I love baking ham for special occasions because it’s an easy, fool proof, main dish that everyone loves. Some of our favorite spiral ham recipes include honey baked ham, brown sugar ham, maple glazed ham and now this pineapple glazed ham!
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spiral HAM recipe
The magic of this spiral ham recipe comes from the brown sugar pineapple ham glaze. It’s made with pineapple juice, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, ground cinnamon, ginger, coriander, basil, cloves and my secret ingredient – pineapple preserves. The pineapple preserves add concentrated pineapple flavor that can’t be achieved any other way (other than hours of simmering). And if you can’t find pineapple preserves, no fear, pineapple-apricot preserves are readily available and also scrumptious. The resulting pineapple glazed ham glaze is sweet, tender, smoky, laced with warm spices and pineapple undertones. And best of all? This spiral ham with pineapple ham glaze doesn’t cost you $75-$100 like honey baked ham, and it only takes minutes of hands-on prep! It is actually one of the easiest and most economical main courses you can make for the holidays – and the leftovers keep on giving! Once you discover how easy it is to make pineapple ham at home – you will never go back! If you’ve never made spiral ham before, I’m excited for you to kick it off with this pineapple glazed ham recipe. I’ve included detailed instructions and step-by step photos on everything you need to know about What Ham to Buy, and How to Bake a Ham so you are guaranteed a juicy inside and beautifully caramelized outside every time. And if you’re intimidated – just remember, hams are sold fully cooked and fully sliced – ALL you have to do is slather on the pineapple glaze, warm it up and the best pineapple ham is served!
pineapple ham glaze ingredients
The ingredients for the pineapple ham glaze are pretty straightforward, the only ingredient you may need to track down are the pineapple preserves. Here’s what you’ll need:
WHAT IS spiral cut HAM?
For this pineapple glazed ham, you want a spiral-cut ham. Most bone-in hams come spiral cut which means they are pre-sliced in a continuous spiral all the way around the bone. This is beneficial for two important reasons:
WHAT KIND OF HAM SHOULD I BUY?
For the best pineapple glazed ham, you want to purchase a fully cooked, bone-in, spiral cut ham. It is easy to find fully cooked hams at the grocery store, just look for “Fully Cooked” and not, “Cook Before Eating” on the label. Fully cooked hams have been soaked in brine (tender!) and either smoked, baked or boiled before packaging. This means they are completely cooked and therefore completely safe to eat without even warming up! I prefer smoked spiral ham for this pineapple ham recipe. The smokiness plays beautifully with the sweet and tangy pineapple – and it adds so much flavor! If you can’t find smoked spiral ham, then baked is great too.
Should I buy BONE-IN OR BONELESS HAM?
Bone-in hams boast superior texture and flavor to boneless hams. The bone-in hams are surrounded by connective tissue, mostly collagen. As the gelatin melts, it essentially is self-basting and keeps the meat incredibly moist and flavorful. And bonus, you get the ham bone for fabulous stock, stews and soups! Boneless hams, on the other hand, are the same cut of bone-in ham but the bone has been removed and the ham has been reshaped so it won’t fall apart when sliced. This process of compacting and reshaping the ham results in a bit of a spongy texture – which has no place in the best baked ham recipe!
How to Cook a Spiral Ham (with Pineapple Glaze)
How to make pineapple glaze for ham
Pineapple Ham Tools
Now that we have the pineapple ham glaze squared away, it’s time to talk ham. To cook the spiral ham you will need:
8-11 pound fully cooked, bone-in spiralized ham Roasting pan, preferably with a rack Foil Pineapple Glaze Basting brush Thermometer Oven
WHAT IF I DON’T OWN A ROASTING PAN?
If you don’t own a roasting pan, you can purchase a disposable aluminum foil pan at the grocery store for just a few dollars – they even sell them at the dollar store – for only a dollar! Disposable pans are quire flimsy, so always transfer with two hands firmly gripping each side.
HOW TO COOK a spiral HAM
Now onto the main event – actually cooking a spiral ham. It’s easy, with minimal prep and fabulous dividends. Here’s how:
Pineapple Spiral Ham Recipe Tips
Bring ham to room temperature: Plan on removing your ham from the refrigerator 2-3 hours ahead of time so it can come to room temperature and cook evenly. Don’t make glaze too thick: The glaze is ready when it is the consistency of syrup, just thick enough to stick to the ham. To thin the glaze after it thickens for the second glazing, you can heat over low heat in the same saucepan or microwave it for 30 seconds or until it returns to the consistency of syrup. You can add splash of water to help thin if needed. Don’t overcook: Because the ham is already cooked, it can dry out easily if overcooked. Use your meat thermometer and check your ham right at 10 minutes per pound then as needed to achieve the correct temperature. Better yet, use a digital probe thermometer, and set the desired temperature. Let the ham rest: Do NOT skip the resting period once the spiral ham is pulled from the oven. Letting the pineapple ham rest makes the ham ultra juicy!
My favorite thermometer for spiral ham
For perfectly cooked spiral ham that you don’t have to babysit, I suggest this digital probe thermometer- it retrieves temperature precisely to within ±1.8°f (±1°c )! I use it on baked chicken, pork tenderloin, pork loin, beef tenderloin, steak, etc. in the oven and on for meat on the grill too! The thermometer allows you to set the desired temperature and an alarm will set as soon as it reaches the set temperature. Note, if you’ve never used a probe thermometer before, the LCD display does NOT go in the oven or barbecue! You insert the probes into the meat and weave the cables out of the oven and the magnetic back allows you to stick it on your oven door or you can use the flip-out countertop stand.
WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A THERMOMETER?
If you don’t own an instant-read thermometer, I suggest baking the ham for just 11 minutes per pound to be on the safe side, then for just 10 minutes at 400 degrees F when called for. This way your ham is pretty much guaranteed to not be dry – but it is not guaranteed to be warmed through either. If you want a guarantee – use a thermometer :).
How to Serve Spiral Ham
WHAT SIDES ARE BEST WITH pineapple HAM?
This pineapple glazed ham pairs beautifully with all your favorite sides! We particularly love it with Hash Brown Casserole, Pina Colada Fruit Salad, and Baked Parmesan Asparagus. And you can’t skip dessert! Here’s a snapshot of options to choose from or you can see them all on my Easter page:
Potatoes: are a must with baked spiral ham! Try any of these potato favorites to complete your pineapple glaze ham dinner: Company Mashed Potatoes, Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes, Smashed Potatoes, Twice Baked Potatoes, Au Gratin Potatoes, Hash Brown Casserole or Roasted Pesto Potatoes. Risotto: if you’re more of a rice than a potato person, get your comforting carbs in the form of risotto! My risotto recipes are all baked in the oven so they are hand’s off, foolproof and SO EASY. And of course, they taste divine. You can bake the risotto while your ham is resting or bake them before the ham and reheat on the stove because they reheat beautifully! You’ll be drooling over Parmesan Risotto, Mushroom Risotto and Butternut Squash Risotto. Green Salads: you have a variety to choose from depending on whether this is an Easter Ham or Christmas Ham. We love Strawberry Salad Spinach Berry Salad and Strawberry Broccoli Salad in the spring and Apple Salad, Fall Salad, Roasted Butternut Squash Salad and Roasted Beet Salad in the winter. Fruit Salads: are a refreshing side to the savory ham. Perfect Fruit Salad, Creamy Grape Salad, Pina Colada Fruit Salad, Winter Fruit Salad and Berry Salad in Honey Mascarpone Dressing will amp up your fruit game! Pasta Salads: scream spring and are a light, refreshing side to the ham. Creamy Bacon Pea Pasta Salad, BLT Pasta Salad with Lemon Chive Dressing, Strawberry Avocado Pasta Salad, Greek Pasta Salad and Italian Pasta Salad are all favs. Veggies: you can have your sheet pan veggies all prepped and ready to go then throw them in the last few minutes with the ham to cook because the roasting times are very similar. Try Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Butternut Squash, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Root Vegetables or Roasted Carrots, in the oven or Sauteed Brussels Sprouts, Glazed Carrots or Brown Butter Balsamic Asparagus on the stove. Casseroles: you probably don’t hear the word “casserole” and think special occasion, but these casseroles pair beautifully with this pineapple spiral ham and will elevate any plate: Million Dollar Macaroni and Cheese, Zucchini Casserole, Green Bean Casserole or Creamy Brussels Sprouts. Breads: You can go as simple as store-bought rolls or as fabulous as Cheesy Pull Apart Pesto Bread, Award Winning Cornbread, Perfect Dinner Rolls, or Hawaiian Sweet Rolls. Dessert: there are too many fabulous desserts to list here, so I recommend checking out my Easer desserts page. Some of my favorites include Lemon Pound Poke Cake, Kentucky Butter Cake, Crème Brûlée, Chocolate Raspberry Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, Blueberry Cheesecake, Hummingbird Cake, Lemon Blueberry Cake, Cream Cheese Stuffed Carrot Cake.
SHOULD baked HAM BE SERVED AT ROOM TEMPERATURE?
Let the pineapple glazed ham rest just for 15 minutes to reabsorb the juices and serve warm or rest closer to an hour if that fits your schedule better and serve it at room temperature. You can even serve your honey glazed ham cold, but I find this temperature more enjoyable and appropriate when using cold ham for sandwiches and not with hot sides.
Pineapple Glazed Spiral Ham Storage
HOW LONG IS LEFTOVER HAM GOOD FOR?
Leftover baked ham should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When properly stored, ham is good up to 5 days. Beyond, that, freeze any uneaten ham.
How to reheat spiral ham?
Reheat the pineapple ham in a 325-degree F oven for no more than 10 minutes per pound, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees F. If reheating just a few slices of ham, wrap the slices in foil and check after 5 minutes.
Can you freeze a spiral ham?
Yes! I love having leftover baked ham just so I can freeze it for a rainy day! You can freeze ham in slices for sandwiches or chop it up for future eggs, omelettes, casseroles, soups, enchiladas, etc. Frozen ham should be used within 3-4 months.
HOW TO USE LEFTOVER baked HAM
Baked ham is the gift that keeps on giving! It reheats well for leftovers or can be transformed entirely into something new! Try it in:
ham and cheese sandwiches, Cubanos, Monte Cristo sandwiches or ham and cheese sliders Cubano quesadillas grilled ham and cheese green salad such as antipasto salad or cobb salad cold pasta salad such as Italian pasta salad soups such as white bean, ham tortellini soup, chicken cordon bleu soup, navy bean soup and bean and bacon soup pasta such as homemade mac and cheese casseroles such as baked mac and cheese or ham and rice casserole, or swap ham for the protein in chicken divan, King ranch casserole, tuna casserole, etc. potatoes such as scalloped potatoes or hash brown potato casserole Hawaiian pizza or Stromboli rice (like Hawaiian fried rice) breakfast croissants breakfast enchiladas breakfast casseroles scrambled eggs omelettes frittata, quiche or strata potato hash hash browns substitute ham for ANY RECIPE with chicken!
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