Sweet Pineapple Glazed Ham

Sweet pineapple glazed ham is a bone-in ham coated in a sticky, caramelized glaze made from pineapple juice, brown sugar, and spices. The glaze browns in the oven while the ham cooks through, creating a crisp, sweet exterior and keeping the meat juicy inside. The key is basting it every 30 minutes so the glaze builds up layers instead of burning.

Ingredients for Sweet Pineapple Glazed Ham

Bone-in ham is the foundation, staying moist through slow roasting. Pineapple juice adds tropical sweetness and acidity that balances the richness. Brown sugar caramelizes in the oven and sticks to the surface. Whole cloves add warm spice to every bite. Dijon mustard brings tang and helps the glaze adhere. Ground ginger deepens the flavor without overpowering. Cinnamon echoes the warmth of cloves. Black pepper cuts the sweetness.

Why This Sweet Pineapple Glazed Ham Works

Ham is already cooked when you buy it, so your job is to warm it through and build the glaze. Scoring the surface in a crosshatch pattern gives the glaze crevices to cling to and exposes more of the ham to heat, so it browns faster and tastes more concentrated.

Basting every 30 minutes does two things: it keeps the outside from drying out while the interior warms, and each time you brush it on, a little more glaze sticks and caramelizes. By the end, you have a burnished, sticky coating instead of a thin, wet one.

The pineapple juice in the glaze contains enough acid and sugar to caramelize without burning if you keep the oven temperature moderate. At 325°F, the glaze browns steadily without charring, and the ham’s internal temperature climbs slowly and evenly.

Mistakes To Avoid

Skipping the score means the glaze sits on top of the skin and slides off instead of soaking into the crevices. The result is a sticky but thin coating that cracks when you slice. Always cut the crosshatch before you make the glaze.

Oven temperature above 350°F burns the glaze before the ham finishes heating. The surface turns black and tastes bitter while the center stays cool. Stick to 325°F and baste regularly to prevent this.

Not basting regularly leaves the exposed surface dry and the glaze thin. After an hour, the top feels leathery and the caramelized layer is spotty. Set a timer and brush every 30 minutes, no exceptions.

Carving or slicing while the ham is hot causes the meat to tear and fall apart. The fibers have not had time to relax, and the juices run out. Let it rest 15 minutes so it stays intact when you cut it.

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Ingredients

• 1 bone-in ham, 8 to 10 pounds
• 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 20 to 30 whole cloves
• 1/2 cup water

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Heat oven to 325°F (163°C). Place ham skin-side up on a rack in a roasting pan and add 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the pan.
2. Using a sharp knife, score the ham skin in a crosshatch pattern, cutting about 1/4 inch deep through the fat but not into the meat.
3. Press one whole clove into the center of each diamond formed by the scoring, spacing them evenly across the surface.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, ground ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper until the sugar dissolves.
5. Brush half of the glaze over the scored surface of the ham, coating it evenly. Roast uncovered for 1 hour.
6. Remove the ham from the oven and brush with the remaining glaze, making sure to coat the scored areas and any exposed edges.
7. Return to the oven and roast for another 1 to 1.5 hours, basting with pan drippings every 30 minutes, until the glaze is dark brown and caramelized and the internal temperature at the thickest part reaches 140°F (60°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
8. If the glaze darkens too much before the ham is done, cover loosely with aluminum foil and continue roasting until the internal temperature is correct.
9. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving or slicing.
10. Transfer to a cutting board and serve warm or at room temperature.