This pineapple glazed ham is the dish my son Axel looks forward to most on our holiday table. When I asked my kids what they were most excited to eat, he didn’t hesitate: “That sweet and spicy ham you made.” I thought I’d made it for Christmas, not Thanksgiving, but it had clearly stuck with him. So this year, I’m making it for both.
It’s my Caribbean take on the classic holiday ham. The glaze is inspired by the filling in my Guyanese pine tarts: pineapple, cinnamon and cloves. Instead of brown sugar, I sweeten it with maple syrup and dried apricots, then balance it with spicy brown mustard.
Last year’s ham got its kick from a Scotch bonnet jam made by Tantie Lorraine, and it was gifted to at my event in London. I’ve since run out, so this year I built the heat right into the glaze with wiri wiri, which of course is entirely optional but oh so delicious.
Which ham to buy
Look for a fully cooked, bone-in smoked ham, either a half ham (butt or shank portion) or a spiral-sliced ham. Since it’s already cooked, you’re just warming it through and adding the glaze. Skip the glaze packet; homemade is better.
How much ham do I need?
Plan about ½ to ¾ lb of bone-in ham per person. An 8 to 9 lb half ham serves 12 to 16.
Ingredients for pineapple glazed ham
This ham starts with a fully cooked smoked ham and a homemade glaze made from easy to find staples. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Ham: a fully cooked, bone-in smoked half ham, 8 to 9 lb.
- Whole cloves: for studding the ham.
- Pineapple rings in juice: two cans. The rings go on the ham and the juice goes into the glaze.
- Maraschino cherries: optional, for the classic look.
- Pineapple juice: the base of the glaze.
- Maple syrup and dried apricots: they sweeten the glaze in place of brown sugar.
- Cinnamon stick and spicy brown mustard: warmth and balance.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to make pineapple glazed ham
Make the glaze. Simmer the pineapple juice, maple syrup, apricots and cinnamon stick for 10 minutes, until the apricots soften.
Scoop out the apricots, purée them, and whisk them back into the pan with the mustard. Boil the glaze until it’s thick and reduced to about 2 cups, then remove the cinnamon stick. No straining needed.
Score and stud the ham. Score the ham about ¼ inch deep in a crosshatch pattern and press a clove into the center of each diamond.
Warm it through. Set the ham cut side down on a rack over a sheet pan with water in the bottom. Cover with foil and bake at 325°F for 1½ hours.
Brown it. Uncover, brush on the first coat of glaze, and bake at 400°F for 10 minutes to render the fat and brown the skin.
Add the fruit. Lower the oven to 325°F. Pin the pineapple rings and cherries onto the ham with wooden picks, then glaze again over the fruit.
Glaze and bake. Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes, glazing every 15 minutes, until glossy and 140°F inside. Tent with foil if the top darkens.
Rest and carve. Let the ham rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the picks, then carve and brush the slices with the pan juices before serving.
Why I brown the ham first
The first time I made this, I glazed the ham and covered it with pineapple rings right away. It looked beautiful, but when I lifted the rings, the ham underneath was pale and the fat hadn’t rendered. Now I give it a coat of glaze and 10 minutes at 400°F before the fruit goes on. You get golden, caramelized skin all over, not just where the pineapple isn’t.
Tips for the best pineapple glazed ham
- Clip the picks short. Push them in flush so they don’t burn or show, and remove them before carving.
- Watch the top. If it darkens too fast, tent it with foil.
- Brush the slices. A brush of pan juices on the cut slices gives them shine.
- Cherries are optional. Maraschino cherries give the classic look. Bing cherries are a fancy swap.
Get the kids involved
Studding the ham with cloves and arranging the pineapple and cherries is a perfect job for little hands. Score the ham yourself, then let them do the decorating. It becomes their ham too.
Variation: sweet and spicy
Want a little taste of Guyana in your ham? Add 1 to 2 whole wiri wiri peppers to the glaze while it simmers. Take them out before puréeing for gentle heat, or blend one in for more kick.
What to serve with pineapple glazed ham
On my holiday table, this ham sits next to Caribbean jerk turkey, 5 cheese macaroni and cheese and Caribbean pumpkin rice.
Storage and leftovers
Wrap leftover ham tightly or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze sliced ham for up to 2 months. To reheat, cover the slices with foil and warm them in a 325°F oven with a splash of the pan juices or water so they don’t dry out. Leftover ham is also great in sandwiches, fried rice and split pea soup.
Pineapple Glazed Ham
Equipment
- Roasting rack
- Rimmed sheet pan
- Saucepan
- Blender
- Wooden picks
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
For the glaze
- 1 cup pineapple juice (plus the juice from both cans of pineapple rings)
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 10 dried apricots (I used Turkish apricots, but regular American apricots work)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
For the ham
- 1 fully cooked, bone-in smoked half ham (8 to 9 lb)
- whole cloves (for studding)
- 2 cans pineapple rings in juice (20 oz each, juice saved for the glaze)
- 15 maraschino cherries (optional, about an 8 oz jar)
Instructions
Make the glaze
- Simmer the pineapple juice (including the juice from both cans), maple syrup, apricots and cinnamon stick for 10 minutes, until the apricots soften.
- Scoop out the apricots, purée them, and whisk them back into the pan with the mustard.
- Boil the glaze until it’s thick and reduced to about 2 cups. Remove the cinnamon stick. No straining needed.
Bake the ham
- Heat the oven to 325°F. Score the ham about ¼ inch deep in a crosshatch pattern and stud with cloves.
- Set it cut side down on a rack over a sheet pan with water in the bottom. Cover with foil and bake for 1½ hours.
- Uncover, brush on the first coat of glaze, and bake at 400°F for 10 minutes to render the fat and brown the skin.
- Take it out and lower the oven to 325°F. Pin on the pineapple rings and cherries with wooden picks, then glaze again over the fruit.
- Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes, glazing every 15 minutes, until glossy and 140°F inside. Tent with foil if the top darkens.
- Rest 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the picks before carving, and brush the slices with pan juices before serving.
Notes
- Servings: serves 12 to 16. Plan about ½ to ¾ lb of bone-in ham per person.
- Ham: tested with an 8.6 lb fully cooked, bone-in hickory smoked half ham (butt portion).
- Picks: clip them short and push them in flush so they don’t burn or show.
- Cherries: optional. Bing cherries are a fancy swap.
- Sweet and spicy (optional): add 1 to 2 whole wiri wiri peppers to the glaze while it simmers. Take them out before puréeing for gentle heat, or blend one in for more kick.
Nutrition
The information listed in the recipe card is an estimate provided by an online nutrition tool. The tool evaluates ingredient names and amounts then makes calculations based on the number of servings listed for the recipe. It is provided as a general guideline and not as a precise calculation. For precise nutrition information please feel free to add the ingredients to your preferred nutrition calculator or consult a doctor or licensed nutritionist.
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