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Dr. Pepper Ham puts a can of soda to work in an interesting, delicious new way. For maximum flavor, start with a bone-in spiral ham baked in an oven bag (so it won’t dry out), then brush on a sweet and sticky Dr. Pepper glaze.
Meggan’s notes
For birthdays, Easter dinner, Christmas dinner, and any Sunday we want to feel a bit more special, my family swears by ham. True to our Midwestern roots, pork reigns supreme. It’s even a staple in the Thanksgiving menu (alongside, roast turkey, of course!).
Tired of the same ol’ plain baked ham and having already whipped up my Baked Ham with Bread Crumbs recently, I got a little wild and doused my slices in soda.
I know this sounds a little wild, but think of this Dr. Pepper glaze like a riff on barbecue sauce. Once roasted, the soda-glazed ham is deliciously sticky, remarkably juicy, and draws everyone back for seconds. I might not make baked ham recipes any other way anymore.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient and equipment notes
- Plastic oven bag: Look for “oven bags” by Reynolds and several other kitchen brands sold online and at many supermarkets. These are oven-safe and help keep the ham meat from drying out as it roasts.
- Ham: For maximum flavor, seek out a bone-in spiral sliced ham. The bone imparts more flavor and juiciness, and the slicing style allows the glaze to permeate into the meat (not just coat the exterior).
- Dr. Pepper: Regular soda, not diet.
Step-by-step instructions
- Remove the ham from the packaging, including the plastic disk covering the bone. Place the ham in an oven bag, then twist and tie the bag shut. Place the ham cut-side down in a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. Allow the ham to sit at room temperature for 90 minutes.
- Arrange an oven rack in the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Bake the ham until the center registers 140 degrees, about 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours (approximately 15 minutes per pound).
- Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, bring the sugar, Dr. Pepper soda, orange juice, and mustard to a simmer. Cook until the mixture is syrupy and reduced to about ¾ cup, about 8 minutes.
- Remove the ham from the oven and roll back the sides of the oven bag to expose the ham. Brush the ham with about half of the glaze. Return the ham to the oven and bake 10 minutes longer, or until the glaze is sticky.
- Remove ham from oven and remove the oven bag. Brush the ham with the remaining glaze and tent loosely with foil. Allow the ham to rest for 30 to 40 minutes.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: Your exact yield depends on the size of your particular ham (and the size of the bone in it). I made a 9.65-pound ham and had about 4 pounds (64 ounces) of cooked ham. If you plan on 4 ounces of ham per person, that would be about 16 servings.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The glaze can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat it on the stove before using.
- Freezer: Slice and pack leftover ham into freezer-safe containers, then label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Glazed Ham Recipe: This delicious Glazed Ham is the perfect centerpiece for your holiday table or buffet. The sticky glaze is perfectly balanced with pineapple, lemon juice, and mustard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! Trade in Coca-Cola or Cherry Coke if you prefer.
I suggest a starch, like Cheesy Potato Casserole, Soft Yeast Dinner Rolls, or The Best Mashed Potatoes, plus a vegetable, such as Roasted Asparagus or Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon and Parmesan.
If you’re doing a bone-in spiral ham, 7 to 9 pounds, plan on 10 to 18 minutes per pound. For a whole, uncut bone-in ham, 10 to 14 pounds, plan on 18 to 20 minutes per pound. For more information, including cooking times for other cuts of ham, please read the USDA’s Guidelines here.
Great recipes for leftover ham
Stews and Soups
Ham and Bean Soup Recipe
Sandwich Recipes
Ham and Cheese Sliders
Appetizer Recipes
Mini Quiche Recipe
Sandwich Recipes
Ham Salad Recipe
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Dr. Pepper Ham
Equipment
- 1 Plastic oven bag (see note 1)
Ingredients
- 1 (7 to 10 pound) ham bone-in, spiral sliced (see note 2)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup Dr. Pepper (see note 3)
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Remove the ham from the packaging, including the plastic disk covering the bone. Place the ham in an oven bag, then twist and tie the bag shut. Place the ham cut-side down in a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. Allow the ham to sit at room temperature for 90 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, bring the sugar, Dr. Pepper soda, orange juice, and mustard to a simmer. Cook until the mixture is syrupy and reduced to about ¾ cup, about 8 minutes.
