Momma's Glazed Baked Ham Recipe

My Momma made the best glazed baked ham this side (and the other side) of the Mississippi River. She gave me the recipe a few years ago so I could make it for my family on Thanksgiving. I was surprised at how easy it was to do. I love how she rigged the process to make it her own.

The ideal ham for this recipe is a Cook's brand bone-in shank portion ham. A butt portion is a little more expensive but still produces the same results. The Carolina Pride brand is the only other brand that Momma suggested. When buying your ham, consider its weight. You will be baking it for approximately 20 minutes per lb.

Other items that you will need:

• Can of sliced pineapples
• Small jar of maraschino cherries
• 1 to 2 tsp brown sugar
• Dollop of yellow mustard
• 1 to 2 cans of Sprite or ginger ale or club soda
• Turkey baster (optional)
• Toothpicks
• Aluminum foil
• Roasting pan (a sturdy, disposable aluminum one works well also)

Preheat oven to 325°.

Remove ham from plastic wrapping and take out the plastic round disk covering the bone. Carving instructions are normally included on the wrapper if you need assistance later.

Lay the exposed, cut-side of the ham face down in a roasting pan. It will remain that way for the duration of cooking. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and estimate how long you will need to bake it based on 20 minutes per lb.

After the first hour of cooking, drain the liquid from the pan with a turkey baster or carefully pour it out into a container or the sink. Pour enough Sprite or Sprite alternative over the ham to cover it. This will bring the salt out of the ham. Put the foil back over pan tightly and continue baking.

Prior to the last 30 minutes of cooking, prepare the glaze.

How to Make the Glaze

• In a saucepan, place the following four ingredients: juice from can of sliced pineapples, brown sugar, 1/2 of juice from jar of cherries (very sweet), and a dollop of yellow mustard
• Heat and reduce
• You want a syrupy texture but not too thick or too thin
• Adjust ingredients as needed

When you approach the last 30 minutes of cooking, carefully remove the ham from the oven. You may need to drain more liquid from the pan first. Use a sharp knife to score the fatty top of the ham making a crisscross pattern. Just the fat on the top--not the meat. This will allow the glaze to seep into the ham.

Place four pineapple slices on top of the ham and secure with toothpicks. Place one cherry in the center of each pineapple slice and secure with toothpicks. Feel free to add more if you like. Pour most of the glaze over the ham. It's OK to drizzle it over the fruit to caramelize it. 

Place the ham back in the oven uncovered and bake for 30 minutes. It may need some additional time if the glaze has not set on the ham. Use any remaining glaze as you see fit during this final baking time.

Finally, remove your ham from the oven and let it rest lightly covered with foil for about 15 minutes before carving.

Note: The longer the ham stays on the bone, the moister it will be. Don't carve up the whole ham all at once unless you are serving a group of 4 or more. The bottom portion of the ham that has been sitting in its juices will be sweeter but perhaps not as moist as the other portions.

Be sure to check out my recipe for Seafood Paella.