Keto Brown Sugar Mustard Glaze Ham

This keto brown sugar mustard glazed ham will be the perfect centerpiece for your holiday table. 

Made with a keto-friendly brown sugar glaze, it’s an easy recipe that will be welcomed by your entire family, even if they are not on a keto diet.

Whether you are looking for a sugar-free ham to serve during Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s, it’s a healthier ham you will be proud to serve your loved ones.

The best part is that everyone’s taste buds will be fooled despite the fact that this ham is made with zero added sugar and is completely sugar-free!

If you have any ham leftovers, be sure to add to your keto meal planning rotation our keto ham casserole, which is a must after the holidays.

Keto Brown Sugar Mustard Glazed Ham

This sugar-free brown mustard ham was inspired by our keto sweet and spicy ham, with this recipe focusing more on the mustard and leaving out the hot spices.

It’s a sugar-free, keto glazed ham that will rival any store-bought honey ham. I promise you, no one will guess that it’s a keto-friendly ham.

And it’s a recipe even the kids could enjoy.

Is Ham Keto-Friendly?

Most meats, including ham, are naturally low in carbs and suitable for a keto diet. During the curing process, a small amount of sugar may be used, but the quantity varies by brand and is usually minimal.

However, the situation changes significantly when it comes to “honey-baked ham,” as these are typically coated in a sugary glaze that adds sweetness. Whether the glaze is made with honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup, it contains sugar.

If you’re trying to stick to a keto diet, it’s best to avoid the glaze that comes with the ham. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!

I’ve cracked the code to help you enjoy a traditional family recipe without sacrificing your diet. You’re welcome!

What Is The Best Ham To Glaze?

For this recipe, I opted for a 9-pound, fully cooked smoked ham, specifically the shank portion that includes the bone.

However, if you want to make a larger ham, such as a whole ham or a spiral ham, you can easily double the recipe.

Personally, I prefer to use bone-in ham because it tends to be more flavorful and remains juicy during cooking.

While a boneless ham can also be used, it’s important to note that the cooking time will need to be reduced as they tend to dry out more quickly.

Do You Need To Remove The Skin And Fat Layer Of A Ham?

To ensure your sugar-free ham turns out perfectly, I suggest removing the rind, or “skin layer,” from the ham while leaving as much of the fat layer intact as possible.

The actual skin can be tough and has an unpleasant chewy texture once cooked, so I recommend getting rid of it.

However, it’s important not to remove too much of the fat layer, as it helps keep the ham juicy and makes the glaze nice and sticky.

The fat also naturally bastes the ham as it cooks, adding to its delicious flavor. So, keep the fat layer intact and cook your ham to perfection.

How To Remove Rind And Score Your Ham

To prepare your ham for cooking, start by trimming away the rind or skin, being careful to leave all the fat intact.

Using a sharp knife, cut a line through the skin around the shank end of the ham. Carefully insert the knife between the rind and the fat layers and run the knife through to separate them.

Then, using your fingers, gently pull the rind away from the fat until you have removed it entirely. Discard the rind.

Next, using the same sharp knife, score a 1-inch wide diamond pattern about 1/4 inch deep into the fat layer of the ham. Be careful not to slice into the meat, as this can cause the ham to dry out during cooking.

Instead, focus on scoring only the fat layer.

Repeat this process over the entire surface of the ham to ensure that the glaze can penetrate the fat and flavor the meat.

By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to a perfectly cooked ham!

Ingredients Needed For A Sugar-Free Mustard Glazed Ham

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning that, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

The following are the ingredients needed: Note that the full printable recipe card is at the bottom of the page. 

• Fully cooked ham (shank portion), although you can also use a spiral-cut ham
• Water 
• Cinnamon powder (spices will season the water)
• Nutmeg powder 
• Ginger powder
• Allspice

Sugar-Free Brown Mustard Glaze

• Brown sugar substitute
• Allulose
• Unsalted butter
• Brown mustard
• Dry mustard powder
• Cinnamon powder
• Nutmeg powder
• Ginger powder
• Allspice
• Black pepper
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• Salt

How To Make A Keto Mustard Glazed Ham

To prepare a whole ham, start by removing the rind, being careful not to remove any of the fat. Cut a line around the shank end of the ham and separate the rind from the fat using a sharp knife and your fingers.

Discard the rind and score the fat with a 1-inch-wide diamond pattern. Let the ham rest for 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, and mix 1/2 cup of water and spices in a small bowl. Place the ham on a baking rack or crumpled aluminum foil in a roasting pan, with the scored fat facing up.

Pour the seasoned water into the base of the pan to help the ham cook evenly and add more flavor. Cover the ham with aluminum foil and bake for 12–14 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches 140 F.

Baste the ham with a sugar-free mustard glaze during the last 20 minutes of baking. The cooking time may vary depending on the size of the ham.

Best Sugar Substitutes For A Sugar-Free Ham Glaze

I have several options when it comes to which sweetener you can use in this mustard ham glaze Lakanto Monk Fruit is my favorite since the texture and flavor are what I have found to be the closest to real sugar. 

I am recommending you use their brown sugar substitute in this recipe, although you can use their golden sugar-free substitute, or even their white granulated sweetener is ok.  It just will not have the same depth of flavor.

Having said that, I’m also partial to the brand Swerve brown sugar, which is an erythritol blend. Like Lakanto, it uses sugar alcohols and has a 0 % impact on blood sugar.

Another delicious brown sugar substitute is Surkin Gold

You could also use the stevia- and erythritol-based brand Truvia Sweet Complete Brown Sweetener with the Stevia Leaf if you prefer to use a stevia-based sweetener.

In my opinion, Truvia tends to be overly sweet, which is why I recommend half the amount called for in this recipe. This may, however, skew the recipe, not giving you enough glaze since you will need to half the recipe.

My glaze also uses Allulose .I find that using some allulose prevents the glaze from crystallizing quickly. It may still crystallize once refrigerated but will not do so while the keto ham is warm.

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Be sure to check out our keto cauliflower mac and cheese and our keto green bean casserole for the perfect addition to this ham recipe.

Also, check out our Amazon Store for our recommendations.

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Grab Our Books!

In case you don’t know, I have authored two books for you, Essential Keto Bread and Essential Keto Desserts, both inspired by your requests over the years. It’s my prayer these keto cookbooks will help make keto a delicious breeze for you.

Join Our Jesus And Keto Movement 

Randy and I came to the keto diet looking at it from a Christian perspective. As believers, we live our lives supported by God’s grace. So when the Holy Spirit led us to combine our Christian faith and the keto diet, we did so in hopes of finding lasting transformation.

To say we needed God’s intervention is to put it mildly. When we followed the Holy Spirit’s prompting, we got on the path to real transformation.

Knowing firsthand the benefits of this decision, we have created a closed Christian group that is using the keto diet to transform their lives.  We invite you to join our Private Facebook Group and see if it’s not the key you’ve been missing.

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