My Momma makes the best glazed baked ham this side (and the other side) of the Mississippi River. She gave me her famous recipe so I could make it for Thanksgiving a few years ago. I was surprised at how easy it was to do. I love how she rigged it to make it her own. I am making it again this year. Yum!

Momma’s Glazed Baked Ham Recipe (Rigged)

A Cook’s brand shank portion ham with bone-in is ideal for this recipe. (A butt portion is a little more in price and still produces the same results. The Carolina Pride brand is the only other one Momma suggests. When buying your ham, consider the weight. You will be baking it for approximately 20 minutes per lb. I baked one that was 8 and 1/2 lbs.)

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
• Can of Sprite or Ginger Ale or Club Soda
• Turkey baster (optional)
• Toothpicks
• Roasting pan (a sturdy, disposable aluminum one works well also)

Preheat oven to 325°

Remove ham from wrapper and take out the plastic round disk covering the bone. Keep carving instructions included.

Lay exposed cut-side of the ham down in a roasting pan. It will remain that way for the duration of cooking. Cover 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, drain the liquid from the pan with a turkey baster or carefully pour it out into a container or the sink. Pour enough Sprite/Ginger Ale/Club Soda over the ham to cover it. This will bring the salt out of the ham. Put foil back over pan tightly and continue baking.

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

How to Make the Glaze

• Juice from can of sliced pineapples
• Brown sugar
• 1/2 of juice from jar of cherries (very sweet)
• A dollop of yellow mustard
• Place all ingredients in a saucepan. 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, remove the ham from the oven. You may need to drain more liquid from the pan with first. Use a 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 sliced pineapples on top of ham and secure with toothpicks. Place one cherry in the center of each pineapple and secure with toothpicks. Feel free to add more if you like. Pour most of the glaze over the ham. It’s OK to cover the fruit to caramelize them. 

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

Remove your ham from the oven and let it rest lightly covered for about 15 minutes. Use the carving instructions for assistance. 

Tip: For a family of 3, carving from the sides will give you plenty of ham to serve. 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 large group. Also, the bottom of the ham that has been been sitting in the juices the whole time will be sweeter but not as moist.

Have you ever baked a ham before?

Do you make a glaze to pour over it?

What is your favorite side dish to accompany ham?

See ya later,

Kimberly