Baked Virginia Ham Recipe

Prepare oven and ham

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Remove ham from refrigerator 30–60 minutes before baking to take the chill off. Place a rack in a large roasting pan.

Trim any excessively thick fat cap to about 1/4 inch if needed. Place the ham cut-side down on the rack in the roasting pan.

Score the fat in a diamond pattern about 1/4 inch deep across the surface of the ham using a sharp knife. If using whole cloves, stud a clove into the center of each diamond point or every 1–2 inches as desired.

Combine 1 cup packed brown sugar and 2 tbs Dijon mustard in a small bowl to form a paste. Reserve about 1/3 cup of this mixture for basting during the last 20 minutes of baking.

Brush the remaining brown sugar–mustard paste evenly over the scored surface of the ham. Pour 1 cup apple cider or water into the bottom of the roasting pan to keep the environment moist while baking.

Tent the ham loosely with aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 130–135°F (54–57°C), about 15–18 minutes per pound for a fully cooked ham (for an 8 lb ham this will be approximately 2 to 2 1/2 hours). Start checking temperature about 30 minutes before the estimated finish time.

During the last 20 minutes of baking, remove the foil, baste the ham with the reserved brown sugar–mustard mixture, and return to the oven un-tented to allow the glaze to caramelize. If using pineapple rings and cherries, arrange them on the ham after the final baste and secure with toothpicks if desired. Continue baking until glaze is set and ham reaches 140°F (60°C) for serving temperature.

Remove ham from oven and transfer to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest 15–20 minutes before slicing. Reserve pan juices for serving or incorporate a small amount into the pineapple sauce if desired.

While the ham bakes (or during the last 30 minutes of baking), make the pineapple sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tbs unsalted butter.

Add 1 cup pineapple juice and 1 cup drained crushed pineapple to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring to combine with the butter.

Stir in 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 tbs apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Continue to simmer gently for 3–5 minutes to blend flavors.

In a small bowl, whisk 1 tbs cornstarch with 2 tsp cold water to make a slurry until smooth. Slowly whisk the slurry into the simmering pineapple mixture. Continue to cook and stir for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glossy, pourable consistency. If sauce becomes too thick, thin with up to 2–4 tbs water or additional pineapple juice.

Taste and adjust seasoning — add a touch more vinegar for brightness or a pinch more sugar if desired. Remove from heat and keep warm until serving. If desired, skim any fat or spoon off a small amount of roasting pan juices and whisk into the sauce for extra ham flavor.

Slice the rested ham across the grain into 1/4–1/2 inch slices. Arrange slices on a warmed platter.

Spoon warm pineapple sauce over the sliced ham or serve sauce on the side. Garnish with baked pineapple rings and maraschino cherries if used.

Serve immediately. Leftover ham keeps well refrigerated for 3–5 days and the sauce for up to 4 days.