Easter recipe: Go retro with Hawaiian brown sugar glazed ham

Hawaiian brown sugar glazed ham makes a wonderfully easy, old-fashioned Polynesian style ham for Easter Sunday or any holiday or family meal.

Hawaiian brown sugar glazed ham is a more retro, old-fashioned, and traditional way top make baked ham, one a lot of folks are familiar with and enjoy. It is quite easy to make as well and makes a cheerful addition to any holiday table or buffet.

During holiday seasons, the most beloved dishes are ones people have memories of eating all their lives. So in this way, the breaking of bread not only is a festive and fun way to spend a holiday with family and friends, but is also a way of keeping tradition, and remembering what has been.

I hope this recipe can become part of your family traditions if you don’t have a recipe you already use. Even if you do, look this one over and see if there is anything you can do to simplify or improve the recipe you have.

I have a recipe I use for a larger bone-in ham (Brown Sugar Glazed Baked Ham) but this recipe is written for the half ham size, boneless. You can also easily do this with a whole boneless ham – just double the glaze amounts accordingly.

I do hope you enjoy and that your Easter season is full of love, blessings and joy as we celebrate the renewal of life everywhere.

Hawaiian Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

Time: 2 hours
Serves 8

1 3-lb. boneless ham

1 15-ounce can sliced pineapple in juice

1 jar maraschino cherries (no stems)

Wooden toothpicks (not the frilled type)
 

For the glaze:

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 tablespoon or more pineapple juice

Pinch cloves

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Score ham lightly across the skin side.

3. Place cut side down in a square casserole dish or glass brownie pan and pour juice from the canned pineapple around it.

4. Pin pineapple rings and cherries to the ham using toothpicks.

5. Tent ham with foil (it doesn’t matter if the toothpicks poke through).

6. Bake, covered, at 325 degrees F. for 30 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, mix brown sugar, corn syrup, pineapple juice and cloves in a Pyrex measuring cup and stir.

8. Microwave mixture for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring halfway through,m until the sugar dissolves into a thick syrup; set aside.

9. Remove foil from ham and using a silicone basting brush, paint the syrup mixture around the top and sides of ham.

10. Return to oven, uncovered, and bake for another 30-60 minutes or until hot, basting occasionally with pan juices.

11. Slice ham before serving and serve with a garnish of pineapple and cherry.