The Best Pineapple Glazed Ham Recipe (2024)

Easy Pork Recipes Holiday Cuisine Main Courses December 7, 2023 | By Kristen Chidsey | 14 Comments | *This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

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Made with a sweet and savory pineapple ham glaze, this recipe for Baked Pineapple Ham makes an easy, yet impressive entree fit for the holidays.

The Best Pineapple Glazed Ham Recipe (1)

Just like my recipe for Instant Pot Ham, this recipe for Baked Pineapple Ham proves that pineapple and ham are a magical combination. The sweetness of the pineapple juice not only pairs well with the savory flavor of the ham, but the pineapple juice works to help tenderize the ham.

Serve this Glazed Pineapple Ham with scalloped potatoes, roasted asparagus, and a strawberry spinach salad for the most spectacular holiday meal, and be prepared to hear your dinner guests sing your praises.

why you'll love this recipe for pineapple ham

Incredibly Easy Recipe. There is no basting, no broiling, and no babysitting required with this recipe for baked ham.
Impressive Flavor. The ham is baked low and slow with an easy sweet and savory pineapple ham glaze that gives this baked ham the most incredible, mouth-watering good flavor.
Moist and Tender. Because the glazed ham is wrapped in foil and cooked low and slow, you don't need to worry about your ham drying out and the pineapple juice in the ham glaze works to tenderize the ham.
Perfect for a Crowd. Not only does everyone love the flavor in this Pineapple Ham, but you can easily double the ham glaze or cut the glaze in half to accommodate the size of ham needed to serve your guests. Of course, this glazed ham is so good, I often plan to make extra just to enjoy leftovers!

Notes on Ingredients

There are two main components to this recipe; the ham and the glaze for the ham. The pineapple brown sugar glaze on this ham is OUT OF THIS WORLD! While it has a few unique ingredients, it creates an easy glaze that is the perfect balance between sweet and savory.

The Best Pineapple Glazed Ham Recipe (2)

Ham: This recipe is designed for a cured, precooked ham, also referred to as a city ham. Do not purchase uncooked ham or cured, uncooked ham which is referred to as country ham. You can purchase a whole or sliced ham, boneless or bone-in. I prefer a spiral-sliced ham with a bone. Not only is it easier to serve and I love that the glaze can drip in between the slices, but the bone can also be used to make a delicious Ham and Bean Soup.
Pineapple Ham Glaze:
- Pineapple Juice: Pineapple juice naturally sweetens the glaze and the acidic sweetness pairs perfectly with the salty ham.
- Apricot Preserves: This may sound like an odd ingredient, but the apricot sweetens the ham and adds so much flavor to this glaze. I use All Fruit Apricot Preserves, to cut down on added sugars, but you can use any brand you like. If you can't find apricot preserves, feel free to use honey in place of the preserves.
- Dijon Mustard: The Dijon adds a sharp note to the glaze.
- Horseradish: Trust me on this, the tiny bit of horseradish opens up your palate to allow the flavors of the ham and glaze to come to life. It does not overpower the flavor of the glaze nor is it a prominent flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Just a tad to add to the sweetness in this glaze. Plus the brown sugar gives notes of rich molasses flavor.
- Spices: I use a tiny bit of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. These are traditional spices found in a ham glaze and add classic notes that are common in holiday ham recipes.

∗ Tips for the Best Glazed Pineapple Ham ∗

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Evenly glaze your ham. To ensure every morsel of the ham is well seasoned, gently pull apart the slices of the ham and pour the glaze over the ham, drizzling in between the slices.
The key to a great ham is to NOT overcook it. We have all had our share of dried-out ham and that is not pleasant! We want to be sure to just warm the ham, as it is already cooked.
Another way to ensure your ham remains juicy is to cook the ham in a moist environment. That is why when I am preparing a small ham, I use my recipe for Instant Pot Ham as the pressure cooker creates a moist environment. But for a large ham, we can easily create an environment in the oven that will keep this ham moist and juicy, and deliver fabulous results! To create moist heat in the oven, I use a roasting pan fitted with a rack and bake the ham over water. The water will create steam as the ham bakes, which will help to evenly and slowly cook the ham without drying it out.
My number one tip for a juicy baked ham is to wrap the ham in foil.As the ham bakes, it stays moist, thanks to the foil, and the glaze seeps into the ham, flavoring the entire ham--not just the outer layer. Plus this makes the process of clean-up super simple!
Use an oven-safe digital thermometer. Because the ham is precooked, we are essentially just reheating it. According to the USDA, ham is safe to eat after being reheated to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The best way to determine how long to bake is to insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the ham and set an alarm for 140 degrees F. Cooking to this temperature will ensure your ham stays moist and juicy and is safe to eat.
Let the ham rest after baking. It is best to allow the ham to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. This will help the ham stay juicy and tender.

FAQs about Making a Glazed Ham

How long does it take to cook ham?

When baking ham at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, you should plan on 15 minutes per pound for bone-in ham and 20 minutes per pound for boneless ham.

How much ham per person?

As for how much ham you need, you should plan on ½ of a pound of ham per person for bone-in-hams and ⅓ of a pound of ham per person if using a boneless ham.

Can I caramelize the ham glaze?

