Spiral Sliced Ham with Pineapple Cola Glaze

There’s nothing better than a Spiral Sliced Ham on the dinner table…unless it’s coated with a sweet n sour pineapple cola glaze. This slow cooked Spiral Ham bakes up nicely in the Crockpot, then finishes in the oven under the broiler.

Cooking a show stopping holiday main can sometimes be intimidating but I’m here to help! Check out these step by step guides to slow roasting up a great Boneless Leg of Lamb or brining a whole Turkey with all the fixings and sides.

Spiral Sliced Ham with Pineapple Cola Glaze

The pineapple cola glaze envelopes the ham slices with wonderful flavour and a beautiful shiny gloss. Best of all, the spiral ham comes pre sliced so there’s no arguing about who carves the ham!

Ready, set, slow cook your way to the perfect glazed spiral sliced ham. Free up precious oven space for sides and pies while this stunning main is bubbling away in the crockpot.

What is a Spiral Sliced Ham?

In general, a ham is a cut of pork from the hind quarter of a pig that is cured either chemically (salt, sugar, nitrates) or by smoke. The larger butt end ham is the higher up portion and contains more lean muscle mass. The shank ham is smaller, fattier, and much easier to slice because it only contains one long bone.

Through the magic of meat processing, boneless butt and shank hams are widely available for consumers. Though some insist that bone in hams are more flavourful, they take much longer to prepare and can be tricky to slice.

A bone in spiral ham is made with one continuous slice, similar to how a rotating apple slicer works. The ham is placed on upright spikes and rotates while a spring loaded slicing blade cuts through the meat until it hits the bone. As the ham is lowered, the blade continues through the entire ham.

This recipe will work for both a bone in and a boneless spiral ham. Please note that the cooking time will be slightly longer for a bone in ham.

Ingredients

• 4-6 pound boneless spiral ham
• Crushed Pineapple
• Brown Sugar
• Honey
• Cola

Choose the size and style of ham that is right for your family. A small 4-6 pound ham will serve 6 people (with leftovers) and is great for small family gatherings.

While this recipe calls for a pre cooked boneless spiral sliced ham, a sliced bone in or even whole ham can be substituted. Simply adjust the cooking time accordingly.

If you can’t find crushed pineapple, other canned varieties and even fresh pineapple will do. Use a food processor, blender, or kitchen knife to chop it into finer bits. Be careful not to purée it!

Any brand of cola will work in this recipe. Feel free to experiment with Dr. Pepper or even Ginger ale as a substitute in the glaze.

How to Make a Ham Glaze

A great glaze is the final touch or crowning glory of any delicious ham. The sweet and sour flavours cut perfectly through the rich fatty meat.

Pineapple is the ideal fruit to use in a ham glaze. It already has a sweet and sour flavour profile that goes oh so well with ham. Case in point… how delicious is a ham and pineapple pizza?

Home chefs have been using soda pop to glaze hams for years. Other than this pineapple cola glaze, I also make a mean honey mustard cola glazed ham.

To create the glaze for this recipe, mix the pineapple (with juices), honey, brown sugar, and cola together in a saucepan over medium heat. Once it begins to simmer, reduce the heat slightly and allow the glaze to simmer for 15-20 minutes.

When the glaze has reduced enough to look thick and glossy, it is finished.

How to Cook a Spiral Sliced Ham with Glaze

Since this style of ham comes fully cooked, all you really have to do is warm it up so that the natural meat juices begin to release. This is the perfect job for a slow cooker.

What I love most about cooking this main for any occasion is how simple it is. I’m all for ‘fixing and forgetting’ dinner whenever I can get away with it.

Place the ham in the slow cooker insert. Pour half of the thickened glaze evenly over the top of the meat. Cover and cook on the low setting for 4 hours.

Once the four hours are up, carefully remove the ham from the slow cooker and place it on an aluminum foil lined rimmed baking sheet. Pour the other half of the glaze over the ham and broil until it begins to caramelize.

The sugars in the glaze will caramelize quickly so I highly recommend sitting in front of the oven and watching the ham like a hawk. If you get distracted, you run the risk of a burnt glaze!

How to Serve Spiral Sliced Ham

Serving this stunner is the easiest part because the ham is already cut for you, especially if it is boneless. For a bone in spiral ham, make a long slice along the edge of the bone and the slices will just fall away.

Now, let’s talk side dishes. My favourite side to pair with ham is sweet potatoes. Steam and mash them with butter and salt, or bake them into a casserole topped with crunchy spiced pecans.

Regular Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes or Roasted Hasselback Potatoes are great side options too.

How about a few great vegetable side dishes? Our family favourite is a bright Spring themed Spinach Salad with Beet Pickled Eggs. Or, give this Zesty Green Bean Casserole a try. It’s a fun spin on a much loved classic.

Leftover Ham is GOLD

If you have leftover ham, there are so many great ways to repurpose it. Just think of it as an opportunity to make even more great ham based meals.

Simply pan fry the ham for breakfast the next day or place it in a bun, top with Swiss or Havarti cheese for great lunch sliders. If you only have a tiny amount of ham leftover, chop it up and use it in Chinese style fried rice.

I love leftover ham in a casserole stacked with onions, corn, and sliced potatoes (think scalloped potatoes on steroids). Or, use it in a soup such as a traditional French Canadian Pea Soup.

How to Store Leftover Ham

Leftovers will keep for at least a week in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.

It’s always a great idea to make a larger ham than your family will eat in one setting. Everyone loves ham leftovers!