This Pineapple-Glazed Ham is a no-fuss, stovetop version that’s perfect for Noche Buena or any holiday gathering. It's coated in a sticky-sweet pineapple glaze with a caramelized brown sugar crust. No oven? No problem!
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Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Ham: Use a fully cooked, ready-to-eat ham weighing about 8 to 12 pounds. I used a spiral-cut ham, which is already sliced around the bone for easy serving. Bone-in hams have more flavor and a traditional look, while boneless hams are easier to slice and handle.
- Beer or alcohol (optional): This adds extra depth to the sauce. You can use about 2 tablespoons of rum or brandy for more flavor, or skip it if you prefer an alcohol-free version. The glaze still turns out great without it.
- Ground cloves: Ground cloves:
- This gives a warm, subtle spice that pairs well with the sweetness of the glaze. You can also use whole cloves pressed into the ham for a classic, decorative look. Feel free to swap in a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or ground ginger for added aroma.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Prepare the cooking liquid
In a cup or bowl, combine the 3 cups pineapple juice, ½ beer (or 2 tablespoons rum or brandy, optional), 1 cup dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Step 2: Drain the ham
Take the ham out of its packaging and place it in a colander or on a wire rack. Drain any excess liquid or brine. You can pat it dry lightly with paper towels if needed.
Step 3: Simmer gently
Place the ham cut side down in a large heavy pot or deep pan. Pour the pineapple sauce over it. Cover and simmer gently over medium-low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Don’t let it boil hard—gentle simmering helps it stay juicy and tender.
If your ham is too big for the pot (like mine was), you can cover it loosely or tent it with foil. The goal is to keep the ham from drying out while still allowing some steam to escape. This way, the sauce can reduce faster later, since the ham will release extra liquid as it cooks.
Step 4: Baste the ham
Baste the ham occasionally to keep it moist and flavorful. As it simmers, the ham will release liquid into the pot—especially if it’s spiral-cut or brined. Don’t worry if the sauce looks a bit watery at this stage—you’ll reduce and thicken it later to make the glaze.
Step 5: Transfer ham
Carefully transfer the ham to a platter and cover it with foil to keep it from drying out. If you plan to broil it, place it on a baking sheet instead.
Step 6: Reduce the sauce
Bring the remaining sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, uncovered. Let it reduce for 15–20 minutes, or until it’s concentrated and flavorful. If your ham released a lot of liquid, this may take a bit longer.
Once the sauce has reduced, stir in a slurry made with 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Simmer for a minute or two until thick and glossy. Add more slurry if you'd like a thicker glaze. Taste and adjust as needed.
If you prefer a simpler approach, don’t love too much sweetness, or aren’t a fan of a brown sugar crust, feel free to skip the next step. Your ham is ready to serve at this point—just spoon the thickened sauce over the top and enjoy.
Step 7: Add brown sugar and caramelize
Sprinkle brown sugar over the surface of the ham, using as much or as little as you like, depending on how sweet or crusty you want it.
If using a blowtorch, carefully pass the flame over the sugar until it melts and caramelizes into a glaze.
If using a broiler, place the ham on a baking sheet and broil for about 4 to 6 minutes, or until the sugar bubbles and caramelizes. Watch closely to avoid burning.
Step 8: Add more sauce and serve
Spoon some of the glaze over the ham, and serve the rest on the side.
Enjoy your Pineapple-Glazed Ham with warm Pandesal for a classing pairing!
Oven method (alternative option)
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Place the ham cut side down on a rack set inside a roasting pan or baking dish.
- Cover the ham tightly with foil to lock in moisture.
- Bake for 1 to 1½ hours, or until the ham is fully heated through (about 140°F internal temp).
- While the ham bakes, make the glaze in a saucepan by combining pineapple juice, beer (optional), brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and ground cloves. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir in a slurry made with 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water, and simmer until thick and glossy. Set aside.
- Uncover the ham and brush generously with the glaze.
- Sprinkle brown sugar over the surface (as much or as little as you like).
- Broil for 4–6 minutes, or until the sugar bubbles and caramelizes. Watch closely to avoid burning.
- Spoon more glaze over the ham before serving, and serve extra sauce on the side.
