Super Easy Brown Sugar Baked Ham
This super easy brown sugar baked ham is the best and easiest ham ever. A boneless half ham and short baking time are key for this recipe.
I almost didn’t post this recipe. It’s so easy, it’s almost a non-recipe recipe. But considering it is some of the yummiest ham ever, I figured I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t tell you about it.
What Kind of Ham to Buy
This recipe calls for a boneless half ham. I usually grab the master carver half hams from Costco. But this type of ham is widely available at other stores under other brands/names.
The key is to buy ham that is:
- boneless
- NOT pre-sliced
Whether or not it’s a “half ham” (vs a whole ham) isn’t as important as the other two criteria.
Steps for Easy Brown Sugar Baked Ham
Prepping and baking this ham couldn’t be easier.
- Cut the ham into even slices. I prefer the ham sliced thick – about 1/4-inch slices. However, you can slice it thinner or thicker based on your preferences OR leave the ham whole and proceed with the recipe (slicing after it has been baked).
- Place the ham slices in a baking dish and rub evenly with brown sugar.
- Pour pineapple juice over the ham.
- Drizzle pure maple syrup over the ham.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake.
The Key to Juicy Perfect Ham
The key to the best, juiciest ham is to not over cook it. The ham only needs to bake until heated through and warm.
Because most ham sold here in the US is already cooked (meaning it has been cured, smoked or baked), you don’t need to worry about cooking the ham to a certain internal temperature for food safety reasons.
This ham bakes for 30 minutes, give or take a bit.
This brown sugar baked ham is incredibly juicy, deliciously flavorful, and, have I mentioned, SO EASY.
You can serve the ham straight from the dish it was baked in or move it a serving platter. Either way, make sure to spoon some of the cooking liquid in the bottom of the pan over the ham before serving.
My friend, Deb, brought the most incredible ham for our Thanksgiving feast last year, and this recipe is based on that ham. Deb bakes her ham whole in a cast iron pot and slices it after it bakes. It’s delicious that way, too!
I prefer slicing it before baking so it 1) bakes faster and 2) the sweet, tangy flavors of the sugar, maple syrup and pineapple juice permeate each piece more fully.
P.S. The leftover ham is incredible in this ham fried rice recipe.
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Super Easy Brown Sugar Baked Ham
Ingredients
- 4 pound boneless, half ham (see note)
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup (6 ounce can) pineapple juice
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cut the ham into even slices. I prefer the ham sliced thick – about 1/4-inch slices. However, you can slice it thinner or thicker based on your preferences OR leave the ham whole and proceed with the recipe, slicing after it has been baked. If leaving whole, you may need a slightly longer baking time.
- Place the ham slices in a 9X13-inch dish. If the ham you are using is bigger or smaller, adjust the size of the pan accordingly. The ham slices can be layered.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar across the ham and rub the sugar into the ham slices, flipping the pieces so the sugar gets on both sides.
- Pour the pineapple juice evenly over the ham. Drizzle the maple syrup evenly over the ham.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 30 minutes until heated through and warm. Don't over cook the ham.
- Spoon cooking liquid in bottom of the baking pan over the ham before serving.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (adapted slightly from my friend, Deb’s, amazing ham she brought for Thanksgiving)
Hi Mel, what are your thoughts about soaking in Dr Pepper the night before, then discarding the soda and following your recipe?
Definitely worth a try (haven’t tried it myself, so I can’t say 100% for sure how it will work out)
I bought a fully cooked buffet ham from Gordon foods. I was wondering if I could just cut the ham in large chunks and follow your recipe but put it in a crockpot. Would that dry the pieces out too much? Ham is not my specialty! (I had something similar that was served at a wedding recently that was catered by an Amish restaurant. The ham chunks were just floating in this delicious sweet sauce… I’m trying to duplicate the recipe!)
Hi Kristy – I haven’t made this in the crockpot, but I believe others have with good results as long as the ham is completely submerged in the liquid.
We have have from our butcher. We have picnic ham, shank, and butt. Would you have recommendations on which on to use and what I would have to do since it comes from the butcher which I assume there is no curing done?
Hi Sara, if the ham isn’t cooked or cured, you might need to google cooking times for a raw ham (I’ve only ever used a typical cured ham)
This was so fast and easy for our Easter dinner. Delicious!
Looks delicious! Where did you get the small can of pineapple juice you are pouring over the ham in the picture? I haven’t been able to find the small cans in a couple of years.
Hey Jackie! I’m pretty sure I grabbed it at Albertsons!
I am in southern Utah and I get it at Wal Mart, they always have it.
I drained a 20 oz can of crushed pineapples and it had exactly what I needed. Then I mixed the crushed pineapples in lime jello.
Those Master Carve Costco hams are my go-to now for the last couple of years. I’ll have to give this version a try! Thanks!!
Tonight, I was going to buy a spiral-sliced ham to make your slow cooker maple brown sugar ham, just like I have for the past umpteen years. Change of plans! This sounds so easy and perfect! We make several hams when they are available around the holidays, and then I cut the leftovers into 1/2″ pieces and freeze them in 3-cup portions to make your ham and pasta skillet recipe all year! (To the skeptical, it might sound strange. I get it. Ham. Pasta. Togetherness. It’s OK. Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it—it’s so filling, comforting, and delicious! After eating it for almost 10 years, it is known around our house by the codeword “H&P-S”).
Hahaha, I love the code word for that recipe. And I totally agree! It’s still one of our favorite ways to use leftover ham. So, so happy to know you’ve been loving it for all these years, too. Great idea on freezing the ham leftovers like that!
Unfortunately, I already bought the pre-sliced ham from Costco. Could I use it in this recipe and bake it for less time?
Hi Aubrey, if using a spiral sliced ham, I’d probably keep the ham whole (don’t cut off the slices) and follow the recipe, rubbing the brown sugar on the outside of the ham and then drizzling pineapple juice and maple syrup over the outside of the ham, covering with foil in a baking dish and heating through. It would be similar to this slow cooker ham recipe, just baked.
Hi Mel! We love those master carver hams at our house too. Question – if we have pineapple haters, would another citrus juice work? Or even just water?
Hi Liz, I think orange juice would work great, too!
When you posted about this in your Instagram stories last month, I made it. It was the best ham I’ve ever had. My 2 teenage sons ate the entire ham
In 1 meal…an entire ham. Seriously, best ham recipe ever!! Thank you so much!
Alicia! I love knowing that! Thank you!!