The Best Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham For Christmas

Tender, juicy, succulent ham with a sweet and tangy pineapple honey glaze that will put you in the holiday spirit. This is the perfect ham recipe for x mas and definitely a crowd pleaser that will have your family begging you to make it for years to come.

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Hey PBJ’s im back with another Holiday recipe and this time, a main dish, Pineapple honey glazed ham. As I said in my last posted chitterlings recipe, Thanksgiving is over, but the holidays, sure enough, aren’t.

So, although I didn’t get all these delicious holiday recipes up to you before the big dinner, Thanksgiving, you can still use them for Christmas and New Year’s dinner, and of course, they’ll still be here for next Thanksgiving.

I’m ecstatic to share this particular recipe because Ham was probably my favorite thing [meat] to eat during Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. It’s the one thing I looked forward to eating the most.

A Family Holiday Tradition

Ham was a family holiday tradition for us. For Thanksgiving, it was always Turkey and Ham. Those were the two big chunks of meat I remember taking up half of my grandma’s dinner table for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Lol!

Thanksgiving was the only time my grandma would make it so I definitely looked forward to it because I only had it once a year. I loved pulling off the pineapples and cherries and eating them once the ham was done.

Childhood Memories of Christmas Ham

I can remember helping my grand Val place the pineapples and cherries over the ham and pin them with toothpicks. That was also so cool to me. My grandma would pin them in a away where you couldn’t see the toothpicks.

So I remember as a kid, wondering how the pineapples and cherries were able to stay on top of the ham. Hahaha! I keep telling yall I had an imaginary mind and was always very curious about everything. Lol!

I have two childhood memories I want to share, 1 of which I’ll share later, and that’s of my Grandma adamantly saying, “Boy, don’t eat all that fat”! As we all know, ham can be very fatty, especially around the edges, where you’ll find thick layers of white fat.

I’d never pay that any mind because I was too busy devouring it to care. I do remember biting into a bit of chunk of ham fat and thinking, “This is so flavorful”. While I still look to suck on the fat which gives flavor, you’ll never find me eating it now.

I remember my other nana, Alice Mea, going to the grocery store around Thanksgiving and Christmas and seeing her flip several hams over 3 to 4 times to see which one she wanted to buy. I now see why, although I didn’t understand it back then.

But checking to make sure your meat is a thing I now do as an adult. I also check to see if my ham is meaty. Most fat on the ham can be seen on the sides. It’s not in the center, so it’s easy to tell how fatty a ham is.

While fat is important for flavor, some hams can be too fatty, and so when I flip the ham over, I find a ham that’s nearly 90% pink in color, which means it’s meaty. The pinkish color is the meat, and the whitish color is fat.

Ok before I dive more into this recipe and the things you need to know check out the ingredients below. Make sure you have all the ingredients and cooking utensils you think you’ll need to perfect this recipe. 

Ingredients:

• Main Ingredient: Ham
• Spices: Brown Sugar, Ground Cloves, Ground Ginger, and black pepper.
• Condiments: Mustard and apple cider vinegar
• Fruit: Pineapples and cherries.

Glaze ingredients

• Fat: Butter
• Sweetener: Brown Sugar and honey
• Liquids: Water, Pineapple Juice
• Thickener: Cornstarch

Tools:

• Knife: You need a knife to carve holes into the Ham.
• Baster: Make sure you have a baster to drizzle the liquid over the ham. This browns the ham and gives it an amazing color.
• Food Injector: This is the best option for getting flavor throughout and deep into the center core of the ham and layers of meat.
• Instant Thermometer: To check for doneness.
• Toothpicks: Have some toothpicks on deck to pin the pineapples and cherries.
• Casserole Dish: A large casserole dish or baking pan is needed to cook the ham.
• Measuring Cup: Measuring cups are needed to accurately measure the pineapple juice, brown sugar, honey, etc.
• Measuring Spoons: You need measuring spoons to measure the spices and other ingredients.

