The Best Pineapple Glazed Ham Recipe (2024)

Notes on Ingredients

• 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, Split Pea soup, or Potatoes and Green Beans with Ham.
• Pineapple Ham Glaze: The pineapple 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.
  • 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.

How to Bake Ham with Pineapple Glaze

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.

Step One: Make Pineapple Ham Glaze. The glaze comes together quickly by heating the ingredients in a heavy-bottomed small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is well combined.

Step Two: Glaze the Ham. Place the unwrapped ham on a large piece of 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.

Step Three: Bake Ham. Bake the ham until an internal temperature of 140 degrees F is reached. The best way to determine the ham reaches the right temperature is to use an oven-safe digital thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham.

How long does it take to bake ham?

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