Ham with Spiced Brown Sugar Pineapple Glaze

This Ham with Spiced Brown Sugar Pineapple Glaze will steer you away from cloyingly sweet and overly clove-y ham this year. The easy-to-make, slightly spicy glaze is a tasty alternative to the syrupy coating you might be used to. By using a fully cooked ham, your entree is on the table in less time too.

I’m actually shocked that a ham recipe is gracing my site. Never in life has someone said, “Hey, Marta, what kind of meat do you want for dinner?” and I answer, “Ham.” I think my family traumatized me with it growing up. Why, on God’s green earth, does anyone need to put an obscene amount of cloves, dyed, sugary cherries, and canned pineapple on a piece of meat?!? I can never understand why that’s a thing. 

What is Ham?

Ham is a primal cut of meat from the hind (or back) leg of a pig. This cut, when straight off a fresh pig, is a fresh ham. You can roast this meat as is, but the cut is smoked or cured more often than not.

Depending on what’s available in your grocer’s meat section, you might have a variety of cures to choose from. In short, curing is a process of preserving meat past its “sell-by date.” A fresh ham is only good for a certain length of time. The curing process extends that life by anywhere from a few days to years. The most popular cures here in the States are wet brines and smoking. Europe and Asia are legends for their dry-cured hams: Serrano, Iberico, and Jinhua being the most well-known.

The ham we’re using for this recipe shouldn’t be confused with the cold cuts or steaks sold in the deli section. This recipe also isn’t interchangeable with a fresh ham, which would take many more hours to cook.

How do I know what cut of meat to buy when shopping for a Ham?

So what kind of cut are you looking for when you go shopping? Well, that depends on the flavor you want to end up with and how tender you want the meat to be.

Smithfield Ham is the brand that’s easily found in my area. They have a wide range of products, but what you want to avoid are any that are already flavored. Flavoring (other than smoke flavor) will compete with our made-from-scratch glaze. 

Usually, if you see “water added” on your meat label, it means that it’s been wet cured. Some brine has been injected into the meat, often with nitrates, to preserve it. The nitrates are what give the ham that pretty pink color. In addition to the brine, your package may say “Hardwood Smoked.” That label means that the meat hanged over smoking hardwood to give it some flavor and cure it (bacon is made this way). If you have meat in a plastic package from the refrigerated meat case, it’s wet cured and perishable. That’s the cut you want for this recipe. Dry brined or smoked (in the cloth wrapping on the shelf) won’t work for this specific recipe.

Avoid spiral sliced hams as well. We want a piece of meat that is intact and not already cut into. The more cuts in the meat before we start doing our thing, the more it will dry out.

How much Ham do I need to feed my guests?

A good ratio to remember when shopping for this recipe is 8 ounces pre-cooked weight per person. Remember that food loses volume when cooked, so you’re going to end up with less weight post-cooking. So, if you are expecting 6 guests, buy a ham that weighs 3 pounds. The reality is that there are very few hams that weigh less than 5 pounds. Those that are won’t take as long to reheat, but they also won’t leave you with leftovers. I’m of the very strong opinion that if I’m going to go to the effort of preparing a ham, I’m going to be able to eat it (and transform it) for a couple of meals. 

Half-hams usually range in size from 7-12 pounds. Any ham that is 14 pounds or heavier is a whole ham. 

I purchase a 10-pound ham every time I make this recipe. It leaves me with plenty of leftovers for 2 days of dinners, a quiche or two, and maybe a couple of omelets.

Do I buy fully cooked or uncooked ham?

For this recipe, pick up a ham that says “fully cooked” on the label.

The reason why is that all it requires is a warming up in the oven. Granted, because of the size, “warming” a 10, or even 8-pound cut of meat takes a couple of hours. Definitely avoid a fresh ham or one that is only cured but not cooked. Both will add a considerable amount of time to this recipe.

What else do I need to make this recipe?

Now that we’ve gotten the particulars out of the way and we know our meat let’s talk about the other ingredients in this recipe. 

The base flavors are pineapple and brown sugar. Instead of using tons of canned pineapple slices, I steam my ham with pineapple juice. Additionally, I slather it with a paste made from dijon mustard and spiced brown sugar. The “spiced” part of the brown sugar comes from spices and a little spiciness. Ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cayenne pepper, salt, and garlic powder give our ham so much flavor. 

The meat warms in a roasting pan. The brown sugar and pineapple glaze you will make in a saucepot. Too easy, right?

Before you begin anything, lower the rack in your oven to the lower third section of the oven. This will keep the ham from being too close to the heating element.

Can I use dark brown sugar to make my ham glaze?

Though this recipe calls for light brown sugar, you can substitute it with dark brown if that’s all you have. The flavor will be more caramel-y, but it will still taste amazing.

Avoid using granulated sugar as a substitute here. Because it doesn’t have the molasses in it that brown sugar does, it won’t taste as flavorful. Invert sugars, like honey, molasses, or syrup, aren’t recommended either, but that’s because I haven’t formulated the recipe to account for the additional liquid.

