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

YouTube Video:

Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:

The post Pineapple Sauce for Ham with Fresh Pineapple appeared first on ParnellTheChef.

When Did People Start Putting Pineapple On Ham?

Although baked ham with pineapple for Easter, Christmas, Sunday dinner, and other occasions is common, the dish is fairly new. When canned pineapple became widely available in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, it was still a bit exotic, so companies wanted to give consumers a reason to buy the product.

To promote the new product, companies advertised recipes with canned pineapple in magazines and printed recipe booklets. According to a TasteCooking.com article, a 1925 recipe booklet contained a recipe for baked ham with canned pineapple, giving us the classic dish we know today.

Why Put Pineapple On Ham?

Although the precooked, smoked ham used to make baked ham can technically be eaten straight out of the plastic package, people add pineapple to:

Tone down the salty, smoky flavor – Cured ham is very salty and smoky, and some people find it a bit too strong. However, adding sweet and tart pineapple is the perfect balance to the precooked ham.

Add sweetness without a sugary glaze – While the sweetness of a traditional brown sugar and honey glaze contrasts with the salty ham like pineapple does, the glaze can be too sweet for some people. But by using fruit, you can add sweetness without turning ham into dessert.

As you can see, putting pineapple on ham is the perfect way to balance out the smoky, salty flavors with sweetness and tartness.

Does Fresh Pineapple Make Ham Mushy?

Yes, fresh pineapple can make ham mushy if it touches the meat. Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain that can make meat mushy.

In fact, a Fun107.com article links to a video that compares using fresh or canned pineapple on baked ham. The meat underneath the canned pineapple was fine, but the meat under the fresh pineapple was, in the words of the speaker, “meat play dough” because she was able to mash the ham between her fingers. Gross.

How I Used Fresh Pineapple without Making the Ham Mushy

When I made ham with pineapple and cherries, I used fresh pineapple, but my ham wasn’t mushy: that’s because:

The pineapple was on the skin, not the meat – The skin protected the meat underneath.

The contact area was minimal – I loosely attached the pineapple with toothpicks, so not much of the pineapple rings was actually touching the ham.

I didn’t use a spiral ham – I recommend using canned pineapple with spiral ham since the cuts expose the meat, making it easier for the pineapple rings and juice to come in contact with the meat.

As the ham bakes in the oven, the heat will neutralize the enzyme, so even if you baste the ham with the juice in the baking pan–which has some pineapple juice–it won’t make the ham mushy.

Why Put Cherries on Ham?

Decoration. Although the exact origin isn’t known, the tradition of putting maraschino cherries on ham, like pineapple, is probably the result of marketing efforts. A picture of baked ham with yellow pineapple rings looks great, but the addition of bright, red cherries makes the final presentation even more stunning, making customers even more curious about trying the ham with pineapple recipe.

Ham with Pineapple and Cherries Ingredients

My ham with pineapple and cherries recipe is super easy and delicious. To make it, you’ll need:

Smoked Ham – I used an 11-pound smoked ham shank.

Pineapple – 25 oz of pineapple rings (I used just over 700 grams). If using canned, I would buy 2 20 oz cans, just to make sure you have enough. If using canned, save 1/2 cup of the juice.

Maraschino Cherries – 1 10 oz can, drained, but be sure to save the juice.

Dark Brown Sugar – 1/2 cup. Although light brown sugar would be fine, dark has a greater depth of flavor that will help balance out the salty, smoky ham.

Yellow Mustard – About 2 Tablespoons (enough to spread on the outside of the ham).

Maraschino Cherry Juice – 1/2 cup. Use the juice drained from the maraschino cherry jar.

Pineapple Juice – 1/2 cup. I had some left over from another recipe, but if you use canned pineapple, drain the juice and use it.

Cloves – I used 5 whole cloves. If you don’t have whole cloves, I’d substitute 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.

Cinnamon – 1/4 teaspoon

Ginger – 1/4 teaspoon

Nutmeg – 1/4 teaspoon

Tools:

In addition to the ingredients, things you’ll want to make sure you have to make this recipe include:

Baking Dish – I used a 9×13 casserole dish.

Toothpicks – To put the pineapple and cherries on the ham

Aluminum Foil – To cover the ham for part of the baking time

As you can see, this recipe is super easy! The most important thing is to not forget the toothpicks–those hold the pineapple and cherries in place on the ham.

Can I Use a Spiral Ham?

Yes, but use canned pineapple, not fresh. As stated above, the slits in a spiral ham leave the meat exposed, so if you use fresh pineapple, you run the risk of at least some of the ham turning mushy.

