Amish Baked Ham with Old-Fashioned Raisin Sauce

This Amish-style baked ham brings a little farmhouse comfort to a holiday table or Sunday dinner. A light brown sugar and mustard glaze gives the ham a gently sweet finish, while a warm, thick raisin sauce adds fruity richness, a little tang, and just enough spice to balance the smoky, salty meat.

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 16 servings; approximately 3 cups raisin sauce
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: Approximately 2 hours 40 minutes; sauce cooks during the final 20 minutes
• Total Time: Approximately 3 hours 20 minutes, including 20 minutes resting
• Oven Temperature: 325°F (163°C)

Quick Ingredients

• 1 fully cooked, bone-in half ham, 8 pounds, preferably not spiral-sliced
• 3/4 cup water, for the roasting pan
• Glaze: 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons water
• Raisin sauce: 1 cup dark raisins, 2 cups water divided, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Spices and thickener: 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, and 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for finishing the sauce

Do This

• 1. Heat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Remove all ham packaging, trim any tough skin, and lightly score the fat.
• 2. Set the ham cut-side down on a rack in a roasting pan. Add 3/4 cup water to the pan and cover tightly with foil.
• 3. Bake for approximately 2 hours 10 minutes, until the center approaches 120–125°F (49–52°C).
• 4. Mix the glaze ingredients. Uncover the ham, brush with half the glaze, and bake 15 minutes. Apply the remaining glaze and bake approximately 15 minutes more, until the center reaches 140°F (60°C).
• 5. During the final 20 minutes, simmer the raisins, 1 3/4 cups water, sauce sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cloves for 15 minutes.
• 6. Mix the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup cold water. Stir into the sauce and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
• 7. Rest the ham loosely covered for 20 minutes, then carve and serve with warm raisin sauce.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A classic sweet-and-savory pairing: Tangy raisin sauce balances the ham’s smoky saltiness without hiding its flavor.
• A simple, light glaze: Brown sugar and mustard create a glossy finish without a thick, candy-like coating.
• Easy holiday timing: The sauce comes together on the stovetop while the ham finishes in the oven.
• Comforting and practical: It feeds a crowd, uses everyday ingredients, and leaves delicious leftovers.

Grocery List

• Meat: One 8-pound fully cooked, bone-in half ham.
• Produce: 1 lemon.
• Dairy: Unsalted butter.
• Pantry: Light brown sugar, Dijon mustard, dark raisins, apple cider vinegar, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves.

Full Ingredients

For the Ham

• 1 fully cooked, bone-in half ham, 8 pounds, preferably unsliced
• 3/4 cup water, for the roasting pan

For the Brown Sugar–Mustard Glaze

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons water

For the Old-Fashioned Raisin Sauce

• 1 cup dark seedless raisins, approximately 150 grams
• 2 cups water, divided into 1 3/4 cups and 1/4 cup
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Ham selection: This recipe is written for a fully cooked ham in its original packaging from a USDA-inspected plant. It is not intended for fresh ham, country ham requiring soaking, or a ham labeled “cook before eating.” Follow the package directions if they differ from the timing below.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the oven and ham

Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325°F (163°C). Have ready a roasting pan fitted with a rack, aluminum foil, a pastry brush, and an instant-read thermometer.

Remove all packaging from the ham, including any plastic disk covering the bone. If the ham has a tough outer skin, trim it away while leaving approximately 1/4 inch of fat. Score the fat in a shallow diamond pattern, making cuts approximately 1 inch apart. Avoid cutting deeply into the meat.

Step 2: Mix the brown sugar and mustard glaze

In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons water until evenly combined. The mixture should be loose enough to brush over the ham. Set it aside while the ham begins baking.

Step 3: Bake the ham gently under foil

Place the ham cut-side down on the roasting rack. Pour 3/4 cup water into the bottom of the pan, keeping the water below the rack. Cover the pan tightly with foil to hold in moisture.

Bake for approximately 2 hours 10 minutes, then check the temperature in the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone. You are aiming for approximately 120–125°F (49–52°C) before glazing. If needed, continue baking covered in 10-minute increments. If the pan dries out, carefully add 1/2 cup hot water.

