Are you searching for the ultimate holiday showstopper? A magnificent, jaw-dropping centerpiece for your Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner table that is as impressive to behold as it is unbelievably delicious to eat? This incredible, from-scratch Classic Pineapple Honey-Glazed Ham is that perfect recipe. We’re talking an impossibly juicy and tender, smoky ham, with a beautiful, diamond-scored crust, studded with cloves, and adorned with classic pineapple rings and cherries, all lacquered in a luscious, sticky, and sweet honey glaze.
This isn’t just another recipe; it’s your definitive guide to creating a truly unforgettable holiday feast. While a whole glazed ham may seem intimidating, we’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to mastering this iconic centerpiece. This is a satisfying, soulful, and deeply impressive meal that is destined to become a new family tradition.
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Festive & Easy Holiday Main
What makes this Glazed Ham so spectacularly delicious is its incredible depth of flavor and its stunning, retro-charming presentation. This recipe is a masterpiece of classic, festive cooking. The star of the show is a magnificent, bone-in, fully-cooked smoked ham. The ham’s fat cap is beautifully scored into a diamond pattern, studded with aromatic whole cloves, and decorated with sweet pineapple rings and maraschino cherries. The real magic happens in the oven, where the ham is gently heated through and then lacquered with a luscious, from-scratch glaze made from honey, brown sugar, and the reserved pineapple juice. The result is an unbelievably juicy ham with a beautiful, glossy, and caramelized crust.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 4 hours (includes resting) |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 12-16 |
The Holiday Pantry: The Essential Ingredients
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality, classic ingredients to create its signature rich and savory-sweet flavor.
- The Ham (Bone-in is KEY!):
- For the absolute most flavorful and juiciest result, it is essential to use a bone-in, fully-cooked, smoked ham. As the ham cooks, the bone adds an incredible, deep flavor, and it helps the meat to stay wonderfully moist. You can use either the “butt” (upper portion) or the “shank” (lower portion) half.
- The Glaze:
- A simple but perfect combination of sweet honey, rich light brown sugar, and the sweet-tart juice reserved from your can of sliced pineapples. Simmering these three ingredients together is the key that creates a thick, syrupy, and incredibly flavorful glaze.
- The Decorations: The classic, retro, and completely irresistible decorations are a non-negotiable part of the charm!
- Pineapple Rings & Maraschino Cherries: The quintessential, sweet and tangy decoration for a classic holiday ham.
- Whole Cloves: Studding the intersections of your scored fat cap with whole cloves is a classic technique that not only looks beautiful but also infuses the ham with a wonderful, warm, and aromatic spice flavor as it bakes.
The Glazing Masterclass: The Secret to a Perfect, Lacquered Crust
This recipe uses a simple but brilliant “three-stage” glazing process. Here’s why each step is so important:
- The Low and Slow Roast: The initial, long bake at a low temperature (325∘F) is designed to gently heat your fully-cooked ham all the way through to the bone without drying it out.
- Crank Up the Heat: The number one secret to a perfect, caramelized crust is to crank up the oven temperature to a hot 425∘F for the final glazing stage. This high heat is the key that allows the sugary glaze to bubble, thicken, and caramelize quickly, creating a beautiful, dark, and lacquered crust without overcooking the ham inside.
- Multiple Coats are Key: By brushing the glaze on in three separate, thin layers during the final 45 minutes of cooking, you are allowing each layer to caramelize and set. This is the secret that builds up that beautiful, thick, glossy, and deeply flavorful coating.
Step-by-Step to the Perfect Pineapple Honey-Glazed Ham
This elegant, festive meal is a joy to prepare.
Part 1: Prepare the Ham and the Honey Glaze
Step 1: First, let your ham sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).
Step 2: Use a sharp paring knife to score the fat on the ham in a diagonal, crosshatch pattern, making shallow cuts about 1-inch apart. Be careful not to cut through to the meat.
Step 3: If you are using them, push the whole cloves into the ham at the intersections of your cuts. Place the ham, flat-side down, on a rack that has been set in a large roasting pan.
Step 4: Drain your cans of sliced pineapple, making sure to reserve all the delicious juice for your glaze. Arrange the sliced pineapple all over the ham, securing each one with a toothpick. Add a maraschino cherry to the center of each pineapple slice and secure it with another toothpick.
Step 5: Pour about 1/4 inch of water into the bottom of the roasting pan and tent the ham with foil.
Step 6: While the ham begins to roast, prepare your glaze. Combine the honey, brown sugar, and your reserved pineapple juice in a large saucepan. Bring it to a simmer over a medium heat and let it cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes, until it has thickened, become syrupy, and has reduced to about 3 cups.
