Baked Keto Ham Recipe with a Sugar-Free Glaze (2024)

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Looking for the perfect centerpiece for your Holiday dinner table? You will love this Best Keto Baked HamRecipe with an incredibly flavorful sugar-free glaze.

Baked Keto Ham Recipe with a Sugar-Free Glaze (1)

The Best Baked Keto Ham Recipe

When I think of a Holiday dinner table, I see a beautifully carved ham in the center, surrounded by delectable southern side dishes. I love ham at every holiday throughout the year.

The only problem is, the typical ham glaze is full of brown sugar, and I wanted a low carb version. I came up with a keto ham glaze that is delicious. This baked keto ham recipe is perfect for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any festive family feast.

Is Ham Keto?

Ham, in its natural state or smoked ham, is low in carbs and high in fat. There is a little sugar used in the curing process of ham. You will see it listed on most nutritional labels as dextrose, but it is minimal, and the amount can vary from brand to brand. If you are super strict keto, you may want to look for an uncured ham at a health food grocery like Whole Foods.

Traditional honey glazed or brown sugar glazed hams are not keto-friendly. However, in this recipe, I make a keto-friendly glaze for this Keto Baked Ham with Lakanto Monkfruit Golden that is amazing!

What Kind of Ham Do I Buy?

I used a 10-pound bone-in fully cooked smoked ham. Hams without bones tend to dry out while bone-in hams are filled with juicy, wonderful flavors.

Should You Let Ham Get to Room Temperature Before Cooking?

If at all possible, you should let your ham get to room temperature before popping it in the oven. Taking the chill off your ham before cooking will produce a juicier, more evenly cooked ham. Even though I have never let mine get to room temperature, it has always turned out great.

Do You Remove the Fat Layer?

Removing the fat layer from a precookedham is a controversial question. Some people remove it while others do not. If you are one who likes the fat removed, it can be trimmed before cooking the ham or just before glazing. The fat will be easier to trim if left on while cooking. Trimming the fat layer makes a prettier ham when done, but leaving it on will help to seal in all the juices and will provide an incredibly moist and delicious keto baked ham.

Baked Keto Ham Recipe with a Sugar-Free Glaze (2)

How Do You Score Ham?

Score the ham by making diagonal cuts with a sharp knife in the fat along the sides of the ham at approximately one-inch intervals. Then cut in the opposite direction to form diamond shapes. If desired, cloves can be inserted into each diamond for flavor and to make the ham more decorative.

How Long Do You Bake a Precooked Ham?

As its name implies, precooked ham is fully cooked. By placing the ham in the oven, you’re simply warming the meat to bring out its flavor and aroma. Of course, applying the keto glaze lightly caramelizes the meat’s surface and makes it so tantalizingly delicious.

Varying instructions online suggest following the exact instructions found on the packing of the ham you purchase. Theham I bought said to cook it 15 to 20 minutes per pound at 325 degrees or until it reaches a temperature of 140 degrees. Heating the ham too long or at too high a temperature will cause it to become dry.

Adjust your oven rack to be in the middle of your oven with no racks above it, so it accommodates a large roasting pan for this keto ham recipe. I did not realize I had given away my roasting pan while cleaning out, so I picked up this disposable pan at the grocery store.

Baked Keto Ham Recipe with a Sugar-Free Glaze (3)

Do You Cover a Ham When You Bake It?

Yes, tent your precooked smoked ham with tin foil, wrapping the foil to the edges of your baking dish. If your baking dish doesn’t have high edges, make the sheet of tin foil big enough to wrap over the ham, and under the baking dish, so it remains tightly sealed while baking. Tenting the ham will keep it from drying out. Remove the foil during the last part of baking this mouthwatering keto ham recipe.

The photo above shows the ham partially covered. I added another piece of foil to the side that wasn’t covered.

Baked Keto Ham Recipe with a Sugar-Free Glaze (4)

How Do You Make A Keto-Friendly Glaze?

When I decided to make a keto-friendly glaze for the ham, I knew I would use Lakanto Monkfruit Golden. It is such a great substitute for brown sugar because it contains zero net carbs, zero calories, and is zero-glycemic. Along with other spices, I also used Lakanto Sugar-Free Maple Flavored Syrup, which is sweetened with Monkfruit. This added a touch of maple flavor to this mouthwatering baked keto ham recipe.

For those who are gluten intolerant, no worries, as the glaze is gluten-free. This heavenly keto recipe glaze will work its magic into the ham while baking.

