My pineapple sauce for ham with fresh pineapple but without mustard recipe is easy and delicious. The sauce is tart and sweet, so it’s the perfect balance to salty and smoky baked ham. Fresh pineapple makes this sauce flavorful, and lemon really brings out the flavor. If you want to complement your Christmas or Easter baked ham or ham steak, keep reading to learn how to make pineapple sauce for ham.
Why Make Pineapple Sauce For Ham?
As I explain in my ham with pineapple and cherries recipe, ham and pineapple is a classic combination. Not only is a baked ham decorated with golden yellow pineapple beautiful, but the sweetness and tartness of the fruit also helps to balance out the strong flavors of the cured ham.
Although baking your ham with pineapple rings definitely helps to balance out the flavor, making a separate pineapple sauce for ham allows you to add even more fruity flavor. If you’ve made oven baked ham before and wished you had added more pineapple, then you definitely need to try this sauce recipe.
Pineapple Sauce For Ham with Fresh vs. Canned Pineapple
If you do an Internet search, you’ll find that recipes for pineapple sauce with crushed pineapple are far more common than recipes with canned. Although crushed pineapple or canned rings is convenient, it’s not as flavorful as fresh or frozen. With that in mind, I wanted to invent a recipe for pineapple sauce with fresh pineapple so that the sauce would be as flavorful as possible.
Will Pineapple Sauce with Fresh Pineapple Make Ham Mushy?
No! Cooking pineapple destroys the enzyme that can make pineapple mushy.
Baked ham with pineapple is a classic, but almost all recipes call for using canned pineapple since fresh pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain that can make ham mushy. If you’re worried that his fresh pineapple sauce will make the ham mushy, don’t worry: a Dole.com canned pineapple FAQ page explains that the heating process used in canning pineapple destroys the bromelain.
Since heating destroys bromelain, you don’t have to worry about the pineapple sauce making your ham mushy. Besides, this sauce is meant to be served on the side, so it won’t be in contact with the meat for very long, anyway.
Can I Use Frozen Pineapple to Make The Sauce?
Yes! If a recipe calls for cooking or baking with fresh fruit, you can almost always use frozen. Since this sauce is cooked, you can use frozen pineapple instead of fresh pineapple: that’s what I did in the video.
Why Make Pineapple Sauce for Ham Without Mustard?
Many recipes for pineapple sauce, such as the one by Rodney of HotRodsRecipes.com, call for adding mustard. The tanginess in the vinegar, like lemon juice in a fruit cobbler, helps bring out the fruit flavor.
However, since I really like using lemon in fruit pies and cobblers, I wanted to make pineapple sauce for ham without mustard. Instead, I used lemon juice and lemon zest, and I really enjoyed the results. If adding mustard to pineapple sauce sounds odd to you but you still want the benefits, add some lemon.
Pineapple Sauce for Ham with Fresh Pineapple Ingredients
My pineapple sauce for ham with fresh pineapple but without mustard recipe has just a few ingredients:
Fresh Pineapple (or Frozen) – 1 lb (454g), about 2.5 cups.
Sugar – 2/3 cup white sugar (140g). Although you could use light brown sugar, white sugar will help preserve the golden yellow color that you’d expect a pineapple sauce to be.
Water – 1/2 cup (120g). In the video I started out with 1/4 cup (60g), but after adding the cornstarch slurry, I felt like the sauce still had a slight cornstarch taste. I then added another 1/4 cup of water and cooked the sauce another 5 minutes, and that helped a lot–so start with 1/2 cup of water.
Lemon Juice – 1 Tablespoon
Lemon Zest – 1 teaspoon–honestly, in the video I may have used about 1.5 teaspoons, but 1 teaspoon of zest should be enough. If you don’t have zest, substitute 1/2 teaspoon extract.
1/8 teaspoon salt – Salt helps to balance out the flavors.
For the Cornstarch Slurry:
Cornstarch – 2.5 Tablespoons (25g)
Water – 2.5 Tablespoons (25g). Usually, when I make cornstarch slurries I use equal parts cornstarch and water.
