In Filipino style, pineapple is used to glaze the ham. It’s juicy and flavorful, and the glaze is a mix of sweet and sour fruits. It’s the perfect centerpiece for Christmas dinner.
I love the merriment of Christmas and all its good cheer. Thank you, everyone, for stopping by and making Kawaling Pinoy a part of your celebrations. Make your holiday meal even better with this Filipino-style pineapple glazed ham. It will be the star of your Noche Buena party.
Majestic ham is a Filipino holiday staple, known for its sweet and salty glaze coating a tender and juicy baked ham. Getting the flavors just right and cooking it to ideal doneness can seem intimidating for new cooks. Fortunately, majestic ham is easy to make at home with the right techniques.
In this complete guide I’ll explain how to bake majestic ham in the oven for mouthwatering results every time. You’ll learn tips on choosing the best ham assembling the glaze ingredients, proper cook times and temps, basting techniques, and how to carve and serve it for a show-stopping centerpiece. Let’s get started!
Choosing the Right Ham
For authentic Filipino-style majestic ham, look for a bone-in, uncooked ham preferably with skin on. The skin helps seal in moisture. Avoid pre-cooked hams, as they easily dry out. Aim for an 8 to 12 pound uncured ham. Larger hams tend to be more succulent.
Smithfield and Swift Premium Gold Label are excellent quality choices if you can find them Make sure the ham has ample fat marbling throughout for flavor and tenderness. The leaner the ham, the drier it will turn out
Assembling the Sweet and Savory Glaze
A homemade glaze is key for majestic ham. This caramelized mixture of sweet and salty flavors perfectly complements the pork. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 chopped apple
- 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons brandy or rum
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 dried bay leaf
- Whole cloves for studding ham
Combine all glaze ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens to a syrupy glaze. Set aside to cool slightly while you prep the ham.
Preparing the Ham for the Oven
Take the ham out of packaging and rinse it under cool water. Pat the skin dry. With a knife, score the ham by making shallow diagonal cuts across the top in a diamond pattern. This allows the glaze to really penetrate the meat.
Place the ham fat side up in a large roasting pan. Press whole cloves into the ham, spacing them evenly. Pour 3 cups of water in the bottom of the pan to help steam it.
Brush ham all over with some of the glaze mixture. Reserve the rest to baste with later.
Baking Temps and Times
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the glazed ham directly in the center rack. For an 8 to 10 pound ham, bake for approximately 18 to 20 minutes per pound.
For a ham over 10 pounds, extend bake times up to 25 minutes per pound. Check for doneness early to avoid overcooking.
Basting and Glazing Techniques
Basting is crucial for moist, flavorful meat. Every 30 minutes, brush the ham with more glaze. Try to coat it evenly each time. The sugars will caramelize and form a beautiful, sticky crust.
If the pan liquids evaporate, add a bit more water to the bottom. For best results, tent the ham loosely with foil between bastings to lock in moisture.
Is It Done? Test for Doneness
The best way to test for doneness is using a meat thermometer, inserted into the thickest part of the ham without touching the bone. Ham should reach an internal temp of 140°F when done.
If you don’t have a thermometer, check for doneness by making a small slit with a knife. The interior should be slightly pink but not red. Juices should run clear.
Let It Rest Before Carving and Serving
Once your majestic ham is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to reabsorb for a tender texture.
To serve, carefully cut portions by slicing against the grain of the meat. Be sure to get plenty of the glazed exterior in each slice. Serve alongside traditional Filipino holiday sides like pancit noodles and crema.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Leftover majestic ham will keep for 3 to 4 days refrigerated. To reheat, place slices with a bit of glaze in the microwave or on a sheet pan in a 300°F oven until warmed through.
Sliced ham can also be frozen for 2 to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. With proper storage, enjoy leftovers for delicious meals all week long.
Making this Filipino celebratory dish at home is easier than you think with the right techniques. For the perfect majestic ham, choose a quality uncured ham, whip up a sweet glaze, bake low and slow, and don’t forget to baste. Impress your guests with your skill by serving this spectacular centerpiece.
Storage and reheating instructions
- Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to three days or frozen for up to three months in a container that doesn’t let air in.
- For food safety reasons, ham that has been left over should be heated up to 165 F. Lay the meat out on foil and heat it in an oven set to 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes per pound.
Why you’ll love Filipino-style hamon
- If you want an easy holiday dish that everyone will love, this sweet-style ham is it. It’s juicy and tasty, and the thick, fruity glaze goes well with the savory tastes.
- It’s a tasty and festive dish that’s great for brunch on Sunday with the family or for holidays like Christmas and Easter. If you have any left over, you can make ham and cheese bread rolls, pasta salads, or soups!
The ham turns out juicy and flavorful, and youd be happy to know its super simple to prepare. Youd be out of the kitchen to mingle with guests in no time!.
- To add flavor, poach the ham in pineapple juice, 7-up, and beer.
- Cook some of the poaching liquid with brown sugar, mustard, and crushed pineapple until it gets nice and thick. This is how you make the pineapple glaze.
- Cut the ham’s surface into a diamond shape with a small knife to make it look nice and help the glaze get into the meat.
- Spread the glaze on the ham and bake it until it turns caramelized, basting it often.
- Let rest before slicing and serve with the pineapple glaze.
- Poaching liquid: Set aside about 2 cups of the liquid that the ham was cooked in.
- You can use pineapple rings instead of crushed pineapple; just make sure they are all over the ham with toothpicks or cloves.
- Because it has molasses added, brown sugar tastes a lot like caramel and should be used instead of white sugar.
- Should be yellow or Dijon mustard. It gives the glaze a nice tang.
- In the recipe, I used smoked bone-in ham, but boneless ham should also work. It’s not spiral cut because the pre-cut kind gets very dry during the two-step cooking process.
- Not all hams are the same; some are seasoned more than others. You should take a small piece to taste and see if you need to add salt to the poaching liquid.
- To remove or not to remove the rind or skin? I leave it on to help keep the moisture in, but you can cut it off if it’s too thick.
- The sweet glaze tends to burn rather quickly. Cover the ham with foil if it’s getting too brown before it’s fully cooked.
- Baste the ham often to boost flavor and add moisture.
Serve with mashed potatoes, macaroni salad, steamed rice, and any of your favorite holiday fixings.
Salamat Dok: Majestic Ham
FAQ
How do you heat up a precooked ham without drying it out?
How long to cook a 10 lb fully cooked ham per?
Do you cover ham when baking?
How do you cook a holiday ham?
There are two very solid ways to cook your holiday ham: oven-bake it or slow-cook it. Oven-baking takes less time and gives you a little more control over the viscosity of the glaze, while slow cooking leaves room in your oven for other holiday meal prep and makes for a ridiculously tender ham — but it does take about twice as long to cook.
Is honey baked ham as good as regular ham?
The addition of honey will affect the calorie content of the food. One tablespoon of honey contributes to approximately 64 calories. In addition, the use of heat when making baked ham will reduce the quality of the honey.
How do you cook a glazed ham?
Baked glazed ham is the most traditional way of cooking ham — and for good reason. You’ll typically start with fully cooked city ham, which offers an easy solution for the cook who’s looking to impress. Let the ham come to room temperature. Pull the ham from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking it to let it come to room temperature.
How do you cook a sliced ham?
To cook the sliced ham. I re-heated it in a teflon pan without oil. Others fry the ham but not me. My mom used to dab the ham in sugar before heating or frying. Majestic Ham is made from the process traditionally cured on oak barrels, smoked with aromatic woods, aged for full flavor, cooked in selected spices.