Baked Spiral Ham is juicy and covered in a homemade pineapple brown sugar glaze that is sure to be a hit for any holiday dinner! Whether you’re making a Christmas dinner, Easter lunch, or just a big sunday family dinner, this baked ham has you covered.
Baked Spiral Ham
A big beautiful ham is essential for the holidays or special occasions. And it’s easier to make than you might think! Spiral smoked hams are way easier to cook because most of the work is already done for you. This recipe simply dresses it up and bakes it to completion. We’ll make a deliciously tangy and sweet glaze that bakes into the ham and adds a mouthwatering caramelized crisp to the edges and rich flavor to the meat itself. A little pineapple, a little brown sugar, a little dijon mustard, a few seasonings and voila! A glaze that is tangy, and sweet and mixes perfectly with the saltiness of the ham. Just brush and bake and you’ve got a marvelous main course for your holidays!
Looking for recipe ideas for all your leftover ham? Try this simple Ham and Bean Soup or a hearty one pot Ham and Rice Casserole!
Where can I find spiral cut hams?
Any grocery store will have spiral cut hams, especially around the holidays. You should be able to find them either in the deli section or with the rest of the meats. While these hams are precooked, they still need to be baked. One, to add flavor, and two, to ensure they are piping hot for dinner time! I used a 10 pound ham that feeds about 8 – 10 people but you can always adjust based on your crowd size.
How To Make Baked Spiral Ham
- Mix. In a small pot or saucepan, add the pineapple juice, brown sugar, butter, mustard, garlic powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix together and heat until melted.
- Cook. Continue cooking the sauce until it reaches a boil, then turn it down to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Brush. Arrange the ham in the roasting pan and brush the sauce over the top and in between each slice.
- Bake. Cover the ham with foil and bake for an hour and a half.
- Whisk. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of cold water and cornstarch. Pour this mixture into the remaining sauce and whisk continuously over medium heat. Continue whisking until the sauce has thickened enough it could coat the back of the spoon. Remove from heat.
- Brush. Remove the ham from the oven and take off the foil. Brush the top of the ham and in between each slice with the thickened sauce. Place the ham back in the oven and bake uncovered 30-45 minutes.
Storing Baked Spiral Ham
Leftover ham can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Perfect for leftover sandwiches and casseroles! If you’d like to store your leftover ham longer, you can freeze it! Freeze in a freezer proof zip-top bag for up to 2 months.
Ingredients Notes for Baked Spiral Ham
- Pineapple Juice – A little sweet, and a little tangy, pineapple juice pairs with the brown sugar and dijon mustard so wonderfully!
- Brown Sugar – This really adds that caramelized effect to the ham.
- Salted Butter – If you’d like to cut out some of the salt, you can use unsalted butter instead.
- Dijon Mustard – The flavor of the dijon mustard really makes an impact in this mixture. I don’t advise substituting for yellow or brown mustard.
- Garlic Powder – If you like a stronger taste of garlic you can add more. I started with 1 teaspoon.
- Cinnamon – I like the spice this adds but you can cut it if you aren’t a fan of cinnamon.
- Salt – Just a pinch to enhance the flavors.
- Ham – I used a 10 pound spiral smoked ham for this recipe. If you use a smaller or larger ham you may need to adjust your cook time.
- Cornstarch – This will be mixed with water to create a slurry that will thicken the sauce.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Baked Spiral Ham
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Pineapple Juice
- 1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Salted Butter
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- 1 10 Pound Spiral Smoked Ham
- 1 Tablespoon Cold Water
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large roasting pan with aluminum foil.
- Add the pineapple juice, brown sugar, butter, mustard, garlic powder, cinnamon, and salt to a small pot and mix over medium heat until melted.
- Continue cooking and stirring until it boils then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Place the ham in the roasting pan and brush the sauce on top and in between the slices.
- Cover with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
- Whisk together the cold water and cornstarch in a small bowl and pour into the sauce then whisk over medium heat.
- Continue whisking until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon then turn the heat off.
- Take the ham out of the oven and remove the foil then brush the outside and in between the layers with the sauce.
- Bake uncovered for 30-45 minutes or until lightly charred on the edges and caramelized.
- Serve with fresh rosemary, thyme, and cranberries for garnish if desired.
