Rita's Sweet Holiday Baked Ham

This tasty Thanksgiving ham with pineapple, maraschino cherries, brown sugar, maple syrup, and orange juice is great for the holidays or any occasion.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr
• Total Time: 2 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 667 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, halved
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup ginger ale
• 1 (12 pound) fully-cooked, bone-in ham
• 1 (15.25 ounce) can pineapple slices in juice, drained
• 1 box round wooden toothpicks
• large heat-resistant nylon oven bag (such as Reynolds® Oven Bags)
• 0.5 cup honey
• 0.5 cup brown sugar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Score the outer edge of the ham with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern. Cuts should be about 1/4 inch deep to allow the ham to soak up the juice.

Step 2

Remove ham from bag to a serving plate, and let stand for 10 minutes before carving.

Step 3

Bake ham for 2 hours in the preheated oven. The internal temperature should be 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) when done. Be sure not to touch the bone when taking the temperature.

Step 4

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 5

Mix maple syrup, orange juice, ginger ale, brown sugar, and honey together in a medium bowl. Stir in juice from maraschino cherries, and 1/2 of the cherries.

Step 6

Place ham into an oven bag, and carefully pour the juice mixture over it, keeping all of the juice in the bag (it may look like there is too much juice, but the ham will soak it up while baking). Place pineapple slices on top of ham, and secure with toothpicks. Place cherries into the center of pineapple rings, and secure with toothpicks also. Tie the end of the bag closed with the ties provided, place in a large roasting pan, and cut a few small slits in the top of the oven bag.