Ham Glazed With Pineapple And Brown Sugar Recipe

Prepare oven and ham

Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Remove ham from refrigerator 30–60 minutes before cooking to come closer to room temperature. Place ham cut-side down on a large roasting pan fitted with a rack; if your ham is spiral-sliced, keep slices intact.

If desired, score the outer fat in a diamond pattern about 1/4-inch deep, spacing cuts about 1 inch apart. Stud the intersections of the diamonds or evenly spaced points across the ham with the whole cloves (about 24 cloves) to infuse flavor and help hold pineapple rings later.

Make the glaze

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Add the brown sugar and stir until it begins to dissolve, about 1–2 minutes. Pour in the pineapple juice, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar. Stir to combine.

Add the ground cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced.

Mix the cornstarch with the cold water to form a slurry. Whisk the slurry into the simmering glaze and cook 1–2 minutes more, until the glaze thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and set aside.

Glaze and arrange pineapple

Brush a thin layer of glaze over the top and sides of the ham. Arrange pineapple rings on the ham surface, securing each ring with a clove placed through the ring into the ham where appropriate. Reserve about 1/3 cup of glaze for finishing.

Bake and baste

Tent the ham loosely with foil and place in the preheated oven. Bake for about 10–12 minutes per pound (approximately 60–72 minutes for a 6-lb ham) just to heat through and meld flavors; internal temperature should reach 140°F (60°C) if reheating a pre-cooked ham. Every 15–20 minutes, remove from oven and brush with additional glaze, using the reserved glaze at the final glazing step.

During the last 10–15 minutes of cooking, remove foil to allow the glaze to caramelize. Brush with the reserved glaze one final time and return to oven uncovered until glaze is glossy and slightly caramelized (watch carefully to avoid burning).

Remove ham from oven and transfer to a cutting board. Let rest loosely tented for 10–15 minutes before slicing. Strain any pan juices into a small saucepan and simmer briefly to reduce slightly if desired; drizzle over sliced ham when serving.