- Remove the ham from the oven and roll back the sides of the oven bag to expose the ham. Brush the ham with about half of the glaze. Return the ham to the oven and bake 10 minutes longer, or until the glaze is sticky.
- Remove ham from oven and remove the oven bag. Brush the ham with the remaining glaze and tent loosely with foil. Allow the ham to rest for 30 to 40 minutes.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Plastic oven bag: Look for “oven bags” by Reynolds and several other kitchen brands sold online and at many supermarkets. These are oven-safe and help keep the ham meat from drying out as it roasts.
- Ham: For maximum flavor, seek out a bone-in spiral sliced ham. The bone imparts more flavor and juiciness, and the slicing style allows the glaze to permeate into the meat (not just coat the exterior).
- Dr. Pepper: Regular soda, not diet.
- Yield: Your exact yield depends on the size of your particular ham (and the size of the bone in it). I made a 9.65-pound ham and had about 4 pounds (64 oz.) of cooked ham. If you plan on 4 oz. of ham per person, that would be about 16 servings.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I going to make my ham in crockpot on low. How many hours cook it? Maybe 6 hours? Gonna use the same amount ingrey being in crockpot?
Hi Sandy, I haven’t tried this recipe in a slow cooker. Looks like it will take about 6 to 8 hours to cook one on low. Hope this helps! – Meggan
Hi I am in Australia and we do not have spiral ham. I am a bit confused as to if and when do you take the skin (fat) off?
I have always wanted to do a baked ham but!!!
Hi Christine! Thanks so much for your question! You can remove the skin before baking. I’ll add the instructions to this post, but here’s how to remove the skin and score the fat:
Using a sharp knife, cut around the base of the handle (bone). Cut along the side of the ham from the end to the handle on both sides. Slide the knife along the rim to separate the rind from fat from the top of the ham, as close to the rind as possible. Using your fingers, slide them back and forth between the rind and fat layer while peeling it back. Score fat layer into a 1″ wide diamond pattern. If the ham has a partially covered bottom side, leave the rind intact on the bottom.
Also, a whole bone-in ham will require about 5 to 8 minutes more cooking time per pound. Hope this helps! – Meggan
Do I cook the same if my ham is not spiral and is semi boneless?
Yes, it should work the same even if you’re not using a spiral ham. Thank you! – Meggan
Looks soooo GOOD please please please HELP me I’m new to cooking so making honey ham is a bit intimidating I scrolled read someone ask if they can use pineapple my question is pineapple from a can or do I buy pineapples and put them through the juicer and how much do I add of the juice to the ham ??? Thank you 🙂
Tomorrow I’m making your Turkey meatballs recipe they look AMAZING
Hello,
Can you give me guidance using a boneless ham. It has been sliced and tied for baking.
Thank you.
Hi Sheri, thank you so much for your question! You can use boneless ham as directed in the recipe, and it may take a little longer in step 4 for the glaze to become sticky. I hope you love it! – Meggan
I am super excited about trying this recipe!
Just a little confused at directions, it ends with “Rest ham for 30-40 minutes @ room temperature”
So its done after that? Or do I put it back in the oven to be able to eat it hot?
Hi Jess, thank you! Sorry it is confusing. It’s ready to go after resting. Sorry about that! I’ve updated the recipe to clarify it. Sorry again! – Meggan
This looks amazing, and will use this the next time we have ham. 🙂
Great recipe! I tweaked it just a little and used an allulose sugar-free brown sugar substitute and diet dr. pepper. Everyone at our Thanksgiving dinner loved it! Thanks!
Can I use regular yellow mustard?, and I dont have any tin foil or a bag so what do I do yall? I cant go get any tinfoil, because its Christmas eve and all the stores are closed. HELP!!
Hi Carrie! You can use yellow mustard, sure. I don’t know if it will taste exactly the same, but it can’t be TOO far off, I wouldn’t think! Do you have a Baking dish with a cover that you could use instead (I’m imagining a corn ware casserole dish or something, with a glass cover). You could try that. You basically just want to prevent the ham from getting too dry. Does the package the ham came in have any helpful tips? Maybe they know something about their particular ham and how to cook it. I’ll keep an eye on my comments to see if you write me again with more questions. Good luck Carrie! Merry Christmas. -Meggan
I made this 2 Easters ago and it was a big hit. My 19 year old grandson asked me to make it fir Christmas this year. I was surprised but happy he remembered. Merry Christmas!