Description
This Baked Ham with Pineapple and Brown Sugar Glaze is a classic, flavorful holiday centerpiece featuring a sweet and spiced glaze made with brown sugar, honey, pineapple juice, and warm spices. The ham is baked slowly to perfection, topped with pineapple slices and maraschino cherries for a festive finish. Perfect for special occasions or family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Ham and Toppings
- 10-12 pound fully cooked bone-in spiral cut ham
- 20 oz canned pineapple slices (retain the juice)
- Maraschino cherries (optional)
- Toothpicks
- Foil
Glaze
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup brown sweetener or brown sugar (dark or light)
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Bring Ham to Room Temperature: Allow the fully cooked ham to come to room temperature for about 1 hour prior to baking to prevent temperature shock and ensure even cooking.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare Glaze: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine brown sugar or sweetener, honey, all of the reserved pineapple juice, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Stir for 3-4 minutes until the sweetener has melted and ingredients have combined.
- Thicken Glaze: In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the glaze mixture while stirring continuously until the glaze thickens slightly.
- Prepare Ham for Baking: Place the ham on a foil-lined sheet pan or in a roasting pan. Drizzle the glaze over the ham and use a cooking brush to spread it evenly, making sure to get into any cuts if necessary.
- Secure Pineapple and Cherries: Use toothpicks to attach pineapple slices and optional maraschino cherries onto the surface of the ham. Wrap and tent loosely with foil to insulate but not stick to the glaze.
- Bake Covered: Bake the ham covered with foil for 1 hour and 30 minutes, allowing it to heat through and absorb the flavors.
- Baste and Uncover: Remove the foil and baste the ham with the accumulated glaze. Return the ham to the oven uncovered and bake for an additional 30 minutes to caramelize the glaze.
- Rest the Ham: Remove the ham from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing to retain juices and enhance flavor.
Notes
- Bake pre-cooked spiral-sliced, bone-in hams for 10 minutes per pound at 325°F.
- For smoked pre-cooked whole bone-in hams between 10-14 pounds, bake 15-18 minutes per pound.
- For fresh, uncooked whole bone-in hams 12-16 pounds, bake 22-26 minutes per pound.
- Boneless hams require 10-15 minutes per pound baking time.
- Discard any glaze packet included with the ham; it is not used.
- Scoring is not necessary for spiral-cut hams.
- Flour is not recommended as a thickener for the glaze due to clumping; cornstarch works best.
- Whole cloves can be used instead of ground cloves by inserting with toothpicks.
- Bringing the ham to room temperature before baking prevents oven temperature shock and ensures even cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 150g)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
