French Baked Ham With Spiced Apples and Pears Recipe

By
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin is a freelance lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches.
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Updated on 06/2/22
Baked ham slices recipe

The Spruce / Katarina Zunic
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 100 mins
Total: 115 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
763 Calories
19g Fat
71g Carbs
81g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 763
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 3g 17%
Cholesterol 232mg 77%
Sodium 3557mg 155%
Total Carbohydrate 71g 26%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 61g
Protein 81g
Vitamin C 6mg 32%
Calcium 89mg 7%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 1536mg 33%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This baked ham with spiced apples and pears recipe is the essence of Christmas and holiday food. It is substantial enough for frosty nights and made with maple syrup and orchard fruits.

The recipe fills the house with an irresistible aroma as it bakes and browns. This maple-baked ham is the full holiday experience in one dish: sweet, smoky, salty, and spicy flavors blend to make an intoxicating and unforgettable winter meal.

Serve the ham on the Christmas or Thanksgiving table and expect guests to be wowed because they will be and you will be so proud. The ham can be served as a main meal, or as a sandwich, or on the buffet table for guests to help themselves. 

France was not always renowned for baking hams at Christmas, blond (boiled) ham is more common, but it seems the British and American custom has also started to take hold and not to be dismissed. 

The baked is lovely on a lunch buffet and can also make a substantial dinner. Any leftover ham is also delicious sliced and popped into a baguette as in the Jambon Beurre famous French sandwich. You may want to not put the fruit on in this case. 

Ingredients

  • 1 (8-pound) ham, smoked, fully cooked, spiral cut

  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

  • 1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

  • 4 apples, sweet-tart baking type, cored and halved

  • 4 pears, cored and halved

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 325 F.

    Baked ham spiced apples and pears ingredients
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  2. Using kitchen twine, wrap the ham first vertically, then once on each diagonal, making sure to loop around the bottom of the ham, to hold it together.

    Wrap ham
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  3. Place the ham in a large deep roasting pan, cut-side down.

    Place on pan
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  4. Dissolve the dry mustard in the 1/4 water.

    Dissolve butter
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  5. Stir the mustard mixture into the brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice.

    Stir mustard mixture into brown sugar
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  6. Brush the maple glaze over the surface of the ham.

    Brush maple glaze
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  7. Arrange the apples and pears around the ham and bake it uncovered for 1 hour and 40 minutes, basting the ham and fruit every 20 minutes. Loosely tent foil over the ham if it appears to be browning too quickly.

    Arrange fruit on pan
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  8. Allow the ham and fruit to cool down slightly before removing the twine and serving warm or at room temperature.

    Serve ham
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

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