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Carving deep cuts vs injecting ham

Marinating food has been practiced in the culinary world for many years. People use dry rubs, liquids like marinades, and, most importantly, TIME to inject flavor into meat.

The goal is to not just season or add flavor to the top of your meat but below the layers of meat so you can taste the flavor inside every bite of meat, which makes for a better, more enjoyable dish.

Since ham is large, just like a Turkey, it will take forever to get the flavor to seep through to the center of the meat, so carving holes into the meat and injecting it with flavor is the more effective and convenient option.

• Pre-Sliced Spiral Ham: A spiral ham is your best alternative to all of this because with this ham, you dont have to worry about injecting it with flavor since it’s already sliced. This is also a good option for people cant do or dont like to do a bunch of slicing.
• Injector: A food injector is the best alternative because you can inject the juices directly into the meat. Be sure to do this slowly because the juices can come squirting out of holes you in the ham from previous injections. Also, inject every part of the ham so that the flavor is thoroughly and evenly distributed throughout the ham.
• Carve holes into it: Carving deep crevices into the ham is also an effective way to inject flavor into the core of the meat. It’s similar to how cooks and chefs poke holes into their chicken, steak, or salmon before a marinade or seasoning it.

To use or not use Mustard

Now, this has been debated and asked about many times before. Should you use or not use mustard? I like to add mustard to my ham, although I don’t remember my grandma doing so when I watched her prepare it as a kid.

The first time I saw someone add mustard to their ham was while watching a cooking segment on a cooking network. I was instantly intrigued and impressed with the idea of adding mustard to ham.

Adding mustard to my ham definitely took it to another level. I won’t even make ham if I don’t have mustard now… it’s a necessity! Here is why I like to add mustard and why I think it should be used.

• Adhesive agent: Ok, so the one benefit to adding mustard to your ham is that it helps the spices and brown sugar adhere to the ham and pulls the spices into the deep holes we carve into the ham. It’s a gluing agent that helps the spices stick to the ham during the early cooking stage.
• Flavor: Secondly, it gives the ham another element of flavor. Mustard tastes great with ham. We’ve all had or seen someone eating a ham sandwich with mustard. That’s because mustard tastes great with ham.
• Balance: Mustard also provides balance. We’re using a nice amount of sugar here. Not only the honey and brown sugar used in the glaze but also the sweetness of the pineapple juice, so the mustard neutralizes everything by adding a little tart so the end result isn’t too sweet.
• How to apply it: For the mustard to work as an adhesive agent, you must pat the ham dry after cleaning it. So pat the ham all over to ensure its dry. Then, add a thin layer of mustard to all sides of the ham by rubbing it with your hands.

The Slurry and Glaze

Ok, so for the glaze, there are a bunch of ingredients we’re going to use to create a delicious pineapple honey glaze for our ham, but let me first talk about the slurry, what it is, and why we’ll be using it.

• Slurry: A slurry is a combination of a thickener like cornstarch and flour and a liquid that slowly turns into a gel, glaze, sauce, or gravy over a slow period when simmered over heat.
• Thickening agent: The two common thickeners used to create a slurry is flour and cornstarch. There are two main differences the look and endurance. Gravies, sauces, and gels look glossy when made with cornstarch and dull when made with flour.
• More on cornstarch vs flour: Another difference is the endurance. Slurry made with flour can withstand longer cooking times and get thicker with time. Cornstarch creates glazes, sauces, etc, instantly. If leftover heat for too long, it will thicken, then thin out.
• Liquid: The liquid you use depends on what you’re making it for and what flavor you desire. For example, you’d use chicken broth to make chicken gravy. For steak, beef broth. In this case, we’ll just be using a neutral liquid like water or you can use more pineapple juice.

How to make the pineapple honey glaze

Now, when it comes to glaze I keep it simple with a few ingredients. I use butter because it makes everything taste better and is an essential ingredient when making sauces. I use brown sugar for sweetness and a molasses flavor.

