Pineapple Glazed Ham
Pineapple glazed ham is the perfect compliment to a holiday spread. Sweet pineapple juice is simmered with whole grain mustard, apple cider vinegar and brown sugar.
Glazed baked ham is hard to beat, am I right? There is just something about the sweet, sticky glaze paired with the saltiness of the ham that makes everyone at my dinner table swoon with delight. My husband expresses his gratitude at the end of dinner as if I’ve slaved all day over this meal. Little does he know, baking a glazed ham could not be easier.
Ingredients for pineapple ham glaze
Pineapple and ham have been the perfect pairing since peanut butter met jelly. The pineapple is deliciously sweet and really complements the flavor of the salty ham. Not surprising, pineapple juice is the main ingredient in my pineapple glaze. You’ll also need:
- 1 fully cooked half ham – you can go unsliced here, but buying it pre sliced just makes things so much easier.
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Tools you will also need:
- Roasting pan or rectangular casserole dish large enough to hold the ham
- Basting brush
How to make a pineapple glaze for ham
In a medium saucepan, combine the pineapple juice, brown sugar, mustard, chicken broth and vinegar. Whisk everything together. Then sprinkle in the cornstarch and whisk until there are no longer any lumps. Bring the glaze to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 1-2 minutes until the glaze has thickened.
How to heat and glaze a precooked ham
Most hams sold in a grocery store are already cooked, you just need to heat them through. However, because this is a large cut of meat, it could take awhile. This pineapple glaze has quite a bit of sugar in it. As you probably know … if sugar comes into contact with heat for an extended period of time, it burns. If we apply the glaze to the outside of the ham at the beginning of the cook time, we risk it charring by the end. Therefore, we’re going bake the unglazed ham until it’s almost heated through, then add the glaze during the last 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the ham in a baking dish or roasting pan, flat or cut side down. Cover the ham with foil to prevent it from drying out, then place it in the preheated oven. The rule is to heat the ham for 15-20 minutes per pound. My 10 pound ham took approximately 2 hours to heat through.
About 30 minutes before the end of the cook time, remove the ham from the oven and take off the foil cover. Pour 1/3 of the glaze over the top of the ham and use a basting brush to spread it around. Put the ham back in the oven — without the foil this time — and bake for 10 minutes. Repeat the process again two more times every 10 minutes. At the end, you will have glazed the ham a total of three times. If you have any glaze leftover, feel free to pour it over the ham after it comes out of the oven. Let the ham rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Storage, freezing and reheating
Storage. The ham glaze can be prepared ahead of time and stored in an airtight container with a lid for up to five days. You will need to reheat it before applying it to the ham. Leftover glazed ham should be transferred to an airtight container or freezer bag (I like to cut my ham into slices first) once it’s cooled and stored in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Freezing. The pineapple glaze can be frozen. When freezing liquid, I prefer to transfer it to a freezer bag so I can squeeze out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw the glaze before using. The baked ham can also be frozen. Transfer to a freezer bag or vacuum sealed bag. Consume within three months. Thaw the ham completely in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheating. Pour the glaze into a medium saucepan. If the glaze ends up being a little thick after refrigeration, simply thin it out with a tablespoon or two of additional pineapple juice or chicken broth. Cover and reheat over low heat until the glaze is warmed through. Leftover ham slices can be reheated in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or place the slices in a covered casserole dish and heat at 250 degrees F for 30-45 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
I used a fully cooked city ham, which is most common type of ham sold in grocery stores. Selecting a bone in, unsliced ham will prevent the ham from drying out during cooking. But a pre-sliced ham makes things easier when it’s time to serve.
What if I can’t find whole grain mustard?
You substitute with Dijon mustard if you can’t find whole grain.
How big of a ham should I purchase?
Rule of thumb is to plan on serving one pound of ham per person for a bone-in ham.
Can this be made in a crockpot?
Yes, but the cooking method will be a bit different. Place the ham in the slow cooker. Combine all the glaze ingredients except the cornstarch. Pour the glaze over the top of the ham. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Remove the ham from the crock pot and tent with foil. Pour the juices from the bottom of the slow cooker into a saucepan. Mix the cornstarch with one tablespoon of water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the saucepan and heat the glaze over medium heat until it is thickened. Pour the glaze over the ham.
I don’t like pineapple. Can I use a different type of juice?
Yes, you can substitute the pineapple juice for apple juice or orange juice.
Side items to serve with pineapple glazed ham
- Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
- Marinated Asparagus
- Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cranberries
- Southern Potato Salad
- Southern Deviled Eggs
Pineapple Glazed Ham
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in fully cooked ham shank (mine was about 10 pounds)
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place the ham in a roasting pan or baking dish and cover with foil. Cook the ham 15-20 minutes per pound. For a 10 pound ham, I ended up cooking mine approximately two hours.
- Combine the pineapple juice, brown sugar, mustard, chicken broth and vinegar. Whisk in the cornstarch until smooth. Bring the glaze to a boil and cook until the glaze has thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
- Thirty minutes before the end of the cook time, remove the ham from the oven.
- Apply the glaze liberally to the outside of the ham. Return it to the oven, uncovered. Baste the ham with the glaze every ten minutes for 30 minutes.
- Remove the ham from oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
