Celebrate the holidays with old fashioned ham with pineapple on your table! This juicy ham is basted in brown sugar and pineapple juice, then baked to caramelized perfection. The pineapple and cherry pattern adds a festive touch to your main course and pulls double duty by adding mouthwatering flavor. Enjoy it on Christmas, Easter or for a savory, special occasion meal that will be remembered by all!
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What Is Old Fashioned Ham with Pineapple?
This old-fashioned recipe is likely one that everyone has tasted at least once in their life. A bone-in ham is adorned with pineapple rings and maraschino cherries, then baked until hot. It’s a festive, colorful way to make ham, especially for the holidays.
It’s traditional in our family to have turkey on Thanksgiving and ham on Christmas. I make the turkey the same way every Thanksgiving, but I tend to make ham different ways. My favorite ham recipe is this one, with pineapples and cherries. It’s the ham recipe that I loved when I was a kid. But where did it come from?
Like many favorite family recipes, the pineapple-laden ham was an idea created by a food company in an attempt to sell their product. Back in the early 1900s, canned foods were introduced, but they were a hard sell because folks didn’t trust they’d get what they paid for. Canned food companies began printing leaflets containing recipes and ideas for using their products. The Dole Hawaiian Pineapple Company was one of those.
In 1925, Dole published a booklet entitled “99 Tempting Pineapple Treats,” containing what is believed to be the first pineapple-on-ham recipe. And it stuck. A year later, it was featured in another such booklet and doubtlessly on tables everywhere. The sweetness of pineapple pairs well with the salty ham flavor, and the fanciness of the fruit-covered meat is perfect for special occasions.
Should I Use More Pineapple for a Larger Ham?
I use only one can of pineapple rings, no matter what size my ham is. The ham in the photographs was 9 pounds. If yours is larger and you’d like pineapples to cover the full outside, you’ll need another can. But in my opinion, it still looks pretty if the sides aren’t completely covered.
You can also spread the pineapple slices out more and place pineapple chunks in between. You could do the same thing with additional cherries. While the pineapple slices and cherries are decorative, they also add to the flavor of the meat. If you really love that pineapple taste, more pineapple would be the way to go!
How Should I Use the Leftovers?
- Dice and freeze ham in 1/4 or 1/2 cup portions to use in omelets, salads, or scrambled eggs
- Save the bone to make ham stock, then use it and some meat to make Split Pea Soup
- Use slices of ham to make Cuban-Style Sliders
- When you’re down to the last bits, a little ham goes a long way in Pasta Carbonara with Ham
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325.
Lay a rack in the roasting pan. If you don’t have a rack, you can create a u0022snakeu0022 out of foil, form it into a ring, and lay it in the pan to raise the ham off the bottom.
- Some hams come with a thick, leathery rind. The rind usually keeps the ham moist by locking in the fat. For this recipe, it is best to remove the rind and large deposits of fat so the juices from the fruit can seep into the meat.
- Next, score the ham using long diagonal cuts to make diamond shapes.
- Lay the ham in the prepared roasting pan. Use toothpicks to secure pineapple rings to it. The edges of the rings should be touching. Remember to save the juice from the can. You’ll need them for the glaze.
- Then add a maraschino cherry to the center of each pineapple ring. Secure it with a toothpick.
- Bake the ham, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 15 minutes per pound.
- While the ham is baking, prepare the glaze. Mix the reserved pineapple juice (about 1 cup), brown sugar, ground cloves, and cinnamon.
Apply the glaze during the last 15 minutes of baking.
- After it’s baked for the last 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and cover with foil. Let rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Looking for More Christmas Recipes?
- Try our Roast Turkey for the most succulent turkey you’ve ever had
- If you need a side dish, Corn Casserole is always a favorite
- For a cup of Christmas cheer, sample Traditional Wassail or Blitzen’s Boozy Eggnog
- Be sure to check out my Christmas Pinterest Board for more ideas, too!
Recipe by Chicken Soup with DumplingsDifficulty: Easy
Cooking time
2
hours
Total time
2
hours
30
minutes
This juicy ham is basted in brown sugar and pineapple juice, then baked to caramelized perfection. The pineapples and cherry pattern adds a festive touch to your main course and pulls double duty by adding mouthwatering flavor.
Ingredients
1 bone-in ham
20 oz can pineapple rings (reserve juice)
Maraschino cherries
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325.
Lay a rack in the roasting pan or use foil to form a ring and lay in the pan.
- Remove the rind and any overly-large deposits of fat.
- Score the ham using long diagonal cuts to make diamond shapes in the meat.
- Lay the ham in the prepared roasting pan. Use toothpicks to secure pineapple rings over the score marks. The edges of the rings should be touching.
- Secure a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.
- Bake the ham, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 15 minutes per pound.
- While the ham is baking, prepare the glaze. Mix reserved pineapple juice (about 1 cup), brown sugar, ground cloves, and cinnamon.
- Apply glaze during the last 15 minutes of baking.
- Remove from oven and cover with foil. Let rest for 15 minutes before carving.
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