I like to use honey because this is pineapple honey glaze; it adds sweetness, too, obviously, and a nice consistency for glaze. The pineapple juice is a must for a nice tart pineapple flavor, plus this is pineapple honey glaze.

• First Step: Place a pot over medium heat and add in the butter and brown sugar. Stir it in well until it’s dissolved and glistening.
• Second Step: Stir in the honey and pineapple juice until well blended.
• Third Step: Creat the slurry and stir it into the pot.
• Fourth Step: Simmer until it thickens, about 10 minutes. Make sure to stir periodically.

How to clean the ham

Ok, so I like to clean my meat because that’s how I was raised, and there’s always a debate about whether or not cleaning meat is necessary because some believe the bacteria, if any, that’s on it will die in the heat.

But when it comes to ham, cleaning is a must for me. I often see too much stuff on the ham that looks like it doesn’t need to be on it every time I take one out of the package it’s in.

So here are some of the cleaning solutions you can use. I scrub the outside of the ham with one of these solutions, rinse it very well, and pat it dry with a towel.

• Salt water: I usually clean my meats and vegetables using a combination of salt and water. Enough water to cover whatever I’m cleaning and a tablespoon or two of salt.
• Baking soda and water: Baking soda and water are a great cleaning solution and a very effective choice to remove debris and germs as well.
• Vinegar and water:
• Lemon/lime juice and water: Lemon or lime juice and water are great cleaning solutions, but they are more popular in the Caribbean than in the States. They also get the job done.

How to make Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham

1. Carve horizontal and vertical lines/cuts into and all around the ham.
   
   

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2. Rub the ham with mustard, pat on all the spices, and add the vinegar to the casserole dish.
   
   

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3. Pin the pineapples and cherries.
   
   

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4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Make the glaze.
   
   

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6. Pour the glaze onto the ham and inject some into the ham if you want.
   
   

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7. Bake for 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until an instant thermometer reads 145 when poked in the center.

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Tips For Best Results:

• Stir liquid: Lumps can sometimes form as the slurry thinkers into a glaze, so make sure to stir the liquid periodically as the ham bakes and the juices simmer.
• Baste ham: Baste the ham.. this will prevent the top of the ham and the pineapples from drying out and burning. Basting also keeps the inside moist as the juice flow into the center through the slits and crevices. It also helps to brown and give the ham a nice color.
• Check for doneness: Use an instant thermometer to check for doneness, especially if you’re a new cook. This is an easy way to tell if your ham is done. Stick it in the middle and if it reads 145, your ham can be removed. Check after at least 2 hours.

Serving Suggestions

Since ham is a holiday main dish, I’m going to give you a few sides and vegetable side dishes we commonly make to go along with it, especially for a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Some of these dishes you can find right here on my blog. 

• SIDE DISH OPTIONS: World’s Best Southern Potato Salad, World’s BEST Moist Southern Cornbread
• VEGETABLE SIDE DISH OPTIONS: World’s Best Southern Collard Greens, The Best Soul Food Style Candied Sweet Potatoes

Have any leftover Ham?

Ok, so about that other childhood memory. I have memories of one of my aunts waking up in the middle of the night at grandma’s house making ham sandwiches. We always found something to do with leftovers. 

Aunt Pam, yea the same one I mentioned in my Simple Juicy Roasted Whole Chicken Recipe , who makes a chicken salad using leftover meat from baked whole chicken, would do something similar with leftover Thanksgiving turkey meat.

