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Sweet and savory come together in my Pineapple Ham recipe to create a perfectly balanced holiday ham! Complete with a brown sugar and pineapple glaze and decorated with pineapple rings, my ham with pineapple is a showstopper guaranteed to impress.
Jump to:
- Ham with Pineapple
- Tools to Make Pineapple Ham
- Pineapple Ham Recipe Ingredients
- Pineapple Ham Recipe
- Detailed Instructions for Cooking Ham with Pineapple
- Expert Tips
- How Much Ham Per Person
- FAQ
- Storing Leftover Pineapple Ham
- Freezing Cooked Ham with Pineapple
- Reheating Ham and Pineapple
- What to Serve with Ham and Pineapple
- Reviews
Ham with Pineapple
Ham and pineapple are the perfect pairing, especially for a holiday dinner or Sunday supper! In this post, I'll show you how to make my baked ham with pineapple, share expert tips and serving suggestions, give you ideas on what to do with leftovers, and answer FAQ about cooking pineapple ham. Everything you need for the best ham and pineapple dinner is here! (And trust me, I have cooked a lot of hams.)
Tools to Make Pineapple Ham
- A skillet. This is my favorite skillet, and the one I always recommend.
- A whisk. I always recommend using a silicone whisk to avoid scratching your pans.
- A silicone basting brush for the glaze. You can also use a soft spatula or a spoon.
- A roasting pan with a rack. This is important! The rack allows air to circulate all of the way around the ham, cooking it evenly.
- Toothpicks for holding the pineapple rings in place.
- You will also need a sharp knife and cutting board to slice and serve the ham.
Pineapple Ham Recipe Ingredients
- Spiral sliced ham: Spiral-cut hams come presliced all the way around. The meat peels off in thin layers. Bone-in hams are perfect for making pineapple ham.
- Canned pineapple rings: These pineapple rings go right on the ham, so you want them to be canned, not fresh. Fresh pineapple can be too acidic when placed directly on ham. You can use fresh pineapple for the glaze, however, because it cooks down.
- Pineapple Juice: This keeps the ham nice and moist while it cooks and infuses it with further flavor.
- Pineapple Glaze: My pineapple glaze recipe combines fresh pineapple, pineapple juice, butter, and a mix of cinnamon, cloves, and brown sugar.
For detailed instructions with photos, serving suggestions, FAQ, expert tips, and more, scroll under the recipe card below!
Pineapple Ham Recipe
Video
Equipment
- toothpicks
Ingredients
Pineapple Ham Glaze
- 1 cup Pineapple fresh - finely chopped
- 1 cup Pineapple juice
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 4-5 Cloves
- ½ cup Brown sugar packed
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
Pineapple Ham
- 9 lb Spiral cut ham
- 1 can Pineapple rings in 100% juice
- Pineapple ham glaze
- 2 cups Pineapple juice
Instructions
Making Pineapple Glaze for Ham
- Chop fresh pineapple finely and add it to a small pot over medium heat along with 1 cup pineapple juice. Mix well.1 cup Pineapple juice,1 cup Pineapple fresh
- Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir to combine and allow it to reach a light boil.½ teaspoon Cinnamon,4-5 Cloves,½ cup Brown sugar packed
- Turn the heat down until it simmers, and let it cook for 10 minutes until thickened.
- Add 1 Tablespoon butter and mix until melted, then remove from the heat.1 Tablespoon Butter
Roasting Ham with Pineapple
- While the glaze cools, place pineapple rings along the bottom of a roasting pan. Preheat the oven to 325°F.1 can Pineapple rings in 100% juice
- Add a roasting rack on top of the pan, then place spiral ham on top of the rack.9 lb Spiral cut ham
- Score the ham with ¼-inch deep cuts along the top to help it soak up the glaze.
- Brush the ham generously with pineapple glaze, including between the slices.Pineapple ham glaze
- Cover the ham completely with pineapple rings, using toothpicks to keep them in place.
