By Summer Miller
Features on SimpleRecipes.com
This is the easiest and most flavorful ham I’ve ever made. I rub it down the day before and let the flavors meld for 24 hours. Once it’s roasted, you will have tender, sweet, salty, and succulent meat.
Ingredients
- 1 (15-pound) bone-in ham
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 5 (20-ounce) cans of pineapple rings in 100% juice
- Prepare your roasting pan:
Set your roasting pan on your counter and remove the roasting rack. You won’t need it. Place 6 to 8 pineapple rings on the bottom of the roasting pan. (You can also use a large casserole dish; if your ham fits, the dish is fine!)
- Season the ham:
Remove the ham from its packaging and place the ham in the roasting pan. Combine brown sugar and ground cloves together in a small bowl. Massage the sugar mixture all over the ham, including the cut side. Really rub the sugar into the meat. It will turn into a paste as you rub it. That’s okay. If some sugar drops into the roasting pan, scoop it up, and keep rubbing it into the meat.
When finished, set the ham cut side down onto the pineapple rings.
- Score the ham 1/4-inch deep in a diamond pattern. If this is difficult to do in the roasting pan, then transfer the ham to a cutting board. Score it, and then return it to the roasting pan, putting the cut side down onto the pineapple rings.
Pour the juice from 1 can of pineapple into the bottom of the pan. Don’t pour the juice over the ham because it will wash off the brown sugar.
- Let the ham rest for 24 hours:
Cover the ham with aluminum foil, secure it around the roaster, and let hang out in the fridge overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
- Cover the ham with pineapple slices:
The next day, remove the ham from the refrigerator. Open the foil and spoon pan juices over the ham. Lay pineapple rings across the ham so they touch each other, and secure them with wooden toothpicks if necessary. Two toothpicks per slice is plenty.
- Bake the ham:
Cover with foil. Make sure to seal the foil tightly around the edges of the roasting pan. Bake at 325°F for 15 to 18 minutes per pound of meat. (Roughly 4 1/2 hours for a 15-pound ham.)
- Rest the ham before serving:
Let the ham rest, covered, for 15 minutes before slicing.
- Slice and serve:
Transfer the ham to a cutting board. Remove the pineapple slices, and save them to fry and put on leftover ham sandwiches. Discard the toothpicks.
Slice the ham to your desired thickness. As you slice the ham, place the sliced pieces into the roaster with all of the juices. When everything has been sliced, transfer the slices to a serving platter. Serve alongside a selection of high-quality mustard and/or chutneys.
