Hiking

Baked Ham

This Baked Ham is sweet, savory, and juicy– the perfect holiday meal. The glaze makes the outside nice and crisp but still tender.

The post Baked Ham appeared first on Budget Bytes.

When the holidays roll around (Hello, Easter!), there’s nothing my family craves more than a sweet and savory baked ham. I know what you’re thinking, ham is expensive. But this baked ham recipe is proof that a typically expensive meat can be budget-friendly. By using a boneless ham, we don’t waste a single dollar on bones, and it comfortably feeds 11 people. That’s a lot of ham! The texture of this ham is perfectly juicy with a great chew to it. The glaze makes the outside nice and crisp but still tender. There’s nothing quite like a beloved holiday tradition!

slicing a baked ham on a white plate with pineapple rings.

Why Make Baked Ham?

While Easter traditionally calls for lamb, ham has become the dominant centerpiece because it’s much less expensive and more readily available, both things we love here at Budget Bytes. This baked ham recipe is a true superstar. Salty, savory ham coated in a sweet and tangy glaze made from brown sugar and pineapple juice is just so good. The glaze is super sticky, extra sweet, and gives a beautiful color to your ham. Adding the pineapple juice to the glaze recipe really makes this glaze shine (literally and figuratively!)

Ingredients for Baked Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham

Here’s what you’ll need to make baked ham:

  • Smoked Ham: We tested a bone-in ham and a boneless ham. Because hams are priced by weight, we found the boneless hams to be cheapest and offered in smaller quantities. We ended up going with a 5.5lb. ham for this recipe.
  • Sliced Pineapple: The pineapple helps keep the ham moist during cooking. Did you know pineapple also contains natural acidic enzymes that help tenderize any meat you cook with it?
  • Water: Helps steam heat your ham and keep it moist. The amount varies based on the size of your roasting pan. You will want 1/2 inch of liquid in the bottom of the pan to ensure your ham is nice and juicy.
  • Spices: Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and pumpkin pie spice create a beautiful blend of sweet and savory flavors.
  • Brown Sugar: Adds depth of flavor, a beautiful color and sweetness to the glaze.
  • Dijon Mustard: Adds balancing bitter notes, earthiness and tanginess to the glaze.

Do you bake a ham covered or uncovered?

We found that it’s best to bake this ham tented with foil to seal in moisture. Without the foil, the ham tends to dry out and turn tough. Remove the foil in the last 10 or so minutes of baking to reduce and brown the glaze.

Recipe Tips

  • Most hams sold in the U.S. are fully cooked but require several hours of heating in the oven. So, you can pop it in the oven and then focus on the rest of your side dishes!
  • If you do not need this much meat or your budget is stretched because of the cost of the ham, hunt for a smaller ham. Sometimes if you go to the deli counter, they can help you. Hams are sold by weight, so if you plan on 1/2 – 1/3 pound per person, that will help you choose which size ham your family needs!
  • I know the thought of “pumpkin spice ham” may sound strange, but pumpkin pie spice is a blend of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and black pepper… all perfect flavors to compliment a juicy, sweet-but-savory ham!
  • I only filled the bottom of our roasting dish with 1/2 inch of water. A lot of recipes call for 1 inch, but the drippings are great for basting or using as a gravy and we found them to be too diluted if we did the 1 inch of water.
  • The pineapples slid off to the side after the glazing at the end, but they did their job keeping the ham moist and tender. The glazing at the end of cooking will make your ham nice and shiny on the outside, so don’t worry about taking your ham in and out of the oven to baste it (unless you want to, certainly won’t hurt it!) You can always opt to just keep it tented and baste at the end.

What to Serve with Baked Ham

This tasty baked ham is truly the star of the show, so we recommend serving it with simple roasted carrots and steamed green beans.

overhead view of slices of baked ham topped with pineapple rings on a white plate with carrots and green beans.
slicing a baked ham on a white plate with pineapple rings.

Print

Baked Ham

This Baked Ham is sweet, savory, and juicy– the perfect holiday meal. The glaze makes the outside nice and golden but still tender.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Total Cost $24.09 recipe / $2.19 serving
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 11 (about 1/2 lb. each)
Calories 449kcal
Author Jess Rice

Equipment

  • 9×13 roasting pan – You can use whatever size roasting pan the ham will comfortably fit in with room for the added water and drippings that run off.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Gather all glaze ingredients and preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a saucepan, whisk together pineapple juice (one 15oz can yields about 1 cup of juice), brown sugar, dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, and pumpkin pie spice.
  • Cook the glaze down over medium heat until it is reduced by half.
  • Place the ham cut side down in the roasting pan of your choosing.
  • Brush the ham with half the glaze mixture and cover it with slices of canned pineapple. Add 1/2 inch of water to the bottom of the roasting pan.
  • Make a tinfoil tent to cover the entire ham. Place the tinfoil over the ham and bake for 20 minutes per pound of meat, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Baste the ham periodically, using a baster or a large spoon.
  • Once the ham reaches 145°F, remove the tinfoil tent and baste. Then, brush the ham with all remaining glaze.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5lb | Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 2853mg | Fiber: 1g
three-quarters view of a partially sliced baked ham on a white plate with pineapple rings.

how to make Baked Ham – step by step photos

ham glaze ingredients in bowls.

Gather all glaze ingredients and preheat oven to 350°F.

ham glaze in a saucepan with a whisk.

Whisk together pineapple juice (one 15 oz. can yields about 1 cup of juice), 1 cup brown sugar, 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp onion powder, and 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Cook the glaze down over medium heat until it is reduced by half.

pineapple rings on top of a glazed ham in a baking dish.

Place 5.5 lb. boneless smoked ham cut side down in the roasting pan of your choosing. Pour 1/2 inch of water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Brush the ham with half of the glaze mixture and cover it with slices of canned pineapple. Then, make a tinfoil tent to cover the entire ham. You want to cook the ham for approximately 20 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Baste the ham periodically, using a standard baster or a large spoon.

brushing glaze over a baked ham in a white baking dish with pineapple rings.

Once the ham reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, remove the tinfoil tent and baste the ham with pan drippings and brush the ham with all remaining glaze.

baked ham in a white baking dish surrounded by pineapple rings.

When your ham is done, it should have an internal temperature of 145°F.

overhead view of a partially sliced baked ham on a white plate with pineapple rings.

This delicious baked ham will be the star of your holiday table!

The post Baked Ham appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Recommended Story For You :

Look weight gain and weight loss are serious concerns of yours and I get it.

Flavourful Vegan Recipes Covering Everything From Burrito Bowls To Chocolate Mousse

The keto diet is not just a diet it is a lifestyle change!

Pizza is Doubly Addictive with Two Morphine-Like Compounds in Every Crusty-Chewy Slice!

Delicious diabetic recipes- over 500 recipes-Desserts-Entrees-Snacks-and more.

An amazing collection of easy and delicious keto recipes.

Homemade Desserts just got quicker easier and smarter.

Boosting your health is easier than you think- smoothies make everything taste better.

Healthy Cooking Is About To Change For The Better

Better health starts on your plate.