Pineapple Brown Sugar Ham with Sweet Glaze (Print version)

A juicy baked ham brushed with pineapple brown sugar glaze until glossy, sticky, and holiday-table ready.

# Ingredients:

For the ham

01 - 1 fully cooked bone-in spiral ham, 8-9 lb (3.6-4 kg)
02 - 1 can (20 oz or 565 g) pineapple rings in juice, juice reserved
03 - 12-16 maraschino cherries, optional
04 - Whole cloves, optional
05 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) water or pineapple juice for the pan

For the sweet glaze

06 - 1 cup (200 g) packed light brown sugar
07 - 3/4 cup (180 ml) reserved pineapple juice
08 - 1/3 cup (115 g) honey
09 - 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
10 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
11 - 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Instructions:

01 - Let the ham sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
02 - Pat the ham dry and place it cut side down on a rack in a roasting pan. Score the outside lightly if it is not spiral sliced. Pin pineapple rings over the ham with toothpicks and add cherries if using.
03 - Pour 1/2 cup water or pineapple juice into the bottom of the pan. Cover the ham loosely with foil and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, until warmed through but not finished glazing.
04 - Combine brown sugar, pineapple juice, honey, Dijon, vinegar, butter, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper in a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened and glossy.
05 - Uncover the ham and brush generously with glaze. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes more, brushing with more glaze every 10-15 minutes, until shiny and caramelized and the center reaches the temperature recommended on the ham package.
06 - Transfer the ham to a board and rest for 15 minutes. Remove toothpicks before carving. Serve with warm pan juices and any extra glaze.

# Good to know:

01 - Use a fully cooked ham for this recipe.
02 - Keep the ham covered during the first part of baking so it stays juicy.
03 - The glaze can be made up to 3 days ahead and reheated before using.

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