Drunken Pineapple Glazed Ham - Frugal Hausfrau (2024)

The recipe for Drunken Pineapple Glazed Ham came by way of my baby Sis! Yeah, Drunken Pineapple Glazed Ham. I know, right? But don’t click off yet- stay with me here for a minute and hear what I have to say, coz this beauty of a glazed ham just put all my other hams to shame! They’re sittin’ in the corner right now, moping.

First of all, funny thing about my Sis? Some of her recipes might sound a little strange (hello Cornbread Salad; it’s now one of the most popular recipes here. And don’t forget about her Bacon Stuffing…yep you heard it here first, folks – bacon stuffing!!) The thing about Liz, though? All her dishes are always amazing and always very doable!

About Drunken Pineapple Glazed Ham:

I literally cannot say enuf good about this ham. It’s moist (even though this one is a spiral and they can be tricky but that glaze seals everything in) and it’s flavorful and the taste is almost indefinable. You don’t taste pineapple and you don’t taste rum – instead, you taste a glorious amalgamation (yeah I had to look up that word to make sure I spelled it right but melding or mingling just didn’t seem to be strong enuf words!) of flavor.

That glaze, though?! It is EVERYTHING! It is fabulous. It’s deep, a little tart, barely sweet, and a perfect foil for the moist, salty ham! The glaze is sticky caramelization that rides the line between chewy and crispy. Can we say pig candy, here, folks? I’m going there.

Just a few things, here! My sister told me over and over to use a full cup of Captain Morgan’s Rum – I think maybe she thought I would just be rolling my eyes and do my own thing and put in a smidge. And that WAS what I was thinking about doing. Don’t do that! Trust me and trust my Sis! Use the full cup or even a bit more.

Also, know that alcohol never completely disappears – that’s a myth. But between the boiling and the roasting, the stirring from the bottom while glazing, and the open pan or roaster, the actual amount of alcohol in the glaze or juices is going to be minuscule. Probably less than you’d get from the vanilla used in a cake.

Making Drunken Pineapple Glazed Ham:

This has to be one of the easiest hams ever. There are basically six ingredients. Ham, Captain Morgan’s rum, pineapple, brown sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar. The last two are my additions. Don’t tell my Sis, lol!

You’re gonna have a couple of choices, here and go super easy or add a little step or two.

• First of all, you can use ham tidbits like my sister or you can toss your pineapple into the blender and break it down a little. I prefer to toss it into the blender. I think it helps the glaze stick to have teensy bits of pineapple in it and to stick well. You do you, either works.
• Next: You can mix up the glaze and toss some over the ham and then baste. My sister does this and loves all the saucy deliciousness. I toss the glaze and the pineapple mixture in a small pot and bring it to a simmer (be careful not to boil it over) and continue to simmer it until it is reduced by about a third. Then I toss some over the ham and start glazing. I still have a lot of sauce but I think this method builds the glaze a little better.
• The remaining glaze in the pan can be simply served as is (that’s what I do) or defatted if you wish, or reduced by simmering to thicken it a bit. It’s in your hands.

The Basics of Cooking and Glazing:

You want to time your ham and figure out when it has about an hour left to cook and that’s when you’ll start glazing. The instructions for most hams (these days grocery store hams are usually precooked and only need to be reheated) are usually right on the label; once you have the weight you can easily calculate the time.

Usually, a general rule of thumb is a ham under 10 pounds requires about 12 minutes per pound; a ham over is 15 minutes per pound. You’re looking to remove a ham when it tests 135 degrees F. in the center (but not touching the bone.)

With about an hour and a half left to go, uncover the ham, increase the heat, and start applying the glaze about every 10 minutes. With the first glaze, pour about 1/4 of the glaze over the ham, and from then on, brush on heavily. Try to get into the nooks and crannies. I like to separate the layers a bit for maximum glazage. (That’s my new word, pass it on, lol!) If you run out of glaze, brush some up from the bottom of the pan.

If the glaze doesn’t seem fully caramelized and is looking pale and you have 20 or 30 minutes left, stop glazing and keep an eye on it until it is. Once it is browned and bubbly, start glazing again.

You may need to turn your ham around in the oven several times so the glaze caramelizes evenly. If any portion of the ham is in danger of getting too dark before the rest, place a bit of aluminum foil over the dark area. Just kind of lightly mold it to the ham.

Storing and Reheating:

Stretching your ham over several meals is a great way to stretch your budget Save the bone for soup and in the meantime, take a peek at how to break down a ham, store and all the marvelous dishes for leftover ham I have here on my site. I’ve gathered them together in one post I call “12 Days of Ham.”

I thought a dozen ways to use ham were a lot at the time I wrote that post, but it has grown and grown over the years! A sure way to make sure you make the best use of the leftovers is to pick out a dish or two you want to make and buy those ingredients at the same time you buy your ham.

What to Serve with Your Ham:

So often at Easter (or any holiday), I love making my Ruth’s Chris au Gratin Potatoes Copycat, but because of all the glorious sauce here, I hafta go with mashed! If you have a big crowd, why not make these Make-Ahead Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes? If you want to free up your stovetop, maybe these Perfect Instant Pot Mashed will do the trick.

If you just want the best ever classic mashed? Best Company Mashed Potatoes are for you. And if you want to actually minimize the carbs in a holiday meal (because you are probably getting plenty from all the other goodies) you are going to want my Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower.

Saving Money on Drunken Pineapple Glazed Ham:

• Easter is THE season to buy Ham. It will always be on sale around Thanksgiving and before Christmas and New Year’s but you’d be hard-pressed to find better pricing than the pre-Easter sales. Follow the ads, & get more than one. Hams keep for weeks in the fridge and can be frozen. If you’re on a budget and asked to host a shower of some sort, a buffet, or a get-together, having a sales-priced ham in the freezer is a great way to reduce expenditures.
• Alcohol is never really “cheap” even the cheap stuff! I sign up for email alerts from several shops; when they have a big sale (usually wine in the fall and in the spring or hooch before almost any holiday and a big one every spring) I’ll get alerts. If you’re stocking up or buying something premium it really pays to know what is a good price.

I hope you’re all having a happy holiday weekend! It’s Easter, now, but this ham will be fabulous any time of the year. I haven’t decided all my sides to go with this ham yet, although the mashed potatoes are staying! You need them for all that sauce! And of course, I’m going to drive the pineapple home with a Hummingbird cake. Look for that soon! Take care!

Mollie

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