Dijon, cider vinegar, and smoked paprika together. Brush about three-quarters of it over the ham and save the rest.
3. Cover and heat. Cover the ham tightly with foil. If it is not spiral-cut, set the cast-iron skillet on top. Heat until a thermometer in the thickest part reads about 125°F, checking after the first hour.
4. Caramelize. Remove the skillet and foil, brush on the remaining glaze, raise the oven to 400°F (200°C), and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the glaze is glossy and golden and the ham reads 140°F. Watch it closely at the end.
5. Rest and slice. Let the ham rest for 10 minutes before carving.

What to Serve With Ham

• Comfort sides: garlic mashed potatoes and buttery dinner rolls.
• Vegetables: roasted green beans or carrots.
• Something fresh and tart: an apple slaw or a green salad with vinaigrette to cut the richness.
• A fruity topping: try a spoonful of our cherry salsa next to the ham.

Ham Troubleshooting

• Dry ham: it was overcooked. Keep it covered while it heats, and use a thermometer so you stop at the right temperature.
• Burnt glaze: sugar scorches at high heat. Add the last of the glaze only for the final 20 to 30 minutes, watch it closely, and tent the ham loosely with foil if it darkens too fast.
• Glaze slides off: score the fat (on a non-spiral ham), brush on the glaze in layers, and spoon the pan juices over the top.
• Too salty: cured ham is already salty. Do not add salt, and balance it with the sweet and tangy glaze and unsalted sides.
• Cold in the center: check the temperature in the thickest part, away from the bone, and give it more time if needed.

Leftovers: Storage and a Pressed Sandwich

• Fridge: refrigerate leftover ham within 2 hours and use it within 3 to 4 days.
• Freezer: wrap well, and freeze for 1 to 2 months for the best quality.
• Reheat: warm leftovers until hot all the way through (165°F / 74°C), covered, so they do not dry out.
• The bone: freeze it and use it later to flavor split pea or bean soup.

Pressed Ham Sandwich

This is where the skillet really earns its keep. Layer sliced ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on sturdy bread and butter the outside. Cook it in a skillet with a heavy pan pressed on top for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the bread is golden and the cheese melts.

Ham Press Recipes Card: Glazed Baked Ham

Ham Press Recipes: How to Master the Perfect Press

Recipe by Mary

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: main courseCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

35

minutes

Calories

20

kcal

Ingredients

• 1 bone-in ham (8–10 lbs) – Opt for a pre-cooked, spiral-cut ham for convenience.

• 1 cup brown sugar – For caramelized sweetness.

• ½ cup Dijon mustard – Balances the sugar with tang.

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar – Adds depth and cuts through richness.

• 1 tsp smoked paprika – Smoky undertones for complexity.

• Aluminum foil + heavy cast-iron skillet – Your DIY “press”!

Directions

• Prep the Ham
  First things first: Preheat oven to 325°F. Place ham flat-side down in a roasting pan. Score the fat in a diamond pattern—this step is crucial because it helps the glaze seep in.
• Make the Glaze
  Meanwhile, whisk brown sugar, Dijon, vinegar, and paprika in a bowl. Brush ¾ of the glaze over the ham, reserving the rest for later.
• Press & Roast
  Next, cover the ham tightly with foil. Place a cast-iron skillet on top to weigh it down. Bake for 1 hour.
• Caramelize & Serve
  After 60 minutes, remove the skillet and foil. Brush with remaining glaze. Then, increase heat to 400°F and bake 20–30 mins until glossy and golden. Finally, rest the ham for 10 mins before slicing.

Carve and Enjoy

However you land on ham press recipes, the useful part is the same: heat a fully cooked ham gently, glaze it late, and trust a thermometer more than the clock. If you try this glaze, tell me in the comments how you served it.

More Main Dishes

• Cranberry Phyllo Cups, a festive starter for a holiday ham dinner
• Sunflower Pumpkin Seed Bread, homemade bread for the ham sandwiches
• Spinach Dip, an easy appetizer to start the meal