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This baked ham with pineapple is one of those recipes that looks impressive and tastes incredible, but comes together with minimal effort. No basting. No broiling. No hovering by the oven. With a simple sweet and savory pineapple glaze and low and slow bake in the oven, this glazed ham is tender, flavorful, and worthy of any holiday dinner.
Kristen's Key Tips for Baked Ham
A few small details make the difference between a dry, disappointing ham and one that people go back for seconds. Follow these tips for success.
- Take the chill off. Let the ham sit at room temperature for 1 hour prior to glazing and baking. This helps the ham to cook evenly.
- Wrap ham in foil. The foil works three ways. It keeps the ham from drying out, allows the glaze to penetrate the meat, AND makes clean-up a breeze.
- Moisture is key to keeping ham tender and juicy. Place the ham in a roasting pan (a rack is optional) and add water to the bottom of the pan. As it bakes, the water creates steam that gently heats the ham and prevents it from drying out, much like the moist cooking method used in my Instant Pot Ham recipe.
- Don't overbake. Ham is already cooked, so our job isn't to cook it, we just want to gently reheat it to 145°F while protecting the moisture and letting the glaze do its thing.
- How much ham per person? Plan for ½ pound per person for bone-in ham or ⅓ pound per person for boneless ham.
5-Star Reader Review
This ham recipe was sooo worth the effort! Made this recipe last year, doubling the sauce, and it came out very tasty and moist. Always had dried ham, and this recipe and method solved that issue! Thank you so much! -Shelly
What You Need
This recipe can be made with any variety of precooked ham (spiral-cut, unsliced, cured, uncured, bone-in, or boneless), but it is the pineapple glaze that makes this recipe memorable. The combination may sound odd, but each ingredient plays a role to creating a show-stopping ham with incredible flavor.
- Pineapple Juice: Adds sweetness and natural acidity to tenderize the ham.
- Apricot Preserves: Enhances sweetness with a subtle fruity note. Substitute honey if desired.
- Dijon Mustard: Provides a tangy, sharp flavor.
- Horseradish: Brightens the glaze without overpowering it.
- Brown Sugar: Add depth with notes of rich molasses.
- Spices: Nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves add the classic notes that are common in holiday ham recipes.
How to Make Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze
Baking ham is one of the easiest ways to prepare a ham. These simple steps will help keep the ham flavorful and juicy -- just the way it should be!
Step One: Prepare Pineapple Glaze
Heat pineapple juice, apricot preserves, Dijon mustard, horseradish, brown sugar, and spices in a saucepan until smooth and the brown sugar has dissolved. Warming the glaze helps the sugar dissolve fully, which means it coats the ham evenly instead of clumping or sliding right off.
Step Two: Glaze Ham
Set the ham on heavy-duty foil and fold up the sides so you create a foil-like bowl around the ham (to catch the glaze as it drips down the ham). If the ham is spiral-cut, gently loosen the slices before pouring the glaze over the top. Slowly pour or spoon the glaze over the ham, allowing it to drip down between the slices if applicable.
Wrap the foil tightly around the ham. The foil will lock in moisture and help ensure the outer edges don't dry out while the ham cooks through.
Step Three: Prepare Roasting Pan
Pour a couple cups of water into a large roasting pan fitted with a rack and then place the wrapped ham on top of the rack.
The water creates steam, which keeps the ham tender and moist and is the secret to juicy ham without babysitting.
Step Four: Bake
Ham needs to reach 145°F before serving, but we are aiming to bake it until it reaches an internal temperature of about 142°F. As the ham rests, it will continue to rise a few degrees and we want to give a bit of room for carryover to prevent the ham from drying out.
For planning purposes: Most pre-cooked hams need about 10-22 minutes per pound, depending on the cut. Keep in mind, smaller hams need more time per pound, while larger hams take longer overall but cook faster per pound.
- Spiral Sliced Ham (Bone-In or Boneless): 10-12 minutes per pound
- Unsliced Bone-In Ham: 15-18 minutes per pound
- Unsliced Boneless Ham: 20-22 minutes per pound
Step Five: Rest and Serve
Let the ham rest, still wrapped, for 10-15 minutes. After resting, remove the foil, slice, and serve your juicy, tender ham.
Leftover Ham?
Leftover ham is a gift! It is delicious reheated low and slow and shines in in endless recipes using leftover ham.
- Store: Place ham (and any residual cooking liquid) in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up up to 5 days or freeze in freezer-safe, airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Defrost in refrigerator if needed. To keep the ham juicy and tender when reheated, place it into a shallow baking dish with a splash of water or pineapple juice. Cover with foil and bake at 300°F for 10-15 minutes, just to warm through.
- Note on Leftovers: Save your ham bone to make ham and bean soup or split pea soup. And transform your leftover ham into a new meal that is a bit more exciting than a ham sandwich using one of my leftover ham recipes.
Complete Your Meal
Whether served for Easter Dinner, Christmas Dinner, or just a Sunday supper at home, this baked ham is a show-stopper. Complete your meal with any of the following sides.
Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze
Video
Ingredients
- 7-10 pound precooked 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 and let sit on the counter.
- Preheat the oven to 325℉. Add about 2 cups of water into the bottom of a large roasting pan that is fitted with a rack. You want enough to create a ½- to 1-inch layer of liquid across the bottom of the pan.
- Prepare the ham glaze by combining ⅓ cup pineapple juice, ¼ cup apricot preserves, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon prepared Horseradish, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon ground 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 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 140-142℉ is reached. Plan on 10-12 minutes per pound for sliced ham, 15-18 minutes per pound for unsliced and bone-in, and 20-22 minutes per pound for unsliced boneless hams. If you notice the water evaporating before the bake time is up, add additional WARM water to the pan.
- Remove the ham from the oven and let rest (still wrapped in foil) for at least 10 minutes. Carefully unwrap the foil, slice, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If my ham is not presliced, should I cut slices into it before baking, to allow the glaze to penetrate?
Hi Erica! It can be quite difficult to slice a ham yourself, and it is not needed. While the glaze won't penetrate quite as much, it will still be delicious. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for the fast reply. I appreciate it. No preslicing. Lol
I don't blame you 😉 It will still be incredible! Happy Easter
So, you set the foil wrapped ham down into the 2 cups of water? I just want to make sure I'm reading that part right.
Hi Natalie! Pour 2 cups of water into the bottom of a large roasting pan that is fitted with a rack and then put the ham on the roasting rack.
This ham recipe was sooo worth the effort! Made this recipe last year, doubling the sauce, and it came out very tasty and moist. Always had dried ham, and this recipe and method solved that issue! Thank you so much!
I love hearing this, Shelly! Thank you for sharing and have a wonderful Easter.
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.
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.
This was perfect for Easter!
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.