Ham Recipe

Preheat oven

Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Position a rack in the lower-middle of the oven to allow heat circulation around the ham.

Remove the ham from its packaging and discard any glaze packet that may be included. Pat the ham dry with paper towels.

If the ham has a thick rind, score the fat in a diamond pattern: use a sharp knife to make shallow 1/4-inch cuts about 1 inch apart across the fat, cutting through the fat but not into the meat. This helps the glaze penetrate and gives a decorative finish. If the ham is already sliced or spiral-cut, skip scoring.

Rotate the ham so the shank end is toward you. Optional: Stud the center of most diamonds with a whole clove, pressing the clove stem into the ham so it stays in place. Reserve remaining cloves for garnish if desired.

Place the ham, flat-side down, in a large roasting pan. If the ham is very large, trim excess rind so it fits without overcrowding.

Tuck pineapple slices around the ham or secure pineapple slices to the surface with toothpicks. Place maraschino cherries in the center of pineapple rings and secure with toothpicks if using. Pour 1/2 cup pineapple juice (or water) into the bottom of the pan to keep the ham moist while baking.

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine brown sugar, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, ground cinnamon, ground cloves (if using), salt, and black pepper.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves and the glaze is glossy and slightly thickened, about 4–6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the unsalted butter until melted. Reserve about one-third of the glaze for finishing after baking.

Tent the ham loosely with aluminum foil, shiny side toward the ham, leaving some space above it. Bake at 325°F (163°C) for 12–15 minutes per pound for a pre-cooked ham, or until the internal temperature reaches 140°F (60°C) when measured with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part without touching bone. For a 6–8 lb half ham, this will take approximately 1 hour 20 minutes to 2 hours.

Every 20–25 minutes, remove the ham briefly and brush a generous layer of the reserved glaze over the surface, then re-cover and continue baking. Also baste pan juices over the ham to keep it moist.

In the final 20–25 minutes of baking, remove the foil tent, brush the ham with another layer of glaze, and return to the oven uncovered to allow the glaze to set and caramelize. Watch carefully—if the glaze starts to darken too quickly, lower the oven temperature slightly or cover loosely again.

When the ham reaches 140°F (60°C), remove it from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Let the ham rest, loosely tented with foil, for 15–20 minutes to allow juices to redistribute and the glaze to firm.

Remove cloves and toothpicks used to secure pineapple and cherries. Slice the ham against the grain into even slices—about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick for serving. Spoon any pan juices or remaining glaze over slices when serving.