A platter of ham is photographed by the news media and guests in the East Room during a media preview of the holiday decorations and tasting event at the White House on Nov. 30, 2005 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
If you’re not roasting a turkey for Christmas 2018, there’s a good chance you’re baking a ham. For those unsure about how to go about making the main centerpiece for your holiday dinner, follow this easy, four-step recipe.
The following guide will help you make a traditional honey baked ham. This recipe is a combination of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) food-safe guideline, Paula Deen’s Food Network recipe, and our own findings from years of cooking.
Ingredients:
1 Spiral-sliced half ham
Light Brown Sugar (3/4 cup)
Yellow Mustard (2 tablespoons)
Reserved pineapple juice (roughly 3 tablespoons)
1 20-ounce can of pineapple slices (optional)
15 cloves (optional)
Tools:
Baking dish
Small mixing bowl
Oven thermometer
Cutting board
Carving knife
Toothpicks (optional)
Recipe:
To start this recipe, you will need to pay close attention to what type of ham you’re using. If you bought a pre-cooked ham, which we recommend, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. If your ham needs to be fully cooked, follow the directions on the ham’s packaging. Once your ham is prepared and your oven is preheated, you can begin cooking.
Thirty minutes before your ham is done cooking (checking full cook times and temperatures here), remove your ham from the oven. If desired, arrange cloves, pineapple slices and cherries on the top of the ham and secure them using toothpicks.
Next, in a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard and pineapple juice. Stir until a thick glaze is created. (If you skip the clove, cherry and pineapple step, still do this step to get a nice flavor on your ham.) Spoon the mixture on top of the ham and continue cooking.
Your ham is done cooking once it has reached an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Then simply transfer the ham to a cutting board to carve before serving.