Can I Use Fresh Pineapple?

On the skin, yes–but not on the meat. If using fresh pineapple, be sure to place it on the skin so it doesn’t come in contact with the meat. That’s what I did, and no part of my ham was mushy–it turned out great!

Can I Use Fresh Cherries?

Yes, but maraschino cherries are better. Although I think that fresh, dark sweet cherries would go well with pineapple, I think maraschino cherries would hold up better to baking. Additionally, maraschino cherries are bright red, so the final presentation will be more eye-catching.

How to Cook Ham With Pineapple and Cherries

Learning how to cook ham with pineapple and cherries is easy. You just have to follow a few, simple steps:

Place the Ham in a Pan

The first step is placing the ham in a pan. Although most baked ham recipes suggest placing the ham on its side so the large flat side of meat facing out, I placed the large, flat side facing down. This not only helps keep the meat from drying out, but also helps protect it from the enzymes in fresh pineapple.

What Size Pan Should I Use?

I used a 9×13 glass casserole dish. Although you could use a disposable aluminum pan, I would recommend placing it on a cookie sheet or pizza pan to make it easier to put in and take out of the oven.

Spread Mustard on the Surface

Once the ham is situated in the pan, spread about 2 Tablespoons of yellow mustard on the skin. This mustard will act as a glue for the brown sugar, as well as provide tanginess to balance out the strong flavors of the smoked ham.

Spread Dark Brown Sugar on the Ham

Then, spread 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar on the skin. As stated above, the mustard will act as a glue to hold the sugar in place.

How to Decorate a Ham with Pineapple and Cherries

Now it’s time to put the fruit on the ham. This is how you decorate a ham with pineapple and cherries:

1. Piece each pineapple ring with a toothpick
2. Insert the toothpick into the ham so that the pineapple is rests on the surface, leaving enough room on the toothpick to place a cherry
3. Place a cherry on each toothpick
4. If you have more cherries than pineapple rings, put some cherries on toothpicks and push them into the ham.

As long as you don’t destroy the pineapple with the toothpick, it should stay in place when the ham bakes.

Mix the Juices and Spices and Pour into the Pan

Once the ham is decorated with pineapple and cherries, mix together the pineapple juice, cherry juice, and spices, including the whole cloves (if not using ground). Then, pour the juice into the bottom of the baking dish.

Cover the Ham with Foil and Bake

Before putting the ham in the oven, cover it loosely with foil, using the toothpicks to help hold it in place. You don’t need to make an airtight seal around the ham–just enough to trap in most of the steam.

Cook the Ham, Covered, Basting Every 30 Minutes (2.5 hours)

The first phase of cooking the ham is at 325F, covered, for 2.5 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Simply take the ham out of the oven and use a spoon to scoop up the liquid in the pan and pour it on the surface of the ham.

Then, Bake Uncovered (30 minutes).

After the first 2.5 hours, baste the ham one more time and then return it to the oven, uncovered, to crisp up the outside a bit.

Make the Pineapple Sauce While the Ham is in the Oven (Optional)

As the ham nears completion, you can use this time to make pineapple sauce for ham. Although it’s not required, I highly recommend it. I suggest starting the sauce at the beginning of the second phase of cooking so that it has time to cool down a bit before you serve the ham.

Once Done Baking, Save the Basting Liquid

After taking the ham out of the oven and letting it cool down a bit so it’s easier to handle, drain off the basting liquid in the bottom of the pan and set aside. This can be a nice sauce to drizzle over the ham meat when served.

Rest the Ham

Rest the ham, covered, outside of the oven for 15 minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute themselves within the ham so that you don’t lose juiciness or flavor when you cut the meat.

Serve the Ham

The final step in cooking ham with pineapple and cherries in the oven is slicing it and serving. Remember to slice the ham against the grain to make sure it stays juicy and tender.

Chef’s Secret Tip for Serving Ham:

A bit of char really brings out the flavor, so try browning the ham slices in a bit of oil in a pan over medium to medium-high heat. You’ll be amazing by how much more flavorful the ham will be after it spends a few minutes per side in a hot pan–I HIGHLY recommend this, especially served with sauce!

Do You Bake A Ham Covered or Uncovered?

Covered for 2.5 hours, then uncovered for 30 minutes. By cooking the ham in two phases, I lock in the moisture and them crisp up the outside, giving the ham an amazing texture.

How Long to Cook Ham with Pineapple And Cherries?

For an 11-pound ham with pineapple and cherries, total cooking time is 3 hours. The 3 hours consists of 2 stages:

2.5 hours – Bake at 325F, covered, basting every 30 minutes

0.5 hours – Continue baking at 325F–but this time uncovered–for 30 more minutes to crisp up the outside a bit.

