Jen Causey
Holiday dinners always starts with a ham, one big enough to both feed your dinner guests and supply leftovers for hearty, next-day sandwiches or weeknight casseroles. There are many delicious ways to prepare a ham. You can glaze it with the South's favorite soft drink or your favorite Kentucky bourbon. Or you can rub it down with mouthwatering flavors like brown sugar, garlic, paprika and (of course) bourbon, and have all the neighbors at your door when they smell the delicious aromas coming from your grill when you barbecue the ham. If you prefer using heirloom recipes for special occasions, those recipes that remind you of how your mom or grandmother cooked, then this Pineapple Glazed Ham is the perfect choice for your holiday table. Aromatic cloves are inserted into slits in the ham and it is then dressed in one layer of Dijon mustard and another layer of brown sugar. The ham is further adorned with lovely pineapple rings and maraschino cherries secured to the meat with toothpicks. It may look old-school, but this mouth-watering ham boasts just the right balance of sweet and salty.
How to Make It
Step 1
Stir together first 3 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 25 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, discarding solids.
Step 2
Remove skin and excess fat from ham. Make 1/4-inch-deep cuts in a diamond design, and insert cloves at 1-inch intervals. Place ham in an aluminum foil-lined roasting pan. Spread Dijon mustard evenly over ham. Pat brown sugar on top of the mustard. Pour pineapple juice mixture into pan.
Step 3
Arrange pineapple and cherries evenly over mustard layer on ham; secure with wooden picks.
Step 4
Bake at 325° for 1 hour. Shield with aluminum foil after 1 hour to prevent excess browning, and bake 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 140°, basting every 30 minutes with pan juices. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.
Step 5
Remove from pan, reserving drippings. Cover ham, and chill, if desired. Chill reserved drippings.
Step 6
Remove and discard fat from drippings. Bring drippings to a boil in a small saucepan. Serve warm with ham.
