Name: Traditional Baked Ham
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 10 Servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 spiral-sliced bone-in ham; 2 tablespoons salted butter; 0.25 cup light brown sugar; 0.5 tsp ground cloves; 2 tablespoons pineapple juice; 1 can pineapple slices in pineapple juice; 20 maraschino cherries

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Traditional Baked Ham

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Traditional Baked Ham

1 spiral-sliced bone-in ham(8-11 lb.)

2 tablespoons salted butter(melted)

¼ cup light brown sugar

½ tsp ground cloves

2 tablespoons pineapple juice(from the can of pineapple slices)

1 can pineapple slices in pineapple juice(20 oz. per can)

20 maraschino cherries(stems removed)

Instructions

Set a rack to the lowest position in the oven. Preheat oven to 325°F.

Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil, and position a roasting rack in the pan. Place ham on the middle of roasting rack. Pat the ham dry with paper towels to help the glaze adhere better.

Place the melted butter, brown sugar, ground cloves, and pineapple juice in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until combined.

Brush the surface of the ham with a small amount of the brown sugar and pineapple mixture.

Secure the pineapple slices over the surface of the ham with toothpicks. Secure a maraschino cherry into the center of each ring and in the open spaces between rings.

Brush about half of the remaining brown sugar and pineapple mixture over the pineapple rings and cherries.

Bake ham on lowest rack of oven until it has reached an internal temperature of about 145°F and the glaze is caramelized, 2-2 1/2 hours, or about 15 minutes per pound of ham. For the first half of the cooking time, keep the ham loosely covered with foil. Every 30-45 minutes, open oven door and baste ham with additional brown sugar and pineapple glaze.

Check to see that the ham is done. Remove from oven or add time as needed.

Allow ham to cool on roasting rack for 15 minutes. Transfer to cutting board, then carve and serve. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Video Tutorial Bite Tutorial

Nutrition

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Score the Ham Properly 🔪
Cut shallow diagonal crosshatch patterns into the ham's surface before glazing to allow the brown sugar-butter mixture to penetrate deeply and caramelize evenly for maximum flavor development.
Toast the Cloves First 🌟
Lightly toast the ground cloves in a dry skillet for 30 seconds before mixing with brown sugar to bloom their essential oils and intensify their warm, complex flavor in the glaze.
Reserve Pineapple Juice for Basting 💧
Save some of the canned pineapple juice to baste the ham every 15-20 minutes during baking, which keeps the meat moist while building a glossy, caramelized exterior.
Add Cherries at the Right Time 🍒
Place maraschino cherries in the scored grooves during the last 15-20 minutes of baking to prevent them from drying out while allowing them to warm through and add visual appeal.
Use Cold Butter for Texture Control 🧈
Cut the butter into small cubes and keep it cold before whisking into the glaze at the very end, creating a silky, emulsified coating that clings to the ham better than melted butter.