Southern Brown Sugar Ham 3-Ingredient. Why You’ll Love This Recipe?
My dad ate almost half the plate by himself — then asked me to make it again for the holiday dinner! The best part? You only need 3 simple things to make it. That’s it. No fancy ingredients, no hard steps. Just a big, juicy ham with a sweet, sticky crust that everyone will love.
Servings: 10–12
What You Need
- 1 big ham, already cooked, with the bone inside (about 8–10 pounds) — not the spiral-cut kind
- 2 cups brown sugar, packed tight (light or dark both work)
- ½ cup cola or ginger ale, not cold — leave it out for a bit first
How To Make Southern Brown Sugar Ham
- Warm up the oven: Turn your oven on to 325°F. Move the oven rack to the lower part so the ham sits right in the middle.
- Get the ham ready: Take off all the wrapping, plastic, and any netting. If there’s a little plastic cap on the bone, pull that off too. Put the ham flat-side down in a big baking pan. You can put foil in the pan first to make cleaning up easier later.
- Cut little lines in the ham: Use a sharp knife to make shallow cuts across the top of the ham — like a grid or checkerboard. Cut about ¼ inch deep. This helps the sweet topping stick and makes the edges extra crispy and yummy.
- Make the sweet paste: In a bowl, mix the brown sugar and cola together. Stir it until it looks like a thick, wet paste. If it feels too hard to spread, add a little more cola, just a spoonful at a time.
- Cover the ham with the paste: Spread the brown sugar mix all over the ham — mostly on the top and sides. Press it in with your hands or a spoon so it sticks in the little cuts. Pour any leftover paste into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake it (covered): Cover the ham loosely with foil — don’t press it down on the sugar. Put it in the oven and bake for about 1½ hours. A good rule is about 10 minutes for every pound. Spoon the pan juices over the ham once or twice while it bakes.
- Bake it (uncovered): Take the foil off and keep baking for 30 to 45 more minutes. You want the outside to look dark, shiny, and a little sticky. Use a meat thermometer — the inside should reach 140°F. Every 10–15 minutes, spoon those yummy juices back over the ham to build a beautiful glaze.
- Let it rest: When it’s done, take the ham out of the oven. Let it sit uncovered for 15–20 minutes. This helps the juices stay inside and lets the sugar crust get a little firm so it cuts cleanly.
- Serve it up!: Move the ham to a big serving plate. Slice it up and make sure every piece gets some of that sweet, caramelized crust. Drizzle a little of the pan syrup on top — it makes it look amazing and taste even better.
💡 Tip: If the sugar starts getting too dark before the ham is fully done, just cover those dark spots with a small piece of foil.
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