Tip: Don’t boil the glaze on high as it can scorch quickly. I had to throw out two batches before I realized what was happening.

Baked Keto Ham Recipe with a Sugar-Free Glaze (5)

I find it easier touse a pastry or basting brush to glaze into the scored parts of the ham. The low carb keto glaze gives the ham an irresistible, incredible flavor. The baked keto ham smells as good as it looks!

Tip: Before carving, the ham should set for 10 to 15 minutes after it is removed from the oven. This allows the juices to be redistributed throughout the ham, making it firmer, juicier, and easier to carve.

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What temperature should a cooked ham be when it is ready?

Using a thermometer is the most accurate method for testing doneness. Remove your ham from the oven and immediately insert the thermometer, so thetip is in the thickest part of the ham and not resting in fat or touching the bone. The internal temperature should be 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature accurately lets you know the baked keto ham is thoroughly warmed.

How Much Is a Serving Size of Baked Keto Ham Recipe?

The serving size for a bone-in ham is approximately 1/2 to 3/4 pound per person so a 10-pound bone-in ham would feed approximately 14 to 20 people. Of course, most people want seconds, and even thirds, so you need to adjust your ham size accordingly.

Baked Keto Ham Recipe with a Sugar-Free Glaze (7)

How Do I Store Leftover Ham?

Ham can be enjoyed in so many ways that you’ll want to make sure you store your leftovers. You can even store pre-diced ham, so it’s ready to use for those delicious ham breakfasts, entrees, and side dishes. Ham will keep safely in a baggie or an air-tight container in the fridge for three to five days or in an air-tight container in the freezer for up to four months. You can also use a vacuum sealer when freezing foods.

Tip: Save the ham bone after all the slices have been removed. You can use it as the base for a flavorful soup.

Baked Keto Ham Recipe with a Sugar-Free Glaze (8)

What Side Dishes Do I Eat With this Baked Keto Ham Recipe?

Leftover Low Carb Baked Ham is fantastic in the following recipes:

  • Keto Breakfast Bake

How to Make Baked Keto Ham Recipe:

Baked Keto Ham Recipe with a Sugar-Free Glaze (10)

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

4.67 from 9 votes

The Best Baked Keto Ham Recipe

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time3 hours hrs

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, casual

Keyword: Keto Ham, Keto Ham Recipe

Servings: 14

Calories: 354kcal

Author: Kasey Trenum

Ingredients

  • 1 10lb Smoked Bone-In Fully Cooked Ham
  • 3/4 cup water

For the Keto Friendly Glaze:

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

  • Score ham (follow detailed instructions above the recipe card in the process pictures in the post.

  • The ham I cooked was 10lbs, and the instructions in the packaging said to cook it for 15-20 minutes per pound until it reached 140 degrees internal temperature. Make sure to follow the baking instructions included in the ham you purchase. Then, glaze the ham the last 20 minutes of cooking as indicated in the instructions below.

  • Place Ham face down with the scored part facing up in a roasting pan with 3/4 cup of water.

  • Cover and tent with aluminum foil and bake for 2 hr and 30 minutes. If your ham is a different size, then let it bake reserving the last 15 minutes for basting.

  • The last 15 minutes of baking add all of the remaining ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Turn down to simmer and cook with the lid off until the glaze thickens. Don't attempt to speed up the process by turning the temperature to high as the glaze can scorch very quickly.

  • Turn oven to 375 and remove ham from the oven.

  • Remove the aluminum foil and baste with half of the glaze and return to oven for 10 minutes uncovered.

  • Remove from the oven and baste with the rest of the glaze and cook an additional 10 minutes.

  • Remove from the oven and let the ham rest for 3-5 minutes before carving.

Notes

The sugar alcohols in the Lakanto Monkfruit Golden and the Lakanto Monkfruit sugar-free maple syrup are not included in the nutritional info since most subtract to calculate net carbs.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 27g

Tried this recipe?Mention @kaseytrenumblogger or tag #kaseytrenumblogger!

Baked Keto Ham Recipe with a Sugar-Free Glaze (11)

Baked Keto Ham Recipe with a Sugar-Free Glaze (2024)

FAQs

Do you put the glaze on a ham before you cook it or after you cook it? ›

The glaze should not be applied until the final hour to 30 minutes, in order to avoid burning the sugars. What you're going to do with the glaze ingredients is just combine most of them into a paste, and then apply it to the ham. After that, the heat in your oven will take care of everything.

