Pineapple Glazed Ham

Pineapple glazed ham with a homemade pineapple maple glaze, inspired by Guyanese pine tarts. A quick blast at 400°F browns the ham before the pineapple and cherries go on, so it's golden and caramelized all over.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Caribbean

Keyword Christmas ham, glazed ham with pineapple juice, holiday ham, metemgee, pineapple glazed ham

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 2 30

Rest Time 15

Total Time 3 5

Servings servings

Calories 356kcal

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