Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham

This 3 ingredient brown sugar pineapple ham is the only ham recipe you'll need this season. A twist on the classic, this ham is richly flavored, delicately tender, and oh-so-easy. Plus, it takes 5 minutes to prep!

I don't know what I love more - tucking into succulent ham on Christmas day or using the leftovers to make sandwiches the next day!

Serve it with your favorite sides, like my seasoned roasted sweet potatoes, sauteed Brussels sprouts, or buttery roasted acorn squash.

Ingredients

There's nothing much to this recipe. All you need is the spiral ham + 2 simple ingredients. Let's go!

• Bone-in spiral ham (pre-cooked): A pre-cooked spiral ham is convenient and results in tender, yummy slices. The bone-in feature adds richness to the meat.
• Pineapple slices (with juice): The pineapple adds a fresh sweetness that complements the savory ham. The juice helps to keep the ham moist while infusing it with fruity flavor.
• Brown sugar: This brings a deep, caramelized sweetness to the glaze. It also helps create a shiny, golden crust when baked.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Prepare the ham: Place the ham in an oven-safe casserole dish.

Add pineapple: Arrange the pineapple slices between the layers of ham and pour the juice from the can over the top.

Sweeten with brown sugar: Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the ham and pineapple slices, adjusting to your preferred level of sweetness.

Cover and cook: Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for about 1.5 hours, or until the ham is heated through and the flavors are well combined.

Hint: Check on the ham occasionally, basting it with the juices from the dish to keep it moist and flavorful.

Substitutions

Try this recipe out in a couple of different ways by changing up the ingredients:

• Bone-in spiral ham: For a slightly different texture and flavor, substitute with a boneless ham or smoked ham. A ham steak can work well for a smaller option, though you should reduce the cooking time.
• Pineapple slices with juice: Use fresh pineapple slices and replace the juice with orange or apple juice. Canned crushed pineapple can also work.
• Brown sugar: Swap with honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. For a richer flavor, use dark brown sugar or molasses.

Variations

Here are a couple of twists and turns that work well with this base recipe:

• Honey mustard glaze: Replace the brown sugar with a mixture of honey and Dijon mustard.
• Maple glazed ham: Use pure maple syrup instead of brown sugar for a rich, caramelized flavor and lastly, add a touch of cinnamon.
• Extra fruity: Add maraschino cherries alongside the pineapple slices and use coconut sugar.
• Spiced ham: Mix the brown sugar with ground cloves, nutmeg, or cinnamon for a spiced glaze.
• Citrusy: Replace the pineapple juice with orange juice and add thin slices of fresh orange.

Equipment

You'll need a good old faithful casserole dish, and that's pretty much it!

Storage

Store leftover ham in an airtight container or wrap tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days to maintain freshness.

For longer storage, pop the ham in a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.

It can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. I like to label the container with the date so I don't lose track over the crazy festive season.

Related

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