Whichever sugar you decide on, whisk it together with all of the other spices until thoroughly combined.

I don’t have dijon mustard. Can I use a different type?

As with the brown sugar, the mustard is swappable. Instead of using dijon mustard, you can use prepared yellow mustard, spicy brown mustard, coarse grain mustard, or honey mustard. Each will give the ham its own unique flavor. The only mustards to steer clear of are hot (Asian) mustard and horseradish mustard. Their flavors won’t complement this recipe. 

Add the mustard to a small mixing bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of the spiced brown sugar. The remaining brown sugar mix will go into making our pineapple glaze later. Combine the mustard and sugar until it resembles a thick paste. If it’s crumbly, pour in a small amount of the pineapple juice. Since we need to spread it on the ham, it should be the consistency of ketchup or mustard, actually.

Place the unwrapped and dried ham in a roasting pan with a rack. Just pat the outside of the meat with paper towels. Because the mustard paste likes to slide off of wet surfaces, drying the exterior helps it stick. Also, to make clean-up easier, I spray my roasting rack with non-stick cooking spray before putting the ham on it. If you don’t have a rack, you can fashion one out of aluminum foil. Form a tube of heavy-duty foil into an oval shape and place it in the bottom of the pan. Set the ham on top of this foil, and you have a rack! If you don’t want to do either, that’s okay, too. The crust may not be as crisp, but it’ll still taste fantastic.

Do I have to roast my ham with pineapple juice?

Now, if you have some aversion to pineapple juice, you can replace it with a juice you do like. Granted, it will no longer be a “Spiced Brown Sugar Pineapple-Glazed” ham, but if you choose the right juice, it’ll still taste great. 

Complementary juices are:

• peach nectar
• apple juice
• orange juice
• cranberry juice
• beer (not a juice, but oh well)

Don’t replace the pineapple juice with water, though. That will just throw a culinary monkey wrench in the dish. You need a liquid that provides flavor. Pour half of the pineapple juice into the bottom of the roasting pan.

What does pineapple juice do for the ham?

The bromelain enzyme found in pineapples is a natural tenderizer, so pineapple is often used in a recipe to tenderize meats. But, here, we’re using it to keep the meat moist and to infuse flavor. Once we cover the pan, the pineapple juice will heat up and begin steaming up and into the ham. Again, this is why we want to use a liquid with flavor in it.

How do I set my ham up in the roasting pan?

I start roasting my ham with it on its cushion, so the fat from the top drips down into the meat. You tend to lose more of the juices if you start it cut side down, especially since we’re elevating it on the rack. Later, you will flip it to coat the outside with the glaze, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

For now, use a spatula or your hand to coat the exterior of the ham with the mustard-brown sugar paste. Lift up the ham to get that paste underneath it, too. Even the cut part of the meat (where you can see the interior) gets slathered in the paste. Use up every last bit of that paste, too. There’s no such thing as putting too much.

Do I need to cover the ham while roasting it?

Once you spread the paste on the ham, cover the pan tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil. You want to make sure the steam from the pineapple juice stays in the pan. Remember, we’re flavoring the meat with this pineapple juice, so we’re going to ensure we’re doing just that. 

I have to use two sheets of foil to completely cover my ham and pan. Sometimes, I spray the part of the foil that will touch the ham with non-stick cooking spray. This keeps the foil from sticking to the collagen-filled skin and ripping it off when I remove the foil later.

What temperature do I roast the meat at, and for how long?

Roast your ham in a 325°F (162°C). The length of time to roast your ham depends on how big it is. Remember, we have a fully cooked ham here, so we’re not cooking it; we’re warming it. That said, we don’t want grandpa to get an ice-cold piece of ham while we’re eating a steaming hot slice. That’s bad juju.

Heat the ham 15-20 minutes per pound. Here’s a handy-dandy chart:

• 10-pounds: 2 1/2-3 hours
• 12-pounds: 3-4 hours
• 14-pounds: 3 1/2-4 1/2 hours
• 15-pounds: 3 3/4-5 hours

Depending on how particular you are about the “doneness” of your meat, you can heat it for 20 minutes per pound. I don’t like dry meat, and again, this is already cooked, so I only heat mine for 15 minutes per pound. When deciding how long to heat your ham, keep in mind that there’s an additional cooking time of 30-45 minutes of caramelizing after adding the pineapple glaze. I recommend the 15 minutes per pound heating time for that reason alone.

How do I make the Spiced Brown Sugar Pineapple Glaze? 

Now to make the glaze that’s gonna make your ham better than your crew’s. 

Add the remaining spiced brown sugar, the rest of the pineapple juice, and the vanilla extract to a saucepan. Turn the stove to medium and use a whisk to combine the two, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring the mixture up to a boil. 

