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Honey Glazed Ham Recipe: Easy Pineapple Brown Sugar Crust for Perfect Holiday Dinners

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This honey glazed ham features a sticky, sweet glaze made with honey, brown sugar, and pineapple, creating a caramelized crust that’s perfect for holiday gatherings. Juicy, tender, and bursting with flavor, it’s a showstopping centerpiece that’s easy to prepare and always a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 whole or half ham (bone-in or boneless, about 8–10 lbs, cooked and unsliced preferred)
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/2 cups crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits, drained
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 20–30 whole cloves (optional, for studding)
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • Optional: Maple syrup (swap up to half the honey)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Position rack in lower third of oven.
  2. Remove ham from packaging and pat dry. Trim excess fat, leaving about 1/4-inch. Score surface in a diamond pattern about 1/2-inch deep.
  3. Insert whole cloves into intersections of diamond cuts (optional).
  4. In a small saucepan, combine honey, brown sugar, pineapple, Dijon mustard, melted butter, salt, black pepper, and any optional add-ins. Heat over medium, stirring frequently, until smooth and bubbly (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat.
  5. Place ham on rack in roasting pan. Brush a generous layer of glaze over ham, getting into scored cuts. Reserve half the glaze for basting.
  6. Loosely tent ham with aluminum foil.
  7. Bake for about 15 minutes per pound (an 8 lb ham takes about 2 hours).
  8. Every 30 minutes, uncover and baste with reserved glaze. Re-tent with foil if crust darkens too quickly.
  9. For last 15 minutes, remove foil, brush on remaining glaze, and increase oven to 400°F for extra caramelization. Watch closely.
  10. Check doneness with meat thermometer: 140°F for pre-cooked ham, 160°F for raw.
  11. Remove from oven and let rest, tented with foil, for 15-20 minutes.
  12. Slice thinly and serve, spooning extra glaze and pineapple over each serving.

Notes

For best results, score the ham deeply and baste often for a caramelized crust. Let the ham rest before slicing to keep it juicy. Use fresh pineapple for brighter flavor, and check labels for gluten-free ingredients if needed. Leftovers reheat well and can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: honey glazed ham, pineapple brown sugar ham, holiday ham, Easter ham, Christmas ham, glazed ham recipe, easy ham recipe, oven baked ham, sweet ham glaze

Find it online: https://blingbite.com/honey-glazed-ham-recipe-easy-pineapple-brown-sugar-crust-for-perfect-holiday-dinners/