Step 4: Glaze and finish baking

Remove the foil carefully, directing the hot steam away from your face. Brush the exposed ham with half the glaze. Return it to the oven uncovered for 15 minutes, then brush with the remaining glaze.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes more, until the glaze is glossy and the center of the ham reaches 140°F (60°C). Begin checking early if the ham was already close to that temperature. Total oven time is approximately 2 hours 40 minutes, but the thermometer—not the clock—determines when it is ready. Loosely shield any darkening areas with foil.

Food safety note: The 140°F reheating target applies to fully cooked ham packaged in a USDA-inspected plant. Reheat repackaged cooked ham and leftover ham to 165°F (74°C).

Step 5: Simmer the raisins and spices

During the final 20 minutes of baking, combine the raisins, 1 3/4 cups water, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cloves in a medium saucepan.

Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The raisins should become plump and tender, and the liquid should smell warmly spiced.

Step 6: Thicken and finish the raisin sauce

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup cold water until completely smooth. Stir the slurry again immediately before slowly pouring it into the simmering raisin mixture, stirring continuously.

Bring the sauce back to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. The sauce will thicken a little more as it stands. If it becomes too thick to pour, stir in hot water 1 tablespoon at a time.

Step 7: Rest, carve, and serve

Transfer the ham to a carving board and tent it loosely with foil. Let it rest for 20 minutes. Keep the raisin sauce covered and warm over the lowest heat, stirring occasionally, or gently rewarm it just before serving.

Carve the ham away from the bone, then slice across the grain into approximately 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange on a warm platter and spoon a little sauce over several slices, leaving most of the sauce in a pitcher or gravy boat for passing. Allow approximately 3 tablespoons of sauce per serving. Mashed potatoes, buttered green beans, and soft dinner rolls make lovely accompaniments.

Pro Tips

• Choose an unsliced ham for the juiciest result. A spiral-sliced ham works, but it can dry out more quickly. Follow its package timing, keep it covered until glazing, and begin checking the temperature earlier.
• Keep the glaze out of the early baking stage. Applying it near the end helps the sugar become glossy rather than scorched.
• Measure the cloves carefully. Just 1/8 teaspoon gives the sauce a gentle old-fashioned warmth; extra cloves can overpower the raisins.
• Use cold water for the slurry. Cornstarch mixed directly into hot sauce can form stubborn lumps.
• Skip extra salt in the sauce. The ham usually supplies plenty of seasoning, and the lightly tangy sauce provides a welcome contrast.

Variations

• Milder mustard glaze: Replace the Dijon with 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard for a familiar, gently tangy flavor.
• Golden raisin sauce: Substitute 1 cup golden raisins for the dark raisins. The finished sauce will be lighter in color with a slightly brighter fruit flavor.
• Orange-raisin sauce: Replace the 1 tablespoon lemon juice with 1 tablespoon orange juice and add 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest. Keep the vinegar for balance.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Make ahead: Mix the glaze up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate in a covered container. Prepare the raisin sauce up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate separately. Rewarm the sauce gently in a saucepan, stirring in water 1 tablespoon at a time to restore its pourable consistency.

Refrigerate: Within 2 hours of serving, remove leftover ham from the bone and divide it among shallow, covered containers. Refrigerate the ham and sauce separately at 40°F (4°C) or below and use within 3–4 days.

Freeze: Freeze sliced ham and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The sauce may need a little water and gentle whisking after thawing.

Reheat: Place leftover ham in a baking dish with 2–4 tablespoons water or unsalted broth, cover tightly, and warm in a 325°F (163°C) oven until it reaches 165°F (74°C). Reheat leftover sauce on the stovetop to 165°F, stirring frequently.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 360 kcal | Carbs: 27g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Sodium: 1800mg | Cholesterol: 90mg

Nutrition is estimated for one-sixteenth of the glazed ham and approximately 3 tablespoons raisin sauce. Actual values vary considerably with the ham’s brand, fat content, and edible yield.