If your ham is a big bigger or smaller and you need to adjust the cooking time, follow the suggestions from a SouthernLiving.com article on baked ham cooking time and temperature:

5-7 lb Bone-In Ham – Cook at 325F for 22-25 minutes per pound.

10-14 lb Bone-In Ham – Cook at 325F for 18-20 minutes per pound.

Do You Need to Glaze a Ham?

No. Many recipes call for spreading a brown sugar, honey, and butter glaze on baked ham at the end, I don’t think it’s necessary. If you want to add sweetness but with far fewer calories, my recipe with pineapple and cherries, along with some pineapple sauce, would be a good alternative.

What Goes With Ham With Pineapple and Cherries?

Although a few slices of baked ham with pineapple and cherries would be centerpiece of any meal, know what side dishes to serve with the ham is very important. If you’re looking for ideas, try:

Southern Baked Mac and Cheese (no flour) – This side is always a crowd-pleaser. If you want something easy, try my recipe–you’ll love it!

Scalloped Potatoes – Cheese and potatoes go together very well.

Steamed Asparagus – If you’re making ham with pineapple and cherries for Easter, then fresh asparagus will be in season, and its crisp freshness would be the perfect addition to the meal.

Green Beans – This vegetable is another way to add green color and nice freshness to your meal.

What Kind of Sauce to Serve with Baked Ham and Pineapple with Cherries?

Although this ham is good on its own, I recommend serving it with a sauce, such as:

Pineapple Sauce for Ham – This amazingly sweet and tart sauce takes the flavors in this recipe to the next level.

Unsweetened Applesauce – Cool and refreshing, applesauce is the perfect companion to baked ham. Whether you use storebought or use my recipe to make your own–either way, it’s delicious!

Braising Liquid – With pineapple juice, cherry juice, spices, and infused with salty and smoky flavors from the ham, drizzling some of the braising liquid on the ham when serving is a good option, too.

How Long Does Baked Ham with Pineapple and Cherries Last?

Due to the amount of salt, baked ham with pineapple and cherries lasts quite a long time. If kept covered in the refrigerator, the meat should be good for 1-2 weeks, even if the fruit starts to get soggy after a few days.

Can You Freeze Leftover Ham?

Yes! To freeze leftover ham, simply slice it into portions, put them in plastic bags, and freeze. The ham should retain its quality in the freezer for 2-3 months.

A Chef’s Review

My ham with pineapple and cherries recipe was a big success. It had just the right amount of sweetness, tartness and spices to balance out the salty, smoky meat. This recipe shows that you can definitely balance out the flavor of cured ham without a sickeningly-sweet brown sugar glaze.

Although the ham is great on its own, I highly recommend not only browning the slices but also serving with a sauce. Pineapple sauce and applesauce are just two options, so feel free to experiment. If you’re looking for a new Christmas or Easter ham recipe that’s fruity and amazing and not overwhelmingly sweet, try this one!

Possible Changes to the Recipe

Although this recipe turned out well, I would like to experiment with a few things:

Canned Pineapple – Most baked ham and pineapple recipe calls for canned pineapple, so I’d like to see what difference it would make. I honestly don’t think it would make a big difference, but I’m still curious.

Fresh Cherries – Dark sweet cherries don’t have the bright red color that maraschino cherries do, but I think that they have a complex flavor that might work well in this recipe.

Honey Dijon Mustard – Using a different type of mustard would put a twist on this recipe, and I think that honey Dijon would be a good choice. I think that Argentinian Savora mustard would be delicious, too.

Brown the Ham Slices – As stated earlier, frying the ham slices in a bit of oil to give the meat a bit of color really brought out the flavor. I tried this with one of the last slices of ham, but I wish I would have discovered this sooner. It’s REALLY good!

Ham with Pineapple and Cherries Recipe Variations

Possible variations of this recipe include:

Brown Sugar Glaze – Even though my goal was to make a ham without a glaze so that it wouldn’t be sickeningly sweet, I’m curious how a glaze would taste on this.

Crockpot – Making this in a the crockpot would probably be less work than in the oven.

More Ham Recipes

If you have any leftover ham, you can use it to make a variety of dishes:

Navy Beans and Ham – Although these beans have a reputation for being bland, my recipe is delicious.

Pinto Beans and Ham – The smoky flavor combines perfectly with a slice of cornbread.

Lima Beans with Ham – Using frozen lima beans means you can make this at any time of the year.

Ham with Pineapple and Cherries Recipe Directions

YouTube:

Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:

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