If you want the crispy, caramelized edges on the exterior of the ham, you can opt to broil the ham. To do this, remove the ham from the foil and place the ham back on the roasting pan. Broil the ham under high heat, keeping a close eye on it so it does not burn, and broil for a couple of minutes. Please keep in mind, that this tends to dry the ham out VERY quickly and isn't necessary. The glazed ham is perfect simply baked.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Allow the baked ham to cool fully and then transfer slices to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Place slices of the cooled ham into a freezer-safe container or bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheat: If needed, allow the ham to defrost overnight in the refrigerator. To keep the ham from drying out, cover the bottom of a baking dish with chicken stock, pineapple juice, or water and add in the slices of ham. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 300 degrees F for 15-20 minutes just warm through. The liquid and foil will prevent the ham from drying out when reheated.

Recipes Using Leftover Ham

Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets
Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup
Cheesy Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
Ham Stromboli
Ham and Egg Breakfast Casserole

If you enjoyed this recipe for Baked Pineapple Glazed Ham, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

Glazed Baked Ham

Baked low and slow in the oven with a sweet and savory glaze, this recipe for Baked Ham is tender, moist, and has the most incredible flavor.

5 from 14 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

▢ 7-10 pound ham see notes about type of ham

Ham Glaze

▢ ⅓ cup pineapple juice
▢ ¼ cup apricot preserves
▢ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
▢ 1 tablespoon brown sugar light or dark
▢ 1 teaspoon prepared Horseradish
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice

Instructions

Remove ham from the refrigerator for 1 hour before baking.
Preheat the oven to 325℉. Pour 2 cups of water into the bottom of a large roasting pan that is fitted with a rack and set aside.
Prepare the ham glaze by combining pineapple juice, apricot preserves, Dijon, horseradish, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice together in a heavy-bottomed small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking often, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is well combined. Remove the glaze from the heat.
Unwrap the ham and discard the packaging and any plastic caps or inserts that are sometimes found in a bone-in ham. Place the ham on heavy-duty foil, folding up the sides to form a "bowl" around the ham. If your ham is sliced, gently loosen the slices apart to allow the glaze to drip down in between the slices. Pour the glaze evenly over the ham. If needed, allow the ham to defrost overnight in the refrigerator. To keep the ham from drying out, cover the bottom of a baking dish with chicken stock, pineapple juice, or water and add in the slices of ham. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 300 degrees F for 15-20 minutes just warm through. The liquid and foil will prevent the ham from drying out when reheated.
If using, insert the probe of an oven-safe digital thermometer into the middle of the ham (the thickest part.) Tightly wrap the foil around the ham to cover. Place the wrapped ham on the prepared roasting pan.
Bake ham until an internal temperature of 140℉ is reached, or for 15 minutes per pound for bone-in ham and 20 minutes per pound for boneless ham.
Remove the ham from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Carefully unwrap the foil, slice, and serve.

Equipment Needed

Notes

Apricot Preserves: If you can't find apricot preserves, feel free to use honey in place of the preserves.

Pineapple Juice: Use canned pineapple juice or replace it with honey.

Horseradish: For sensitive palates, or a sweeter ham, omit it from the glaze.

Storage: Leftover ham should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, allow the ham to defrost overnight in the refrigerator if needed. Cover the bottom of a baking dish with chicken stock, pineapple juice, or water, and add in the slices of ham. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 300 degrees F for 15-20 minutes just warm through. The liquid and foil will prevent the ham from drying out when reheated.

Nutrition

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About Kristen Chidsey

Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

Reader Interactions

Comments

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Dalia Kaplan
April 02, 2023 at 3:43 am
Forgive my asking i am not from the state, would you be kind and tell me what part of meat should i ask my Bucher...thank you, Dalia Kaplan.
Reply
- Kristen Chidsey
  April 02, 2023 at 7:10 am
  Hi Dalia! Ham is the cured leg of pork. You just want to be sure it is cured not raw for this recipe to work.
  Reply
katerina
April 18, 2022 at 5:24 am

This was perfect for Easter!
Reply
Peggy
April 17, 2022 at 10:10 pm

I used your baked ham recipe, but used peach preserves in the glaze and it turned out fabulous! My whole family loved it, especially my 5 year old grandson who asked for 3 extra slices!
I also used the scalloped potato recipe and it was also a huge hit. I definitely have these both marked for repeat dinners.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes.
Reply
Agnes
April 17, 2022 at 12:42 pm

Delicious! I love using the leftover ham to make ham & cheese sliders on sweet rolls. Two meals in one!
Reply
- Kristen Chidsey
  April 17, 2022 at 4:19 pm
  What a great use of leftovers Agnes! So happy to hear you enjoyed.
  Reply
Jessica
April 15, 2022 at 12:23 pm

We celebrated Easter early and I made this ham and everyone absolutely LOVED it! Thank you so much for making me the hero! 🙂
Reply
Jeanne
November 18, 2020 at 2:11 pm
Sounds really good can this be cooked in a roaster oven 18 quart
Reply
- Kristen Chidsey
  November 18, 2020 at 2:57 pm
  Yes, Jeanne. I would add pineapple juice or water to the bottom or the roaster oven. Then use the same cook time/temperature as oven.
  Reply
Claudia Lamascolo
April 02, 2020 at 8:34 am

I love the ease of this recipe and sweet apricot jam and that ham looks fabulous I have one in the freezer can't wait to make this!
Reply
Nellie Tracy
April 01, 2020 at 10:38 pm

YUM! Perfect for Easter Sunday!
Reply
Heather
March 31, 2020 at 5:41 pm

This is a great ham for the holiday because it's easy to make and always turns out perfect!
Reply
- Kristen Chidsey
  April 01, 2020 at 4:24 pm
  I am so glad you enjoyed it Heather! Happy Easter!
  Reply
Erin
March 31, 2020 at 5:34 pm

I can't believe Easter is almost here this is the recipe I will be using that glaze is great.
Reply