Heat the oven. Set your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a roasting pan with foil for easy cleanup and fit it with a rack. If you don’t have a rack, use thick onion slices or orange rounds as a bed.

Prep the ham. If your ham has skin, remove it, leaving a 1/4-inch layer of fat. Use a sharp knife to score the fat in a diamond pattern, about 1/2 inch deep. This helps the glaze soak in and crisp up.

Stud with cloves. Press whole cloves into the intersections of the score lines. You don’t need too many—about 1 clove per diamond is more than enough for aroma.

Mix the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine honey, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, ginger, and butter. Add a pinch of black pepper. Warm over medium heat, stirring until smooth and slightly syrupy, 3–5 minutes. Remove from heat. If using bourbon, stir it in off the heat.

Bake to warm through. Place the ham cut-side down on the rack. Brush lightly with glaze. Tent loosely with foil to keep it moist. Bake for about 12–15 minutes per pound, just to heat the ham through. For a 7-pound ham, that’s roughly 1 hour 30 minutes.

Start basting. During the last 45–60 minutes, remove the foil. Brush the ham generously with glaze every 10–15 minutes. Rotate the pan if your oven browns unevenly. The surface should become glossy and caramelized.

Finish under a hot blast (optional). For extra color, switch the oven to 400°F (200°C) for the final 5–8 minutes, or broil briefly. Watch closely—glazes can burn fast.

Rest before carving. Transfer the ham to a board, tent with foil, and rest for 15–20 minutes. This helps the juices settle and makes slicing easier.

Make a pan sauce (optional). Pour the roasting juices into a small saucepan. Add a splash of water or orange juice and simmer for 2–3 minutes to loosen. Adjust sweetness or acidity to taste.

Carve and serve. Slice around the bone into thin, wide pieces. Serve with extra glaze or pan sauce, orange wedges, and maybe a sprinkle of chopped parsley for color.