We love Jamaican Glazed Baked Ham! Holidays are always special in our family. That’s because they are the source of many wonderful memories. We take turns hosting Christmas and Easter dinners, and everyone looks forward to the food! Yes, we are a family of Jamaican food lovers who relish in the glory of home-cooked meals, especially celebration meals!

For Jamaicans a baked ham is a special dish, and usually prepared at Christmas and Easter. The origin of baked ham on the Jamaican holiday table goes back to colonial times. The British brought their religious customs and the associated foods like the holiday ham at Easter and Christmas. Today, Jamaica is an independent country but its food culture is a melange of flavors brought to Jamaica from around the world.

That’s why in addition to baked ham, you’ll find Curry Goat, Oxtail Stew and Curry Chicken on our holiday… along with lots of complementary dishes to satisfy any self-respecting Jamaican food lover.

Cooking Tip: There are three different cuts of ham available at most supermarkets: shank, butt and shoulder. Shank and butt cuts are usually fully baked and glazed in the oven. I prefer the shoulder cut and I prepare it by first boiling it then finishing it in the oven which is the method for this recipe. If find it juicer but the other method will also make a beautiful ham.

Jamaican Glazed Baked Ham Recipe

Ingredients

4 kg (8.5 lbs) Ham, Shoulder Cut
Whole cloves
Sliced Pineapple
Marachino Cherries

Instructions

1. Place ham (with mesh cloth still on) in a large pot. Cover with water, add 1 tsp (5 mL) of whole cloves and bring to a boil. Cover pot, reduce heat and simmer on low for 2 hours.
2. Remove mesh cloth from ham and trim fat.
3. Score fat in a diamond pattern and stud with cloves
4. Dress ham with pineapple slices. Hold pineapple in place with 1 or 2 Maraschino cherries and toothpicks placed in the centre of each pineapple.
5. Bake ham in a 350 F (180°C) oven for 15 minutes while preparing the glaze
6. Remove ham from oven and glaze with half the sauce. Place back in oven for 10 minutes. Remove ham and glaze with remaining sauce and place back in the oven for 10 more minutes to set the glaze.

If you like a tangy glaze replace 1/2 cup of the jam with orange marmalade

Glazing Sauce

1 1/2 cup (250 mL) Guava, Mango or Strawberry Jam
1/2 cup (125 mL) Orange juice
1/2 cup (125 mL) Pineapple juice (from canned pineapple)
1 Tbsp (15 mL) Lemon juice
1 tsp (5 mL) Mustard
1/4 tsp (1 ml) Ground Cloves

Instructions

1. In saucepan stir together all ingredients
2. Simmer and stir sauce uncovered for about 15 minutes to until it thickens to a thin syrup.
3. Use sauce to glaze ham as instructed above.

Serves a large group (10 to 15 people, depending on slicing)