This Brown Sugar and Pineapple Glazed Ham recipe is the perfect centerpiece for your holiday dinner table. With a sweet and tangy pineapple glaze, it’s a festive main course that’s easy to prepare and loved by both kids and adults.
Frequently Asked Questions about Brown Sugar and Pineapple Glazed Ham
Yes, you can prepare the ham and glaze it the night before. Store it covered in the fridge and bake before serving for best results.
Bone-in ham provides better flavor and moisture, but boneless works too—just reduce the cook time accordingly.
Absolutely! Use fresh pineapple rings and add extra pineapple juice or water to replace the liquid from the can.
Mix brown sugar, honey, mustard, cloves, and pineapple juice. Score the ham, spread the glaze over it, and top with pineapple slices. Bake while basting with pan juices for a glossy, flavorful finish.
Pineapple adds a sweet, tangy flavor and its natural enzymes help tenderize the ham, enhancing texture and taste.
Apply brown sugar glaze before baking and again midway through cooking. For a caramelized finish, baste the ham with glaze and uncover it for the final 30 minutes.
You glaze it before cooking and optionally reapply during baking. For extra shine and depth, add a final glaze layer 10–15 minutes before removing from the oven.
Ingredients
- 1 whole bone-in ham about 8-10 pounds
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 can pineapple slices in juice, 20 oz
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup mustard yellow
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice reserved from can
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Place the ham in a roasting pan and score the surface in a diamond pattern.
- Trim the pineapple by cutting off the skin and removing any remaining brown eyes. Slice it into 1/2-inch rings, core each ring, and prepare them for pinning onto the ham with toothpicks
- In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, honey, mustard, ground cloves, and reserved pineapple juice.
- Spread the glaze over the ham, pressing the mixture into the cuts.
- Arrange pineapple slices on top, securing with toothpicks.
- Cover with foil and bake for about 1.5 hours, basting occasionally with the pan juices.
- Uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until nicely glazed.
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This ham recipe is amazing! The glaze was perfect and everyone loved it at Thanksgiving. Will definitely make again!
I’m glad to hear it turned out great! I made it last year too and everyone loved it. Definitely a keeper recipe!
I followed the recipe but it turned out too sweet for my taste. Maybe try using less brown sugar next time.
Ham is too dry. You gotta keep an eye on it! Not following the times like the recipe says.
I agree! The timing is super important. I’ve made ham before and if you leave it too long, it dries out fast. Gotta watch that!
This ham recipe was a hit at my family dinner! It was super juicy and everyone loved the pineapple glaze. Will definitely make again!
Yum! My kids devoured this! Pineapple and ham is a classic pairing!
Yum! I love pineapple on ham. Adding it to my holiday feast!
I totally agree! Pineapple on ham is a classic combo. Can’t wait to try this recipe! 🎉
I don’t get why everyone loves this. I found it too sweet for my taste. Plus, the mustard and pineapple combo is just weird.
I don’t have a roasting pan, can I use a regular baking dish? Not sure if it’ll work right…
Ham? Pineapple? This is some tropical vibes right here! Love it!
Is 325°F really enough to cook a big ham? I feel like I’d burn it. Just seems off.
Glaze was great! I added some extra spices, tho. Try it with cumin!
Absolutely delicious! The brown sugar and pineapple combo is out of this world!
Yasss! This ham is fire! I could eat the glaze with a spoon!
Gonna try this with my BBQ sauce instead of mustard, sounds fun! 🤩
Wait, you put mustard on ham? That doesn’t sound right. I’m skeptical.
Mustard adds a tangy flavor that goes well with the sweetness of the brown sugar and pineapple! You should give it a try before knocking it!
Ham? More like ham-azing! 🙂 I love the sweetness from the pineapple. Definitely doing this for the holidays.
I’m not sure this is healthy at all. All that sugar…nah, I’ll pass.
This is the best ham recipe I’ve tried! The glaze was so sweet and delicious. My family loved it!
So good! 10/10 would recommend to all my friends, can’t wait to make it again! 🙂
This recipe was okay, but the glaze was too sweet for my taste. I prefer less sugar.
Real easy to make. Omitted the cloves since I hate them, but still turned out yum!
Yummy! But I didn’t have cloves, so I used cinnamon instead. Does that even matter? Haha!
I dunno, I thought ham was supposed to be savory, not sweet?? Just not for me.
Super easy! I didn’t have pineapple slices, so I used fresh pineapple instead. Came out awesome!
My ham turned out really dry. I think I overcooked it. Might’ve messed up something in the steps.
I tried this for Christmas dinner and everyone raved about it! Will make again for sure.
That sounds delicious! I will definitely try this for my family gatherings. Thanks for sharing!
Really? Everyone liked it? I found it a bit too sweet. Maybe I did somethin’ wrong.
Tried it but the glaze was too sweet for my taste. Maybe less sugar next time?
Super easy! I didn’t have mustard so I used barbecue sauce and it still came out great!
This ham recipe is divine! The sweet glaze makes everything pop. Definitely a hit at our holiday dinner!
Sounds good, but I’m not a fan of sweet ham. I prefer it more savory. Did it really turn out that good?
I totally agree! The glaze is everything. I made it for my family last week and they couldn’t get enough!
Followed the recipe but my ham turned out dry. Any tips for keeping it moist?
I don’t understand how folks can approve this. Too sweet for my taste. Will stick to my savory recipes.
Um, what’s with the cloves? Is that really necessary? Might just skip that next time.
My oven is old and it took way longer to cook, but oh my! The glaze was delicious!
I was skeptical at first, but honestly this was way too sweet for me. I think it needs something salty to balance it out.
I had to substitute the ham with turkey because I couldn’t find one. It was still decent but I’m sure it would be better with ham.
This recipe is a total game changer! The ham turned out so juicy and flavorful. My family devoured it!
I’m so glad to hear that! This ham recipe was a hit at my family gathering too! Thanks for sharing your success!
Really? I tried it and it was kinda dry… I don’t know if I did it wrong or what. Maybe I need to cook it longer?
Recipe says 1 cup brown sugar, I used 2. Why not? More sugar equals more yum.
More sugar means more sticky sweetness! Can’t argue with that logic. Can’t wait to try it your way!
Using 2 cups? Aren’t you worried it will be too sweet? I mean, I love sugar, but there’s a limit, right?
1 cup of brown sugar? Is that even healthy? I don’t eat sugar much.
Just okay. I don’t know if I did something wrong but it didn’t taste like the ham I had at my aunt’s house. Plus, it took longer to cook than what my oven said.