- Pour the remaining pineapple juice into the bottom of the pan with the pineapple rings (do not pour it over the ham itself).2 cups Pineapple juice
- Cover with foil and bake for 15-18 minutes per pound of ham.
- Remove from the oven, remove the foil and toothpicks, and set the rings aside.
- Allow the ham to rest for 15 minutes, then glaze it again.
- Slice and serve, then enjoy!
Notes
- For a little extra sweetness, you can add maraschino cherries to the center of each pineapple ring before baking. My family loves ham with pineapple and cherries!
- To make the meal prep easy, you can prepare the glaze ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Just microwave it for a few seconds so it thins out and is easy to pour over the ham.
- Only use canned pineapple for the pineapple rings placed on the ham. This is important: fresh pineapple will break down the texture of the ham and make it mushy.
- Save the pineapple rings and the juices from the bottom of the pan to serve with the ham. They're sweet and delicious!
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Isabel! I've been sharing my recipes online, in cookbooks, and in TV specials since 2012. The most important thing to me is Sunday supper with my family, and inspiring togetherness with my recipes!
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Detailed Instructions for Cooking Ham with Pineapple
Preparing the Pineapple Glaze
- Add freshly chopped pineapple and pineapple juice in a small skillet over medium heat. Mix well.
- Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir to combine and continue cooking until the glaze begins to boil lightly.
- Turn the heat to a low and cook for another 10 minutes or until thickened.
- Finish off the glaze by adding butter and mix well until entirely melted.
- Use glaze immediately on the ham or store it in the refrigerator.
Preparing the Ham with Pineapple
- While the glaze cools, place pineapple rings along the bottom of a roasting pan. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Add a roasting rack on top of the pan, then place spiral ham on top of the rack.
- Score the ham with ¼-inch deep cuts along the top to help it soak up the glaze.
- Brush the ham generously with pineapple glaze, including between the slices.
- Cover the ham completely with pineapple rings, using toothpicks to keep them in place.
- Pour the remaining pineapple juice into the bottom of the pan with the pineapple rings (do not pour it over the ham itself).
- Cover with foil and bake for 15-18 minutes per pound of ham.
- Remove from the oven, remove the foil and toothpicks, and set the rings aside.
- Allow the ham to rest for 15 minutes, then glaze it again. Slice and serve, then enjoy!
Expert Tips
- For extra sweetness, add maraschino cherries to the center of each pineapple ring before baking. My family loves ham with pineapple and cherries!
- To make the meal prep easy, you can prepare the glaze ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Just microwave it for a few seconds so it thins out and is easy to pour over the ham.
- Only use canned pineapple for the pineapple rings placed on the ham! This is important. Fresh pineapple will break down the texture of the ham and make it mushy.
- Save the pineapple rings and the juices from the bottom of the pan to serve with the ham. They're sweet and delicious!
How Much Ham Per Person
You will need about ½ lbs. per person if you are using a boneless ham.
| Amount of People | Ham Weight |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | 2-pound ham |
| 3-4 | 3-pound ham |
| 4-6 | 4 pound ham |
| 10-12 | 5-6 pound ham |
| 12-14+ | Two 4 pound hams cooked separately |
If you need to serve more people, I recommend roasting two smaller hams separately.
FAQ
Pineapple will only change the texture of ham if you use fresh pineapple. Make sure to use canned pineapple rings when baking ham, or the acidity of the fresh pineapple will break the meat down too much and make it mushy. Fresh pineapple is fine for the glaze, however, as it's cooked down.
Place canned pineapple slices on the ham right before baking it. Secure them in place with toothpicks so they remain in place while baking.
Storing Leftover Pineapple Ham
After cooking, store pineapple ham in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can use leftover ham to make my leftover ham recipes - including sliders, casseroles, and more!
Freezing Cooked Ham with Pineapple
You can also freeze cooked ham with pineapple for up to 1 month. When you're ready to use the frozen ham again, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Reheating Ham and Pineapple
Reheat ham in the oven at 275°F and use additional pineapple ham glaze to keep it moist when reheating.
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