Once the mixture starts to boil, reduce the temperature to low and leave the glaze to simmer for 10 minutes. As the glaze simmers, it will thicken and reduce, becoming more concentrated in flavor. The line in the pot where the sauce began is an indicator of how much it’s reducing. You can turn the stove off and allow the glaze to chill on the stovetop when the level of glaze drops halfway from the starting line.

Can I make the glaze ahead?

I wait until the ham is 15 minutes from being done warming up to make my pineapple glaze. You can totally make this glaze a day or two in advance and store it in a jar in the fridge. Reheat the glaze as needed to make it brushable, but if you need to cut down on same-day prep, go ahead and knock this out.

You can also freeze the glaze after it’s made. Just transfer it to a freezer storage bag and freeze it for 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge and reheat it if necessary before brushing it on the ham.  

How often do I baste the ham?

Once the heating time is finished, remove the pan from the oven. Just set it on the stove, then remove the foil covering. Don’t throw the foil away, though; we’re going to use it later. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (218°C).

If you can, carefully flip the ham so the cut side is facing down. This seems cumbersome, but there’s a method to the madness. If you brush only the top of the ham with the glaze, someone’s bound to get an unglazed slice. If that someone was me, I’d curse you and your progeny for eternity. Instead of being hexed, take the time to flip the ham so that the exterior is exposed. This allows us to brush it all over, and each slice will have glaze on it. Again, we didn’t heat it this way to start because we didn’t want the juices to run out of it.

Brush 1/3 or 1/2 of the pineapple glaze onto the surface of the ham. I brush my ham 3 times (using a 1/3 of the glaze each time) because I like a crisp, caramelized exterior. You can do the same or only brush it twice with 1/2 of the glaze.

What is the internal temp of a fully cooked ham?

Return the ham to the oven and allow that layer of glaze to caramelize for 15 minutes. Remove the pan, brush it with another 1/3 or 1/2 of the glaze, and pop it back into the oven for another 15 minutes. If you did the 1/3 glaze, brush a third time, then, once the ham is properly caramelized and glazed, remove the pan from the oven.

A safe internal temperature for ham is 145°F (62°F), but the old-school temp was 165°F (73°C). A range between the two is hunky-dory. The ham, when at its juiciest, has a blush-pink color.

A great way to ensure your ham is safe for your dinner is to use an internal meat thermometer to monitor it.

How do I ensure the meat stays juicy?

The biggest mistake people make when roasting or cooking meats is cutting into it too fast. Before cutting into it, allow the meat to rest for no less than 20 minutes.

You don’t want it to get cold, you say? Remember that foil I told you to save earlier? Grab it and tent- like, literally make a tent over- the ham. The foil retains the heat, while the tenting allows steam to escape, so our caramelized exterior doesn’t get soft.

Grab a sharp carving knife and a cutting board while the meat rests.

How do you carve a ham?

The best knife to use is one that is thin and long. They’re labeled “carving knives” to make life easier. You can also use an electric carving knife if you have one. Place a damp paper towel under your cutting board, so it doesn’t move about while you cut your ham. 

Transfer the ham to the cutting board after resting it. Situate the ham so that the flattest part of it is on the bottom. This gives you a sturdy base on which to work.

Position the blade of your knife so that you’re cutting parallel to the bone. Listen, bones are wonky, so you never know what it’s doing inside that ham. Just do your best to cut into the meat along the bone. 

Remove the blade from the ham and position it so that you’re cutting perpendicular to (or down towards) the bone. Once you hit the cut you made earlier, you can remove this big ol’ chunk of meat. 

Set it to the side and remove the other half of the meat that’s still attached to the bone. You better not throw that ham bone away! The soups and broths that thing can flavor!! Pop it into a freezer bag and freeze for later (up to a year). 

Use the carving knife to thinly slice the ham.

What do I serve ham with?

Serve it straight from the cutting board or transfer it to a platter. 

For a traditional Southern ham dinner, serve it with 5-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese and Country Style Slow-Cooker Collard Greens. A typical Puerto Rican ham dinner includes Arroz con Gandules and Puerto Rican Potato Salad. Ham is one of those meats that go well with most side dishes. And what’s great is that it tastes great hot, room temperature, or cold. 

As you can see, I garnish mine with those dastardly canned pineapple slices. It helps to let your diners know what’s in the glaze. 

How do I store leftovers?

Transfer any leftover ham to a food storage container and store them in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Reheat just the amount you want to serve in the microwave or in a shallow skillet with a little bit of water. You can also sear it quickly in a non-stick pan to reheat it.

Can I freeze the meat?

If you have tons of leftover meat, cool it completely, then pack it into freezer storage bags. Freeze the meat for 2-3 months. 

Thaw the ham under refrigeration, then reheat as needed and serve. 

How do I repurpose leftovers?

 

There are plenty of recipes to repurpose this ham in. Here are my favorites:

Tripletas

Creole Red Beans and Rice

Western Omelet Baked Potatoes

If you’re a ham-hater like I was, this recipe is going to change that. Be sure to pin it so it’s accessible for your next dinner. Then, share it with your friends and family.