What to serve for Noche Buena
- Macaroni Salad: A creamy pasta salad with macaroni, mayonnaise, and a mix of vegetables and fruits.
- Filipino Spaghetti: Sweet-style spaghetti with a tomato-based sauce, ground meat, hotdogs, and topped with grated cheese.
- Leche Flan: A caramel custard dessert made with eggs and milk, with a sweet caramelized syrup on top.
- Embutido: Filipino-style meatloaf typically made with ground pork, rolled into a log shape and steamed or baked.
- Buko Pandan: A refreshing dessert salad made with young coconut strips, pandan-flavored gelatin, and sweetened cream.
- Puto Bumbong: Purple rice cakes steamed in bamboo tubes, often served with butter, sugar, and grated coconut.
- Bibingka: Rice cake made with coconut milk, topped with salted eggs, grated coconut, and cheese.
Recipe FAQs
Orange juice or apple cider can be good substitutes, with a similar sweet and fruity flavor.
For pre-cooked ham, you're mainly reheating it. An internal temperature of about 140°F (60°C) means it’s warmed through. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can check by slicing into the thickest part—it should feel hot in the center and the juices should be steaming.
Leftover ham is easy to enjoy in lots of ways! You can reheat slices with a little glaze or use them cold in sandwiches. It’s also great diced up in fried rice, scrambled eggs, tortas, soups, or pasta. To reheat, place slices in a pan with a splash of water or glaze, cover, and warm gently over low heat until heated through. This helps keep it from drying out.
Other pork recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Pineapple-Glazed Ham
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pot or roasting tray (if using the oven)
- Blowtorch or broiler
Ingredients
- 8-12 pounds pre-cooked ham bone-in spiral-cut or boneless (see note)
- 3 cups pineapple juice
- ½ cup beer or 2 tablespoons rum or brandy optional (see note)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard sub: whole grain or yellow mustard
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves see note
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch more as needed
- Extra brown sugar (for crust)
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a bowl, combine the pineapple juice,beer (optional), brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and ground cloves. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Prep the ham: Remove the ham from packaging and drain any liquid. Pat dry if needed.
- Simmer: Place the ham cut side down in a large pot. Pour in the sauce, cover, and simmer gently over medium-low for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Don’t let it boil hard.If your ham is too big for the pot, loosely cover or tent with foil. This helps prevent drying out while letting steam escape, so the sauce is easier to reduce later.
- Baste the ham: Baste now and then. The ham will release liquid—this is normal and will be reduced later.
- Transfer the ham: Carefully move the ham to a platter or baking sheet. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Reduce and thicken the sauce: Boil the sauce uncovered until reduced by half (15–20 minutes). Stir in a slurry of 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water, and simmer until thick and glossy. Adjust to taste.
- Brown sugar crust (optional): Sprinkle brown sugar over the ham. You can caramelize the sugar using a blowtorch, or broil in the oven for 4-6 minutes until bubbly and golden. Watch closely.
- Serve: Spoon the glaze over the ham and serve with extra sauce on the side.
Notes
- Ham: Use a fully cooked 8–12 lb ham. Spiral-cut is convenient; bone-in has more flavor, while boneless is easier to slice.
- Beer or alcohol (optional): Adds depth to the glaze. Use about 2 tablespoon rum or brandy, or skip for a non-alcoholic version.
- Cloves: Adds warm spice. Use ground cloves or stud with whole cloves. You can also use cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Place ham cut side down on a rack in a roasting pan. Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake for 1 to 1½ hours, or until heated through (140°F internal temp).
- Make the glaze: Simmer pineapple juice, beer (optional), brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and ground cloves for 10 minutes. Stir in a slurry of 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water, and simmer until thick and glossy.
- Glaze and finish: Uncover ham, brush with glaze, and sprinkle with brown sugar.
- Broil 4–6 minutes, or until caramelized. Watch closely.
- Spoon more glaze over ham and serve extra on the side.
Lara
I love this! It reminds me of honey baked ham. Soo good!
Nora Reyes
Hello Lara, I'm so glad you liked it! It's great to hear it brings back those honey baked ham vibes. Enjoy!