Part 2: The Low and Slow Roast and the Final Glaze
Step 1: Roast your foil-tented ham for about 2 hours and 30 minutes (or about 15 minutes per pound), until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham (making sure to avoid the bone) registers 130∘F. Step 2: Increase your oven temperature to 425°F (218°C). Step 3: Uncover the ham and carefully brush about a third of your prepared glaze all over it. Bake for 15 minutes more. Step 4: Brush the ham with another third of the glaze and bake for another 15 minutes. Step 5: Brush the remaining glaze all over the ham and continue to cook for about 15 more minutes, until the glaze is shiny and the ham is a beautiful, dark golden brown. The final internal temperature should register 145∘F. Step 6 (The Most Important Step!): Transfer the ham to a serving platter and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before you carve it.
Pineapple Honey-Glazed Ham (A Holiday Showstopper!)
A classic and impressive recipe for a Pineapple Honey-Glazed Ham, perfect as the centerpiece for a holiday meal. This dish features a bone-in, fully-cooked smoked ham that is scored and studded with cloves. The ham is decorated with pineapple rings and maraschino cherries, then slow-roasted in the oven. During the final stages of cooking, it is repeatedly brushed with a sweet and syrupy homemade glaze made from honey, brown sugar, and the reserved pineapple juice, creating a beautiful, caramelized exterior.
Ingredients
- One 9- to 10-pound bone-in fully-cooked smoked ham
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves (optional)
- Two 20-ounce cans sliced pineapple
- 20 maraschino cherries
- 2 cups honey
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- Water
Instructions
- Let the ham sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Trim any skin from the ham. Use a sharp paring knife to score the fat in a diagonal crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. If using, push the whole cloves into the intersections of the cuts.
- Place the ham, flat-side down, on a rack in a roasting pan.
- Drain the pineapple slices, reserving the juice for the glaze. Arrange the pineapple slices all over the ham, securing them with toothpicks. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple slice, also securing with a toothpick.
- Pour 1/4 inch of water into the bottom of the roasting pan and tent the ham with foil.
- Roast for about 2 hours and 30 minutes (or about 15 minutes per pound), until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham (avoiding the bone) registers 130°F.
- Make the Glaze: While the ham roasts, combine the honey, brown sugar, and reserved pineapple juice in a large saucepan. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the glaze has thickened, become syrupy, and reduced to about 3 cups.
- Glaze the Ham: Once the ham reaches 130°F, increase the oven temperature to 425°F.
- Uncover the ham and carefully brush one-third of the glaze all over it. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Brush with another third of the glaze and bake for 15 more minutes.
- Brush the remaining glaze over the ham and cook for about 15 more minutes, until the glaze is shiny and the ham is dark golden brown. The final internal temperature should be 145°F.
- Let the ham rest for at least 15 minutes before carving and serving.
Notes
- This is a showstopper main course, perfect for holidays like Christmas or Easter.
- Scoring the fat on the ham not only creates a beautiful presentation but also allows the glaze to penetrate the meat.
- The three-stage glazing process at the end of cooking builds up a thick, caramelized, and flavorful crust on the ham.
- Resting the ham before carving is a crucial step to ensure the meat is juicy and tender.
- The article references a ‘Cook’s Note’ that is not provided in the text.
Storage and Leftover Ideas
- Storage: Store any leftover ham, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- The Best Leftovers: Leftover glazed ham is a true holiday treasure! It makes the absolute best sandwiches, is fantastic diced up in an omelet or a frittata, and you can use the ham bone to make an incredible, flavorful split pea or a bean soup.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a juicy, not dry, holiday ham?
The two most important secrets are to not overcook it and to let it rest. Since you are starting with a fully-cooked ham, you are essentially just reheating it. Using an instant-read thermometer to pull the ham from the oven just as it reaches the perfect temperature, and then letting it rest for at least 15 minutes, are the non-negotiable keys that will guarantee an incredibly juicy and tender result.
Q2: What kind of ham is best for this recipe?
A bone-in, spiral-cut, or uncut, fully-cooked, smoked ham is the absolute best choice for the most flavor and a super juicy result.
Q3: How do I properly score a ham?
It’s easy! Use a small, sharp paring knife to make shallow, diagonal cuts (only about 1/4-inch deep) all across the fatty surface of the ham, spaced about 1-inch apart. Then, simply turn the ham and make another set of diagonal cuts going in the opposite direction to create that classic, beautiful diamond pattern.
Q4: Can I make the glaze ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely! The honey-pineapple glaze can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You may need to gently warm it on the stovetop to loosen it up before you glaze the ham.
Q5: What if I don’t have whole cloves?
If you don’t have whole cloves, you can simply omit them. Your ham will still be absolutely delicious!