Baked Ham with Pineapple and Brown Sugar Glaze

Baked ham with pineapple and brown sugar glaze is a timeless dish that brings a perfect balance of sweet and savory to the table. This classic recipe, often a centerpiece for holiday gatherings, combines the rich, salty flavor of ham with the sweetness of caramelized pineapple and a brown sugar glaze that adds a mouthwatering finish. With its tender, juicy meat and a glaze that creates an irresistible crust, everyone will love it!

Ingredients:
20 oz canned pineapple slices, retain the pineapple juice
¼ cup honey
½ cup brown sweetener or sugar, dark or light.
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
10-12 pound fully cooked ham, I prefer bone-in and spiral cut
maraschino cherries, optional
toothpicks
foil

Instructions:
Allow the ham to come to room temperature prior to baking. This will usually take an hour. Preheat oven to 325F. Score the ham if necessary. Place a saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar or sweetener, honey, all of the pineapple juice from the can, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Stir for 3-4 minutes until the sweetener has melted. Add the cornstarch and water to a small bowl and stir to combine. Add the cornstarch slurry mixture to the glaze. Stir as you pour and add it in slowly. Stir until the glaze thickens. Place the ham on a foil lined sheet pan or in a roasting pan. Drizzle the glaze over the ham. Use a cooking brush if necessary to add glaze into the cuts of the ham. Use toothpicks to secure the pineapple slices and cherries over the exterior of the ham. Wrap and tent foil around the ham. Do not wrap it tightly, the glaze will stick to the foil. Wrap it so that it’s insulated. Bake for 1½ hours. Remove the foil and baste the ham with the glaze. (Bake time will vary based on the size of your ham. See notes.) Return the ham to the oven uncovered. Bake for an additional 30 minutes. Allow the ham to rest for at least 20 minutes after baking.

Notes:
– Bake a (pre-cooked) spiral-sliced, bone-in ham for 10 minutes per pound.
– For a smoked (pre-cooked) whole, bone-in ham with a weight of 10-14 pounds, bake for 15-18 minutes per pound.
– For a whole, bone-in fresh, un-cooked ham with a weight of 12-16 pounds, cook for 22-26 minutes per pound.
– Boneless hams should be cooked for 10-15 minutes per pound.
– I discard the glaze packet that comes with the ham.
– I don’t find it necessary to score a spiral-sliced ham.
– Typically, flour can be substituted for cornstarch as a thickener. In this instance, I noticed it would form large clumps in the glaze. I don’t recommend using it.
– You can use full cloves if you wish. They can be inserted into the ham using toothpicks.
– Make sure you bring the ham to room temperature prior to baking. You don’t want to shock your ham by transferring it straight from the fridge into the oven, which can be a jarring temperature change.

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