🍍 Holiday Glazed Ham with Pineapple

🍍 Holiday Glazed Ham with Pineapple

🌟 Ingredients

The Ham & Garnish:

• 1 (7-9 lb) Bone-in, Fully-Cooked Smoked Ham (Spiral-Cut is easiest) 🍖

• 1 (20 oz) can Pineapple Rings (Drained, reserve the juice for the glaze) 🍍

• 1 (10 oz) jar Maraschino Cherries (Drained) 🍒

• Small box Whole Cloves (Optional, for fragrance and presentation)

The Glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups Reserved Pineapple Juice (from the can) 🥤

• 1 cup Packed Brown Sugar (Dark or Light) 🍯

• 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard (for tang to balance the sweetness)

• 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves (or a pinch of cinnamon/allspice) ✨

🔪 Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Ham and Oven

1. Preheat: Preheat your oven to 325{F}

2. Score: If your ham is not spiral-cut, use a sharp knife to score the surface of the ham, cutting about 1/4-inch deep in a crisscross or diamond pattern.¹⁰ This allows the glaze to seep in. 💎

3. Place: Place the ham in a large roasting pan, preferably on a rack, or directly in the pan with a small amount of water or reserved pineapple juice in the bottom to prevent drying.

4. Decorate: Secure the pineapple rings to the ham's surface using wooden toothpicks. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each ring (or use toothpicks to secure cherries around the ham). If using whole cloves, stud one into the center of each diamond cut. 📌

Step 2: Make the Glaze

1. Combine: In a medium saucepan, combine the reserved pineapple juice, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and ground cloves.¹³

2. Simmer: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes. It should thicken into a slightly syrupy consistency. Take it off the heat and set aside. 🥄

Step 3: Glaze and Bake

1. Initial Bake (Covered): Cover the ham loosely with aluminum foil (this is especially important for spiral-cut hams to prevent drying). Bake the ham for the first half of the total cooking time, which is usually 15-20 minutes per pound until the internal temperature reaches 130{F} (for a fully cooked ham). ⏱️

2. First Glaze & Uncover: Remove the ham from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400 F . Remove the foil and generously brush the ham with about half of the glaze. 🖌️

3. FiFinal Bake (Caramelize): Return the ham to the oven, uncovered. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until the glaze is caramelized and the internal temperature reaches a safe 140{F} Baste with the remaining glaze 5 minutes before removing

4. Rest & Serve: Remove the ham from the oven, tent it loosely with foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. Don't forget to remove all the toothpicks before serving! 🙌