Spiral Sliced Ham with Pineapple Cola Glaze

A plate of sliced ham coated in a 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.

A whole Spiral Sliced Ham coated in Pineapple Cola Glaze.

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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.

A plate of sliced ham coated in a pineapple cola glaze.

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 used in making Spiral Sliced Ham with Pineapple Cola Glaze.

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.

Pineapple Cola glaze in a pan.

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.

Spiral Sliced Ham glazed with Pineapple and Cola in a Slow Cooker.

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!

A fork takes a slice of ham coated in pineapple cola 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.

A plate of sliced ham coated in a pineapple cola glaze.

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.

A fork stuck in a pile of sliced ham coated in a pineapple cola glaze.

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!

Pinterest image of a Spiral Sliced Ham glazed with Pineapple and cola.
Yield: 6-8 Servings

Spiral Sliced Ham with Pineapple Cola Glaze

A plate of sliced ham coated in a 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 cola pineapple glaze. This slow cooked Spiral Ham bakes up nicely in the Crockpot, then finishes in the oven under the broiler.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 (4-6 lb) boneless spiral sliced ham
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple (with juice)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 cup cola, Dr. Pepper, or Ginger Ale

Instructions

  1. Combine the crushed pineapple, brown sugar, honey, and cola in a medium saucepan.
  2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat then turn down the heat and let it simmer 15-20 minutes.
  3. Once it has reduced and become thick and glazy, remove from heat.
  4. Place the ham in a slow cooker and spoon HALF of the glaze over the surface.
  5. Cover and cook on low slow cooker setting for 4 hours.
  6. Remove ham from slow cooker and place on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet.
  7. Coat ham with the remaining glaze and broil until the glaze begins to caramelize. Keep a close watch so it doesn't burn.
  8. Remove from oven and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 224Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 70mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 0gSugar: 56gProtein: 1g

Nutritional calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is an estimation only. For special diets or medical issues please use your preferred calculator.

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40 comments

  1. Veronika Sykorova

    The glaze really took the ham to a whole other level! Using pineapple and cola together were two flavors I never thought I’d use together on something savory but they worked exceptionally well in this recipe!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      I know it seems a bit strange but we’ve been eating it this way for years. Now my grown kids make this recipe.

  2. Liz

    You can never go wrong with a spiral ham and pineapple glaze! Always so delicious! Thanks for the share, will have to give it a try soon!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      So true! That’s why it such a family fave and a must on the Easter dinner table.

  3. Jeannie

    This reminds me how my mom serves ham on Holidays! Love the flavors.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Yes, it’s pretty old school. My kids love it too.

  4. Julia

    Love this gam and that glaze!!! And you’re right, leftovers are just the best!!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Yes! I always buy a larger ham than we really need on purpose!

  5. Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady

    Oh wow does this ham ever look good! I bought a spiral ham since they on sale for Easter and I can not wait to try this glaze recipe.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Ham on sale…even better! Enjoy and Happy Easter Cindy.

  6. JustineCelina

    Pineapple and ham are such a delicious combo! Beautiful recipe and and mouthwatering photos!

    Reply

  7. Marisa

    I’ve never cooked ham before and your recipe looks and sounds outrageously good! And I love the addition of pineapple. I’ll definitely be on the look out for spiral sliced ham now!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      It’s so worth it…serving is a breeze.

  8. Liz

    YUM! I needed a new glaze for our Easter ham and this is the one! Love the pineapple additon.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      It’s nice to switch things up once in a while for sure. Hope you enjoy and Happy Easter!

  9. Deborah Brooks

    Glazed ham is always a big hit! Can’t wait to try out your version my family will love it

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      I really hope they do…happy Easter!

  10. Carolyn

    Wow, this is such a decadent and delicious ham recipe!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      One of our faves. We always glaze our hams.

  11. Natalie

    I think I never tried ham with pineapple. But I so want to do it now after seeing your recipe. Looks delicious. Perfect for upcoming Easter. I’m making this soon. Can’t wait.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Ham and pineapple is the best!!

  12. Addison

    Adding this to my Easter menu ASAP! I love the pineapple glaze with this ham. So sweet and savory!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      I can’t wait. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

  13. Alex

    I’ve never cooked with cola! I bet it adds a ton of flavor. And this would be just perfect for Easter!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      This is the only way I’ll cook my ham!

  14. Erin

    Pineapple cola glaze?! Oh my. That sounds out of this world! I just love how easy this is, too.

    Reply

  15. Kate

    This looks so delicious! The combination of pineapple and Cola sounds amazing! I have saved it for our Easter dinner.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Excellent! That’s what we are having too.

  16. Jacqueline Debono

    I’ve never glazed ham with cola or pineapple! But want to try this. Yours looks beautiful and, you aare right, ham and pineapple is a delicious combo! Pinning for my Easter lunch!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Ham and pineapple is the best combo ever!

  17. Chef Dennis

    This Spiral Sliced Ham is making me droll! I just can’t wait to go to my kitchen now and make this. The pineapple cola glaze looks so mouthwatering, too!

    Reply

  18. Sharon

    This is my new favorite way to make ham. The crushed pineapple and Dr. Pepper are key to what makes this ham so good.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Yep! I like to call it ‘old school’ ham lol

  19. Elaine

    I could eat so much of this ham – not only it tastes amazing but it looks like it is nobody’s business 🙂 Love how easy it is to follow your instructions!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      We’re big ham fans in this house, especially a glazed ham.

  20. Gloria

    Ham is always a hit, especially during the holidays. This looks delicious. Leftovers are always a warm welcome too.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Agree. Ham sandwiches are a MUST.

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