How to Make Pineapple Sauce for Ham with Fresh Pineapple
Learning how to make pineapple sauce for ham with fresh pineapple but without mustard is easy:
Cut Up The Pineapple
The first step in the recipe is cutting up and measuring the pineapple. I used 1 pound of pineapple, which is about 2.5 cups, maybe a little less. Although it’s best to cut the pineapple into chunks of about equal sizes, you don’t have to be exact since you can break up the chunks with a spoon as the sauce cooks.
When I made the recipe for the video, I cut up a pineapple ahead of time and froze it. Whether you cut up a fresh pineapple right before making the sauce or use frozen, it doesn’t matter.
Place the Pineapple In a Pot with the Other Ingredients
Place the cut up pineapple into a pot and add the sugar, lemon juice and zest, salt, and water (I recommend a total of 1/2 cup). Don’t add the cornstarch slurry at this point.
When I made the recipe for the video, I cut up a pineapple ahead of time and froze it. Whether you cut up a fresh pineapple right before making the sauce or use frozen, cut up a pineapple and then freeze it, or use storebought frozen pineapple, you can still make this recipe.
Bring to a Boil
Once everything–except the ingredients for the slurry–are in the pot, bring the pot to a boil. In the video I say to use medium heat, but I’ve used high heat to bring the pot to a boil before, and it was perfectly fine.
As previously stated, you can definitely use frozen pineapple to make this sauce. The only difference is that it’ll take longer to come to a boil.
As the pineapple, sugar, and other ingredients start to come to a boil, use a wooden spoon to break up the large chunks into smaller pieces to give the sauce a smoother texture. If the pineapple chunks are frozen together, use the spoon to break them apart as the fruit thaws out.
Continue Cooking on Medium Heat
Once the pineapple sauce comes to a boil, cook on medium heat for another 10 minutes, stirring constantly as you use your spoon to crush the chunks. For a chunkier sauce, don’t break up the chunks as well–honestly, you have a lot of control over the texture of the final sauce.
Add a Cornstarch Slurry to Thicken the Pineapple Sauce
After 10 minutes of continued cooking, make the cornstarch slurry off to the side. Add the slurry to the pineapple sauce, making sure to stir it in very well.
Cook for an Additional 5 Minutes
Although adding the cornstarch slurry will thicken the sauce within 60 seconds, I recommend that you continue cooking the pineapple sauce for another 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly. The extra time over heat helps to cook out the slight cornstarch flavor that the sauce would have otherwise.
Serve the Pineapple Sauce
Now that the pineapple sauce is ready, it’s time to serve. I recommend letting it cool down for a few minutes before serving.
How to Serve Pineapple Sauce For Ham
This is how I recommend using this pineapple sauce:
Baked Ham – As stated above, I served this with slices of baked ham, and it was phenomonal.
Ham Steak – If you feel like your ham steak needs a little something, this sauce would be perfect.
Chunky Pineapple Sauce for Ham
Although the pineapple in the finished sauce has the texture of crushed pineapple, you can easily use this recipe to make chunky pineapple sauce for ham. Simply refrain from breaking up the pineapple so much while it’s cooking, making sure to leave a few large chunks.
If I’m Going to Serve the Sauce with Baked Ham, When Should I Make the Sauce?
If you want your sauce to be lukewarm when served, I recommend that you start making the sauce about 15 minutes before taking the ham out of the oven. With about 30 minutes to get the ingredients together, cook the sauce, and then give it time to cool off, that’s just enough time to let the ham finish baking in the oven and then letting it rest for 15 minutes.
Why Do I Have to Keep Cooking the Sauce After Adding the Slurry?
I recommend continuing to cook the sauce for an extra 5 minutes to cook the cornstarch flavor out of the sauce. While you could add slightly less cornstarch (and thus use slightly less water to make the slurry), my guess is that the sauce needs a bit more time if you don’t want the cornstarch to be perceptible.
Even though I don’t continue cooking my cobbler fillings after adding the cornstarch, I not only use more fruit but also bake the filling inside the cobbler. Baking the cobbler in essence continues cooking the filling, so my guess is that simply using less cornstarch might not solve the problem.
How to Store Pineapple Sauce For Ham
To store your pineapple sauce for ham, place it in a sealed container and keep it in the refrigerator.
How Long Does Pineapple Sauce Keep?
If kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator, the pineapple sauce should keep for up to 1 week.
Can I Make Pineapple Sauce For Ham In Advance?