• Ham Sandwich: You can take that ham, slice it into long, thin pieces, and fry it for a few minutes over medium heat with onions. Then, place the fried ham and caramelized onions on a bun with mustard and live your best life.
• Ham in Mac n Cheese: Ham in baked macaroni and cheese is very popular nowadays. You can chop the leftover ham up into small pieces and add it to your macaroni and cheese like you would the cheese and bake it as usual. This is probably the 2nd favorite macaroni and cheese after seafood mac and cheese.
• Ham in Lima Beans: Leftover ham is perfect for this dish. Instead of boiling ham hocks for hours until tender, simmer your beans as usual, then chop up the leftover ham into small pieces and add it to the pot of beans.
• Ham for Pizza: Ham on pizza is also a good idea. I haven’t tried doing this myself yet but I know people who love it will enjoy it. Chop the leftover ham into thin small pieces add it to the top of your pizza and enjoy.

Storage and reheating

• How do you store ham? Cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator.
• Can you freeze a ham? Absolutely! Ham freezer greatly. Just ensure it’s fully sealed in a Ziploc bag so it doesn’t get freezer burn.
• How to reheat ham? You can slice the ham up and reheat it in the microwave, or you can reheat it in the oven.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Do you cover it with aluminum foil? No! Covering the ham with aluminum foil isn’t needed. But to ensure it’s very tender, you can cover it for the first hour and some change, then continue baking it uncovered if it helps you have a Merry Christmas.
• How long does it last? Ham can last up to a week and for months if properly stored in the freezer.

Other holiday recipes you might like:

• The BEST New Year’s Eve Pig’s Feet Recipe
• Simple Juicy Oven Roasted Whole Chicken Recipe
• Gwen’s Southern Chitterlings (Chitlins) Recipe

That’s it folks, it’s time to goooo! Get your ingredients, get in the kitchen, and get to cooking up this beautiful ham that’s will make your Christmas Merry.

If you love this ham and I know you will, please give me a 5 star rating and leave a review below letting the readers know how good it was. Also subscribe to receive notifications via email everytime I post a new recipe.

To stay updated on everything Philly Jay Cooking, follow me on social media at the following links. Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Enjoy, later!

PBJ~

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Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham For Christmas

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• Author: PhillyboyJay
• Prep Time: 30 Mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs
• Total Time: 3 Hrs 30 Mins
• Yield: 10-12
• Category: Holiday Season
• Method: American
• Cuisine: Soul Food

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Description

Tender, juicy, succulent ham with a sweet and tangy pineapple honey glaze that will put you in the holiday spirit. This is the perfect ham recipe for x mas and definitely a crowd pleaser that will have your family begging you to make it for years to come.

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Ingredients

• 11 Lb In-Bone Shank Portion Ham
• Maraschinos Cherries
• (2) 10z Canned Pineapples Slices In Juice
• 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 Cup Mustard
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Tsps Cinnamon
• 1 Tsp Ground Ginger Powder
• 1 Tsp Ground Clove
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper

  Pineapple Honey Glazed

• 3 Tbs Butter
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Honey
• 1–1/2 Cup Pineapple Juice
• 1/4 Cup Water
• 4 Tbs Cornstarch

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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Instructions

1. Place the ham meat side down into the casserole dish.
2. With a knife, carve horizontal and vertical lines into and all around the ham. 
3. Rub the ham down with mustard.
4. Sprinkle the spices over the ham and pat the brown sugar onto the ham, making sure the mustard is fully covered.
5. Lay the ham on its side and pin the pineapples and cherries to it with toothpicks.
6. Pour the vinegar into the casserole dish.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
8. Create a slurry: Combine the water and cornstarch and stir together until smooth.
9. Place a medium size pot over medium heat.
10. Add in the butter and brown sugar, then stir. 
11. Once the sugar dissolves, stir in the honey and pineapple juice.
12. Add the slurry and simmer for 10 minutes.
13. Pour the glaze into the casserole dish and drizzle some of it over the ham. 
    This is when you can inject the ham with the glaze juices. Make sure to do so slowly and to inject each side of the ham at least 8 times.
14. Bake the ham for 2 to 2-1/2 hours, and baste it with the juices periodically.
    You can check for doneness by using an instant thermometer. If it reads 145 after 2 hours, it’s done and can be removed. 

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