Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham

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Every slice of this beautifully baked pineapple honey glazed ham is a thing of beauty and joy. Lusciously sweet, juicy, and tender, my honey pineapple glaze sauce recipe makes this ham a holiday showstopper without all the fuss in the kitchen.

This pineapple honey ham is an ideal centerpiece for special occasions, and it's especially popular around the holidays, like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. One of the easy recipes you can make for your next holiday dinner! It's so easy to make and requires simple ingredients, yet the flavor combination of pineapple slices, honey, citrus juices, and spices gives it an extra special touch that sets it apart from your everyday store-bought ham.

You won't believe how incredibly delicious this honey glazed ham is, especially when paired with equally good side dishes like sweet potato casserole, sesame braised cabbage, and sesame cucumber salad.

Ingredients

Ham: Most hams are already pre-cooked, so you only need to reheat it before serving. I use pre-cooked bone-in ham that's around 10 to 12 pounds with skin and ¼ inch layer of fat to keep the ham super moist while cooking.
Ask your butcher for a Double Smoked Rind-on Ham.
Pineapple: Cooking pineapple adds a wonderful sweet and tart flavor to the glaze mixture. I use canned pineapple chunks because they are convenient, but you can also use fresh pineapple if available.
Honey: The right amount of honey helps balance the sweet and tart flavors and thickens the glaze.
Lemon and orange: Lemon and orange juice add a bright tart flavor that pairs so well with the sweet pineapple and honey. Some people will add lemon and orange zest, but I like to add the entire peel.
Ginger: Fresh ginger provides a nice warmth and depth of flavor to the honey mixture.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon sticks for an extra holiday twist!
Star anise: A piece of star anise adds an exotic flavor (uniquely spicy and sweet) that can’t be replaced.
Salt: Enhances all the good flavors of the glaze ingredients!
Cornstarch slurry: Makes the glaze extra thick, so it sticks to the ham better.
Optional: ground cloves for decoration, pineapple rings on top of the ham

See recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions

Ham - Use bone-in or boneless hams and whole ham or half ham, depending on your personal preference. If you don't want to slice the ham yourself, you can buy a spiral ham or spiral-cut ham and it would work perfectly too.
Sweetener - If you don't have honey on hand, you could substitute pure maple or agave syrup instead.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

GLAZE: Prepare the glaze. In a pot or deep skillet, add the pineapple and juice. Slice the ginger in half and add it in.

Juice the lemon and the oranges and add the peel as well.

Add the honey, cinnamon stick, star anise and salt.

Cover with a lid and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, start prepping the ham.

HAM: Remove the skin but keep ¼ inch layer of fat on. This will prevent the ham from being dry. The fat will render and produce a gorgeous crust like you see in the picture.

Add the traditional diagonal ham slits and add cloves for decoration and flavor.

Hint: Add ½ cup of water in the bottom of the ham. This will prevent it from drying. Wrap with foil and roast it in the oven to warm it up. Most of the hams are usually precooked (make sure you double check) so you are only warming it up.

GLAZE: Add the cornstarch slurry to thicken up the glaze.

HAM: After 30 mins, remove the foil and start basting it with the pineapple honey glaze every 10 minutes until it develops a beautiful crust on the top. The ham should be done in 1 hour.

Variations to elevate this beautiful Pineapple Glazed Ham

Glaze - Try a brown sugar glaze that mainly contains brown sugar and Dijon mustard apart from the spices. Some add honey or molasses too.
Spices - Experiment with other spices to give your pineapple honey glazed ham a unique flavor. Try cloves, nutmeg, or cardamom for a special holiday treat.
Toppings - Add an extra layer of flavor to your honey baked ham recipe pineapple with some Maraschino cherry, crushed nuts, or even candied ginger for a delicious crunchy texture and an unexpected burst of flavor.

pineapple glaze simmer — ingredients for pineapple glaze

remove the ham rind — remove rind off the ham

Equipment

Cutting board
Sharp paring knife
Shallow baking pan or roasting pan
Small saucepan with lid
Basting brush
Aluminum foil
Oven

Storage

Store the leftover ham in an airtight container, preferably wrapped with plastic or foil, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you want to keep it longer, wrap the ham tightly in plastic and/or foil, ideally in multiple servings, and then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. It will stay good for up to a month in the freezer.

Top Tip

Put a half cup of water in the oven during baking to prevent rapid drying. It keeps your ham moist and juicy as it cooks. During the last 30 minutes to 1 hour, baste the entire ham with the sticky glaze every 10 minutes to ensure even coverage and beautiful caramelized crust.

FAQ

Do you glaze a ham before or after baking?

Generally, you should glaze a ham during the last 30 minutes to 1 hour of cooking time to prevent the sugars in the glaze to burn. When done correctly, the pineapple ham glaze caramelizes and forms a beautiful crust that makes the ham look and taste delicious.

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Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham:

Food safety

Cook to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (63°C)
Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
Wash hands after touching raw meat
Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
Never leave cooking food unattended
Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove