Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham
Made with spiral ham in a sweet glaze and covered with pineapple slices and maraschino cherries, this Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham makes a beautiful centerpiece for any Easter dinner table and the leftovers if there are any are spectacular!
If you’re looking for an easy honey glazed ham recipe, look no further. This recipe features two different glazes – one made with pineapple juice, brown sugar, and honey and the other with just honey and brown sugar – to ensure that each bite is infused with a sweet flavor. Pineapple slices and maraschino cherries on the outside help add additional flavor and keep the moisture locked in.
Once sliced and transferred to a serving platter, this spiral ham makes a beautiful centerpiece for your Easter dinner table.
While pineapple honey glazed ham is traditionally served for Easter, don’t let that stop you from enjoying this year-round. It would be lovely at Christmas time too and you can find hams all year. It’s a great recipe to keep in your pocket when you need something for a special occasion, without a ton of work.
And by the way, this is one of these dishes you WANT to have leftovers of. Cold slices of pineapple glazed ham make an awesome sandwich the next day!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pineapple juice – Pineapple juice creates the base of the sweet glaze.
- Maraschino cherry juice – A bit of maraschino cherry juice adds more flavor to the glaze.
- Brown sugar – Brown sugar is added both to the glaze with the pineapple juice and brushed directly on the ham adding sweetness and a syrupy sauce.
- Apple cider vinegar – Helps to balance the sweetness of the other flavors.
- Cinnamon & cloves – Add a bit of warmth to the ham.
- Honey – Added to both the pineapple juice glaze and combined with the brown sugar to rub directly on the ham.
- Spiral ham – See notes below.
- Pineapple rings – Used to decorate the outside of the ham to add extra flavor as well as a beautiful presentation.
- Maraschino cherries – Added to each pineapple ring to add some pizzaz and visual appeal.
Spiral Ham FAQs
In a nutshell, the difference between the two is simply how it’s sliced. A spiral ham is pre-sliced on a spiral machine that allows for thin, even slices while keeping the ham on the bone. It’s also ideal for glazing, as the glaze can soak into the cracks between the slices, infusing even more flavor into the meat.
Yes, you can make pineapple glazed ham with regular ham. The only difference is that the glazes won’t get into the cracks like it will in a spiral ham. If you go with a regular ham, slice before serving then drizzle the syrup over the top.
Yes, all spiral ham is already cooked. All you’re actually doing is reheating it and adding a glaze to this spiral ham recipe.
It is safe to eat pre-cooked spiral ham cold. But I definitely recommend heating it and adding this tasty glaze for extra flavor.
How to Make Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham
The first step to making this pineapple honey-glazed ham is to create the pineapple glaze.
Step One: Add the pineapple and cherry juices, a cup of brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, a teaspoon of cinnamon, the ground cloves, and half a cup of honey to a pot over medium heat.
Step Two: Stir and let simmer until the sugar and honey are completely melted and the liquid is well blended. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Step Three: In a bowl, combine a half cup of honey with half a cup of brown sugar.
Step Four: Place the ham in a roasting pan, then baste the entire top with the brown sugar glaze.
Step Five: Attach the sliced pineapples to the entire surface of the ham with toothpicks. Add a maraschino cherry to the center of each one, then add 2 to 3 cloves to each pineapple. The easiest way to do this is to insert the sharp end of the clove into the pineapple flesh. Lightly dust the pineapple with the remaining cinnamon.
Step Six: Drizzle the pineapple juice glaze all over the top of the ham.
Step Seven: Cover the ham with foil. Bake for approximately 10 minutes per pound of ham, removing the hame from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 140°F.
Step Eight: Baste the ham with the pineapple pan juices every 20 minutes and remove the foil for the last 20 minutes. This helps keep the ham moist but also adds amazing flavor and a sweet coating.
Step 9: Once the ham is fully heated, remove the pan from the oven, cover it with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.
Step 10: At the same time, pour the pan juices through a strainer and into a pot. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the liquid has been reduced to half. It should be thicker and more concentrated.
Step 11: Before serving the pineapple ham, remove the foil and drizzle the reduced glaze over the top. Remove the pineapple slices and serve as an accompaniment. Slice the ham in line with each spiral slice to serve.
How to Avoid Overcooking a Spiral Ham
Since a spiral ham is already pre-cooked, what you’re really aiming to do is reheat it and not actually cook it. Keeping it in the oven for too long can overcook it and dry it out.
For this pineapple honey glazed ham, it’s important to cook it at a lower temperature – 325°F instead of 350°F – and to remove it from the oven when the temperature reaches 140°F.
It will continue to cook as it rests, so removing it from the oven at 140°F helps ensure that it’s heated through but doesn’t end up dry.
What to Serve With Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham
This easy honey glazed ham pairs perfectly with any of your favorite Easter or Christmas side dishes. For us, that always means mashed potatoes and butter smothered green beans.
A few other worthy sides include:
- Brussels sprouts with bacon
- Air fryer butternut squash
- Garlic roasted broccoli
- Creamy parsnip puree
- Spinach and delicata squash salad
Can The Syrup Be Used As A Dip?
Yes, instead of pouring the reduced pineapple glaze over the ham, you can also serve it on the side so that people can use it as a dip instead.
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Leftover honey glazed ham will last for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can reheat the entire ham in the oven, covered, or slices in the microwave. It’s also great served cold on sandwiches.
- Freezer. Leftover pineapple honey glazed ham can also be frozen. Store slices in airtight, freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months. I recommend adding any leftover juices too, to ensure they stay moist. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat as desired.
More Easter Dinner Favourites:
- Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
- Garlic & Rosemary Grilled Lamb Chops
- Honey Baked Turkey
- Calamari Fritti
- Oven Baked Salmon
- And let’s not forget the wine!
Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham
Ingredients
- 12 oz pineapple juice
- 2 oz maraschino cherry juice
- 1 1/2 cup brown sugar, divided
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 cup honey, divided
- 5-6 lb spiral ham, cooked
- 10-12 pineapple rings, canned
- 10-12 maraschino cherries
- 24-36 whole cloves
Instructions
- Add the pineapple juice, cherry juice, 1 cup brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp cinnamon, ground cloves and 1/2 cup of honey to a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir and let simmer until the sugar and honey have melted and the liquid is well blended. Remove from heat.
- Preheat your oven to 325° F. In a medium bowl mix 1/2 cup of honey an 1/2 cup brown sugar. Place the cooked ham in a roasting pan. Baste the entire top of the ham with the brown sugar glaze.
- Using toothpicks attached the sliced pineapples to the entire outside surface of the ham and then attached a cherry in the center of each pineapple ring with a toothpick. Add 2 or 3 cloves to each pineapple slice by inserting the sharp end of the clove into the pineapple flesh.
- Lightly sprinkle the pineapple slices with the remaining cinnamon.
- Evenly drizzle the pineapple juice glaze all over the top of the ham. Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes per lb of ham remove when the internal temperature reaches 140°F. While cooking, baste the ham with the pineapple pan juices every 20 minutes, removing the foil for the last 20 minutes of cooking.
- When ready, remove the ham from the oven and let rest under the foil for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, pour the pan juices through a strainer and back into a pot. Simmer on medium-high heat for about 15 minutes or until the liquid has been reduced to half. It should be thicker and more concentrated.
- When ready to serve the ham, remove the foil and drizzle a little of the reduced glaze over top of the ham. Remove the pineapple slices and set them aside as a side accompaniment and slice the ham in line with each spiral slice to serve. Any extra glaze can be used as a dipping sauce.
Nutrition
Notes
- Fridge. Leftover honey glazed ham will last for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can reheat the entire ham in the oven, covered, or slices it in the microwave. It’s also great served cold on sandwiches.
- Freezer. Leftover pineapple honey glazed ham can also be frozen. Store slices in airtight, freezer safe containers or bags for up to 3 months. I recommend adding any leftover juices too, to ensure they stay moist. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat as desired.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
