My Christmas Ham

An adaption from a recipe found on AllRecipes.com. This has become our favorite ham recipe when using the oven (we also smoke ham outside on the grill). We make the recipe as stated, even for our small family, because of all the wonderful leftover ham recipes on RecipeZaar! My family does not eat the pineapple (except me), so I end up putting the leftover fruit in jello or mixing with cottage cheese for a snack.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 20

Ingredients

• 12  lbs ham (we use one semi-boneless, fully cooked half ham)
• 1⁄2 cup whole cloves
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple rings, drained, reserving liquid (packed in heavy syrup or pineapple juice, not water)
• 1 (4 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained, reserving liquid
• 12  ounces  carbonated lemon-lime beverage (Sprite)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Remove wrapping and any plastic bone plug from ham. Place ham in roasting pan. I like one with high sides or a roasting pan with cover.
3. Cut diagonal pattern into top of ham and place one clove clove in the center of each diamond.
4. Prepare Glaze: Put liquids from pineapple and cherries in small saucepan with brown sugar, Worcheshire sauce and carbonated soda. Warm slightly on stovetop until brown sugar is dissolved. No need to boil!
5. At this point, I usually use a food injector to inject some of the prepared glaze direct into several areas of the ham.
6. Pour glaze over all surfaces of the ham.
7. Place pineapple rings over as many surfaces of the ham as you can. Use toothpicks if necessary to "pin" rings to end or sides.
8. Place maraschino cherry into the center of each pineapple ring, using toothpicks to anchor them.
9. Though the original recipe did not state to, I like to cover the ham with foil (or roasting pan cover) to keep the ham really moist.
10. Bake ham for 4-5 hours or until internal temperature reaches 160F (or 15-20 minutes per pound if you have a larger or small ham), basting every 30 minutes with pan drippings.
11. Remove ham from oven and let set for 15-30 minutes before carving. Remove toothpicks before serving.
12. Serve carved ham with pineapples and cherries.
13. Note: Pan dripping are excellent for making baked beans.