Ham w/ Clove & Pineapple Rings

Canning was invented in 1809 but did not gain steam as an industry until later in the 19th century. The technology created the possibility for once-scarce tropical luxuries to become normal, everyday. Things like pineapple, which are geographically bound to where they’re being produced, are now suddenly being exposed to audiences who would have never been able to eat or afford a tropical fruit. By the early 20th century, pineapple was available to any cook, plebe, uncle, or child who wanted it. The only problem was that canning was slow to catch on with consumers: Companies had trouble convincing shoppers that what they said was inside the opaque tin really was inside, and there were outbreaks of botulism and food poisoning that some blamed on canned goods.

To help get their pineapple into more kitchens, companies took out ads in pages of women’s magazines. And they printed recipe booklets, like the Hawaiian Pineapple Packers Association’s 1914 edition, titled “How We Serve Hawaiian Canned Pineapple.” Things got jazzier with the 1925 run, featuring a proto-Buzzfeed headline, “99 Tempting Pineapple Treats.” And in its pages: a recipe for baked ham with pineapple that predates similar recipes in early American cookbooks. According to Pineapple: A Global History, 1926’s “Hawaiian Pineapple as 100 Good Cooks Serve it” built on the ham and pineapple recipe from the year before. With pineapple showing up in plenty of meat and vegetable recipes, it revealed just how much pineapple was being used in savory American cooking.

1 Baking ham
whole cloves
prepared mustard
brown sugar
1 can sliced pineapple rings in juice, juice reserved

Score the ham in a criss-cross manner. Insert whole cloves at the intersection of the diamond pattern. Rub the entire outside of the ham with prepared mustard. Then pack brown sugar around the outside of the ham until covered.

Place the ham in a roasting pan and pour the pinapple juice around it. The juice and drippings can be used for basting, and thickened once the ham is cooked to be used as a gravy to pass. Many people on the Internet say that this gravy is also good over mashed potatoes, with a sweet, salty taste.

1/2 hour before ham is done, afix pineapple slices to the outside of the ham using whole toothpicks.

Bake as directed - usually a 325 oven for approximatally 2 hours.

Glazed Ham With Pineapple and Cherry Garnish

bone-in, Hickory-smoked ham
One 20 ounce can sliced pineapples
One 10 ounce jar Maraschino Cherries
One cup light brown sugar-packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. The cinnamon will be added to the ingredients that create the ham glaze.
A Pinch or 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves. This is a very small but important ingredient in making the ham glaze.
1/4 stick of butter or margarine (2 Tbsp.)
1/2 cup of water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Place the whole ham and 1/2 cup water in foil pan that sits inside the cookie sheet.

Calculate cooking time. It's about 15 minutes per pound, so for example; if you have a 20 pound ham, the cooking time would be 15 minutes for each pound, which would be 4 pounds per hour, which would = 5 hours cooking time plus an additional 20 minutes for glaze time.

Now that you've calculated your cooking time; place in 350 degree oven. Allow to cook as is for 1 hour

Reduce heat setting to 325 degrees. Then cover your ham with foil for the remainder of the cooking time.

NOTE: While ham is baking, you can make your glaze and have it ready to go. This glaze is delicious and super-simple to make.

Glaze

In mixing bowl; add the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, melted butter or margarine and about 1/8 cup of the juice from the pineapples. Stir together. Put in microwave for 30 seconds to melt together. Stir again( you can also use a whisk if desired) to dissolve any clumps. Cover and set aside.

When cooking time is up; Remove the foil, pour your glaze evenly over ham, and continue to cook uncovered for an additional 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and garnish with pineapple slices, (the brown sugar glaze will secure the pineapples in place) then set a cherry inside each pineapple hole. Don't forget to enjoy a little cherry juice as this will help you to have a very "cherry" day. :)