Where to Find Ham Glaze in the Grocery Store: A Guide for Holiday Meals and Everyday Eating

Ham glaze is a sweet, sticky sauce that can transform a plain piece of ham into a delicious, juicy entrée When holidays like Easter and Christmas roll around, ham glaze helps make the centerpiece main dish worthy of a celebratory meal. But it’s tasty enough to jazz up weeknight ham dinners as well If you want to serve glazed ham for your next occasion, you first need to track down the glaze itself. This guide will help you locate ham glaze in the store and choose the right product for your recipe.

What Is Ham Glaze?

Before we dive into where to buy it, let’s look at what exactly ham glaze is. Ham glaze contains these basic ingredients

• Sugar or sweetener like honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar
• Liquid like fruit juice, vinegar, or soda
• Seasonings like cloves, cinnamon, ginger, mustard, or horseradish

The specific ingredients vary between brands and recipes, but these core elements create the sticky sweet and tangy sauce. By coating the ham during the last 30-60 minutes of cooking, the glaze caramelizes and infuses flavor into the outer layer of the meat.

Ham glaze comes ready-made in a jar or can to simply brush on, You can also mix up homemade glaze with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and fridge Homemade allows you to control the flavors and customize it to suit your preferences

Where to Find Ham Glaze in Grocery Stores

Now that you know what to look for, where exactly should you hunt for it in the store? Here are the most likely places to come across ham glaze:

On the Condiment Aisle

Check the condiment section where you find ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, etc. Ham glaze is typically shelved with other sauce and seasoning products. Brands like Crosse & Blackwell and Princes often stock glazes here.

With the Ham and Bacon

Some stores position ham glaze in the packaged meat department near the raw and cooked hams. This placement puts it right next to its intended use. Refrigerated glazes from brands like Burgess and Jack Daniel’s may be in cold cases here.

In the Baking Aisle

If your store has a designated baking section with sugars, spices, extracts, and canning supplies, you may discover glazes there. Sweet glazes are akin to icing, so they are at home among baking ingredients.

By the Holiday Cooking Essentials

When holiday cooking is in full swing, stores often set up special displays of seasonal ingredients. Ham glaze is a natural fit for these sections spotlighting Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter cooking must-haves. Look for temporary shelving showcasing glazes during peak ham cooking times.

With Specialty Foods and Gourmet Finds

For unique artisanal glazes, check the gourmet or specialty foods area. This is where small-batch products and imports are highlighted. You may encounter more variety here compared to the mainstream condiment aisle.

At the Prepared Foods Deli Counter

Many delis sell fully cooked hams ready for heating and eating. It never hurts to ask the deli staff if they have any ham glazes for sale. The deli may offer house-made glazes or name brand options to perfectly pair with their hams.

Tips for Choosing a Ham Glaze

Once you’ve tracked down the ham glazes in your store, use these tips to select the right one:

• Match flavors: Pick a glaze suited to the other ingredients in your meal. For pineapple ham, a pineapple or tropical fruit glaze is ideal. With brown sugar and clove studded ham, go for a warm spice glaze.

• Mind the ingredients: If you avoid certain ingredients, read labels carefully to find a glaze aligned with your dietary needs. Look for low sugar, keto, or vegan glazes if needed.

• Consider convenience: Jars and squeeze bottles are quickest and easiest to use. Canned glazes require extra steps of opening the can and transferring to another container.

• Check the quantity: A 10-12 ounce jar can glaze a 5-7 pound ham. Scale up for larger hams, buying multiple containers if needed. Too little glaze leaves you short, while too much leads to waste.

• Go for quality: Higher priced glazes typically use better ingredients like real fruit juices, quality sugars, and natural flavorings. Cheaper glazes often rely on high fructose corn syrup and artificial additives.

• Try a new brand: If you always use the same glaze, try a new variety for a change of pace. Smaller brands add diversity to the flavors available.

Where to Find Ham Glaze Year-Round

The peak ham cooking holidays only come once a year, but you can cook delicious glazed ham any time. Here are tips for finding ham glaze during the rest of the year:

• Shop gourmet food stores that carry specialty cooking products. They likely have glazes in stock year-round.

• Check the condiment aisle, even when holiday displays disappear. Look on upper shelves where less common items get stored.

• Ask at the grocer deli if they sell glazes or can order some for you.

• Look for recipes to whip up quick homemade glaze with pantry ingredients.

• Buy extra jars of glaze when on sale seasonal and store a stash to use all year. Refrigerate after opening.

• Order glazes online if you can’t find them locally. Online specialty food sellers have wide selections.

Serving Up the Perfect Glazed Ham

Armed with the intel on where to buy ham glaze in stores, you’re ready to serve this classic dish. A beautifully lacquered ham makes a dramatic centerpiece at gatherings like:

• Holiday meals
• Easter dinner
• Mother’s Day or Father’s Day
• Company dinners or potlucks
• Buffet-style events

Of course, convenient glazed ham also makes a tasty everyday meal. The touch of sweetness appeals to kids and adults alike.

Follow these steps for glaze success:

• Cook ham according to package directions until fully heated through.

• About 30 minutes before the end of cooking time, remove ham from the oven.

• Score the ham surface by making shallow diagonal cuts in a diamond pattern. This helps the glaze absorb.

• Generously brush or spoon glaze over the top and sides of ham. Apply an even coating.

• Return ham to oven to finish cooking, basting with more glaze every 10-15 minutes.

• The glaze will caramelize and develop a crusty exterior while sealing in meat juices.

• Let ham rest 10-15 minutes before carving so glaze firms up. Then slice and serve!

Now that you know where to find ham glazes in grocery stores, you can bring this tasty holiday and everyday favorite to your dinner table. Ham glazed with a sweet, sticky sauce truly satisfies.