Yes! You can make this pineapple sauce for ham up to 2-3 days in advance. In fact, making it the day before Christmas or Easter is one less thing to do on the holiday. Although I think it’ll keep for a week, it might start to lose flavor after 3 or 4 days, so you don’t want to make it too far in advance.
Can You Freeze Pineapple Sauce For Ham?
Potentially, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Freezing and then thawing the sauce might make it watery, so I wouldn’t risk it. If you try this, let me know!
Can I Thicken the Pineapple Sauce with Flour Instead of Cornstarch?
Yes! But I don’t recommend it. If you’re going to thicken the sauce with flour, I would use twice the amount–5 Tablespoons. When making the slurry, increase the water to 5 Tablespoons, too. The rest of the recipe should be the same.
Even if thickening the pineapple sauce with flour instead of cornstarch is possible, I don’t recommend it. Flour-thickened pies, cobblers, and sauces look cloudy, and it’s hard to cook out the flour flavor totally. Flour will work in a pinch, but I think that the recipe will turn out better with cornstarch.
A Chef’s Review
My pineapple sauce for ham with fresh pineapple but without mustard recipe was a bit success. The sauce had the sweet and tart that you’d expect, and it complemented the baked ham very well. The lemon really helped bring out the fruit flavor, so I highly recommend adding it.
After cooking the sauce an extra 5 minutes, there wasn’t any trace of cornstarch, so that isn’t a concern. I also really liked the texture. The pineapple bits were small enough for a piece to be in every bite, and the thickened juice spread out nicely on slices of ham. If you’re looking for a sauce to complement your Christmas or Easter ham, or to top a ham steak, this recipe is for you.
Possible Changes to the Recipe
I was very satisfied with how this recipe turned out, but one day I’d like to try:
Crushed Pineapple – Although not as flavorful, crushed pineapple would make this recipe super easy.
Brown Sugar – Even though the sauce wouldn’t be yellow, I think it would be very delicious.
With Mustard – Even though I purposefully created a pineapple sauce recipe without mustard, I’m curious how it would turn out with some mustard.
Pineapple Sauce for Ham Recipe Variations
Raisin Pineapple Sauce – Raisins and Dijon mustard put a twist on this recipe.
Spicy Pineapple Sauce – Jalapenos or red pepper flakes would give this sauce some heat.
Sweet and Sour Sauce – If you’re a fan of sweet and sour sauce from Chinese restaurants, then adding brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and soy sauce will give this sauce a similar taste.
More Pineapple Recipes
Pineapple Pie – If you like old-fashioned peach pie but want something different, try this recipe.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Crushed Pineapple – Brown sugar caramel makes this cake fantastic.
Old Fashioned Pineapple Coconut Cake – If you like southern coconut cake, you’ll love this.
Other Sauce Recipes
If you like to add sauces to your food, then be sure to take a look at these recipes:
Chimichurri Sauce Recipe – A spicy garlic parsley sauce from Argentina and Uruguay that’s amazing.
Microwave Applesauce For One (No Sugar) – This unsweetened applesauce is a good healthy dessert.
Pineapple Sauce for Ham with Fresh Pineapple Recipe Directions
Pineapple Sauce for Ham with Fresh Pineapple
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh pineapple (454g), about 2.5 cups
- 2/3 cup white sugar (140g)
- 1/2 cup water (120g)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Cornstarch Slurry:
- 2.5 Tablespoons cornstarch (25g)
- 2.5 Tablespoons water (25g)
Instructions
- Cut up the fresh pineapple into chunks.
- Place the pineapple chunks, sugar, water, lemon juice and zest, and salt in a pot. Bring the ingredient to a boil on medium or high heat while using a wooden spoon to break up the pineapple into smaller pieces.
- Once the pot comes to a boil, continue cooking the sauce on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring and breaking up the pineapple as the sauce cooks.
- After cooking the sauce for 10 minutes, make the cornstarch slurry and add it to the sauce with the heat still on medium. The sauce should thicken up within 60 seconds.
- Continue cooking the pineapple sauce for another 5 minutes to cook out the cornstarch taste, stirring constantly.
- Once you cook the sauce for another 5 minutes, it’s ready to serve.
- Let the sauce cool 10-15 minutes before serving.
YouTube Video:
Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:
