Nothing says Christmas or Easter like an old-fashioned Southern Baked Ham with Pineapple and Cherries. Scored and studded with cloves and slathered in a decadent sticky-sweet, brown sugar glaze with a touch of bourbon, this dish is a holiday classic.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time2 hourshrs
Total Time2 hourshrs15 minutesmins
Course: Breakfast/Brunch, Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish
9x13 baking pan with sides or a 12-inch cast -ron skillet.
toothpicks
Ingredients
Ingredients
8pounds smoked, fully-cooked hambone-in, shank or butt cut
120 ounce canpineapple slicesin juice, not syrup
maraschino cherries
2tablespoonswhole cloves
Glaze Ingredients
1½cupbrown sugarlight or dark
2tablespoonsbourbon
1tablespoonDijon mustard
2tablespoonspineapple juice
1tablespoonbutter
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Using a sharp knife, score the ham by cutting shallow lines across the top, going one-way about an inch apart. Then, cut shallow lines across the lines you already cut, making a diamond pattern. Insert a whole clove in each diamond or square.
Place the ham cut side down in a 9x13 baking pan or a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Pour all of the pineapple juice except two tablespoons into the pan or skillet, and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for one and one-half hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center, not touching the bone, reads 140 degrees F.
Add the glaze ingredients to a small bowl, including two tablespoons of pineapple juice. Pour in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Add the butter and cook just until the sugar melts, stirring constantly. Then, take it off the heat. Set aside.
Remove the ham from the oven and turn it onto its side. Spoon the glaze generously on top, making sure to cover all exposed areas. Top with pineapple slices and cherries. Secure them with toothpicks, if necessary. Brush on more glaze.
Put the ham back in the oven uncovered and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until the glaze is sticky and caramelized.
Ham can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature. Top with the remaining glaze before serving, or serve it on the side. Also be sure to remove the cloves and any toothpicks.
Video
Notes
This recipe calls for a bone-in, half of a whole ham that is smoked and fully cooked. You can use a spiral cut, but since they tend to dry out, follow the instructions on the package instead of my recipe for heating it.Baked ham is popular during the holidays for many reasons, including it will feed a crowd. However, it is also perfect for dinner parties, potlucks, and Sunday suppers.For the best flavor and texture, use an instant-read digital meat thermometer and insert it in the thickest part of the ham to measure the internal temperature. The goal is to heat it through without drying it out.When buying a bone-in ham for this recipe, plan on about three-quarters of a pound per person for hearty appetites and maybe a bit more if you want leftovers. But, of course, this can vary depending on the other side dishes you are serving.This recipe and the times listed assume you have an eight-pound bone-in ham. If it's larger or smaller, the cooking times will be longer or shorter.Turn on your broiler for a few minutes before taking the ham out of the oven if you would like more caramelization and some crispy charred edges.Be sure to remove your glaze from the heat just as soon as the sugar melts. If you let it cook too long, it will form a hard candy-like substance and you won't be able to brush it on. If it does begin to thicken too much, try adding some of the pan juices to thin it. It should be the consistency of syrup.