What kind of ham is keto friendly? ›

One that you should avoid on the keto diet is glazed ham. It's a processed meat that is also often cooked with a sugar coating. One serving (about 3.5 oz) contains 7.3 g of net carbs, according to the USDA. If you're looking for ham, go for a traditional sliced deli ham, which has 0 g of carbs per slice, per the USDA.

Can you eat baked ham on a keto diet? ›

Ham in its natural state is perfectly fine on a keto diet. In fact, it's fairly ideal. It's a meat, so it has no carbs, and it is high in fat. Ham is perfect for driving your body into ketosis.

How do you use the glaze packet that comes with the ham? ›

Glazing: Empty contents of the glaze packet into a small saucepan. Add 22 mL (1 1/2 tbsp) warm water. Heat glaze mixture on high, stirring constantly, until glaze begins to boil. Remove immediately from heat.

Should you bake a ham covered or uncovered? ›

Place the ham on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the center of the ham. (It should not touch the bone of a bone-in ham.) Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until ham registers the desired temperature (140°F for pre-cooked ham).

Do you cover ham when baking with a glaze? ›

Cover the ham to keep it moist! I've found that just tenting the ham with foil does the job. Keep it tented until you brush on the glaze. Once glaze in on the ham, remove the foil so the glaze has a chance to get all caramelized and yummy.

What ham has no sugar? ›

Jones Uncured Heritage Ham uses fresh, never frozen whole muscle of pork and all natural spices to create a distinctive flavor. It also has no sugar and is Certified Gluten-Free.

Can you eat spiral ham on keto? ›

Yes! Fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary can be simmered into the sauce to add fresh flavor and ground spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.

Can you eat honey baked ham on keto? ›

Yes, honey baked ham can be keto friendly. In fact, most meats are keto friendly naturally, and contain low carbs. However, all store-bought ham is processed heavily with sugars and contains sugar in its glaze.

What cheeses are keto-friendly? ›

The best keto cheeses include cheddar, Gouda, goat cheese, and blue cheese, while the worst are cottage cheese and low fat and processed varieties. If you're following the keto diet or know someone who is, be sure to keep these cheeses in mind to promote ketosis and meet dietary goals.

How many net carbs per day on keto diet? ›

Total carbs versus keto net carbs

On the keto diet, you are allowed to have no more than 50 grams of net carbs per day – and the fewer, the better! But by focusing on “net” rather than “total” carbs, you won't be denying your body the essential fiber it needs for proper function.

What fruit is keto-friendly? ›

Keto-friendly fruits include avocados, watermelon, strawberries, lemons, tomatoes, raspberries, peaches, cantaloupe, star fruit, and blackberries. If you're unsure whether the keto diet is right for you or how it may affect your health, consider speaking with a dietitian or your healthcare provider.

What to add to glaze packet that comes with ham? ›

In large saucepan, stir together glaze packet contents, 2 cups water and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes or until brown sugar is dissolved.

What is the point of glazing ham? ›

Cook's hint: To speed things up, you can score and stud the flesh 24 hours ahead of time then cover with the removed skin. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to glaze and cook. Cooking: As the ham is already cooked, the purpose of glazing is to add your own flavour notes and to caramelise the fat.

Can you glaze a ready to eat ham? ›

Spiral-cut hams are popular since they come sliced and are easy to serve. Although your pre-cut pork may include a glaze packet, consider whipping up a simple glaze (see below for recipe ideas) to customize it. Regardless of your choice, glazing a ham will add flavor, color, and sheen you'll be proud to serve.

How do you heat a fully cooked ham with glaze? ›

For hams that are fully cooked (again, check the label) and not spiral sliced, first cut off any skin. Score the through the fat layer, making diamond crosshatch marks. Place in a 325-to-350-degree oven, brush with some glaze if desired and bake until heated through and the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees.

How do you heat up a cooked ham and glaze? ›

Bake at 325 F for 15 to 18 minutes per pound until a meat thermometer registers 140 F. Basting the ham as it heats will add to the moisture and overall flavor. Unwrap the ham, score it and apply the glaze; increase the heat to 400 F and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer until the glaze is burnished.

Do you add water to ham glaze packet? ›

In shallow roasting pan, place ham. In large saucepan, stir together glaze packet contents, 2 cups water and brown sugar.

What is the best way to cook a pre cooked ham? ›

Cut the ham free from the package, cover it in foil and reheat it to a good serving temperature. Cooking it at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes per pound should do the trick, depending on the type of ham (whole or half, bone-in or no bone ― these specifics are outlined here).

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