Mississippi Baked Ham

My partner's family is from Mississippi, and this is their recipe for Easter ham. I don't like ham at all, but I thought this was ok. Any ham-lover would adore this recipe, I think. Posted here mostly for safe-keeping, as I'll be making it every year.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 20
• Yields: 1 baked ham

Ingredients

• 8 -10  lbs  hickory-smoked  bone-in ham
•  clove, as many as needed
• 12  ounces  Coca-Cola
• 1 (20 ounce) can  pineapple slices in heavy syrup, drained and syrup reserved
• 1 -2  cup brown sugar
• 10  maraschino cherries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Rinse and dry ham. Score skin of ham with a knife in a criss-crossing 1-inch diamond pattern all around. Stuff one clove in every gap where the crosses intersect.
3. In a baking pan, whisk together the cola and reserved pinapple syrup. Place ham cut side down in the pan. Glaze with the cola/syrup mixture. Pat brown sugar all over the ham, then cover with foil.
4. Bake, covered, for 15-20 minutes per pound or until internal temperature reaches 135-145°F (cooking these big chunks of meat always takes me longer than the packaging says- a probe thermometer really helps here). Baste every 20 minutes or so. Halfway through the cooking time, remove foil and stick the pineapple slices onto the ham with toothpicks. Put a maraschino cherry in each pineapple slice hole, also with a toothpick. Continue baking, uncovered, and don't forget to baste.
5. For a more caramelized glaze on the ham, just before it has finished cooking increase the oven temperature to 450°F Check it frequently and baste constantly to make sure it does not burn.
6. Remove from oven and let sit for at least 30 minutes before slicing.