Soul Food Easter Dinner Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
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It’s that time of the year when you need a festive Easter ham! And this soul food brown sugar glazed ham is your go-to recipe.
A soul food brown sugar glazed ham is seasoned to perfection!
You’ll get a burst of warm sweet goodness in every bite, making it the perfect Easter ham or Christmas ham.
With natural sweetness from pineapple and a heaping cup of cinnamon and brown sugar, the taste will have you convinced that this recipe should be served year-round!
Why do people in the Unites States eat ham on Easter?
Simply put, ham is eaten on Easter because it’s practical, in season, and less expensive than lamb.
Back in the day, hams served during the Easter holiday were from cuts of meat from the fall that were cured throughout the winter. Since Easter falls in spring, this celebration was cause to use the last of the winter-cured meats to prepare an Easter feast!
Smithfield ham is a popular Easter main dish in my hometown, the Southern state of Virginia.
What is soul food brown sugar glazed ham?
Enslaved Black people from Africa followed the American tradition of ham on Easter.
Today, African Americans are famous for our flavorful ham and sweet ham glaze recipes, especially with pineapple and brown sugar.
African American ham recipes
So you may know this Black folks’ soul food recipe by other names like soul food ham, Black folks ham, or Black folks’ pineapple glazed ham.
Or simply pineapple and brown sugar ham.
No matter what you call it, it’s the same beautiful, and delicious glazed ham recipe masterpiece traditionally served for Easter and called an Easter ham.
The finished entrée is then garnished with pineapple or a mix of sweet and savory fruits and vegetables. Pineapple slices or pineapple rings with maraschino cherries are traditional ways to garnish this dish.
How do you make a soul food brown sugar glazed Easter ham?
A soul food brown sugar glazed ham (an Easter ham) is encased in a sweet glaze of pineapple, brown sugar, and cinnamon, among other spices.
It’s then baked or pressure-cooked for the most tender and juicy meat with the taste of succulent pineapple juice infused into it.
So, whether you’re placing it on your family’s Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s table. Or reserving it for the office potluck, there will be no looking back for leftover ham!
What spices do you need to add to make the glaze?
Pineapple and brown sugar get the party started with this retro dish that’s probably been a part of your holiday table for generations! The sweet and smokey flavor pops while not overpowering its savory soul food counterpart that includes cinnamon, clove, and vanilla.
With a salty finish after its fruity umami taste, a brown sugar glazed ham is always a Southern soul food favorite of guests old and new.
What does a soul food brown sugar glazed ham taste like?
The flavor?
Amazingly brown sugar sweet with subtle hints of cinnamon, clove, and pineapple.
The texture?
Mmm!! Moist, tender, and juicy!
Let my easy step-by-step instructions get your creative juices flowing to take on this tasty Easter dish at home!
Kitchen equipment for a soul food Easter ham
- Instant Pot 6-quart electric pressure cooker
- Instant Pot baking sling or heavy-duty aluminum foil & the Instant Pot trivet rack
- Roasting pan (if not using the Instant Pot)
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Ingredients for a soul food brown sugar glazed ham
- 4–6-pound spiral-sliced ham (already sliced upon purchase)
- 1 ½ cups of water
- 1 cup of pineapple juice
- ½ a cup of crushed pineapple (fresh pineapple or canned pineapple)
- 3 cups of light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons of cornstarch
How long to cook a spiral ham
Wondering how to cook a pre-cooked ham?
Follow the instructions below to quickly and easily Instant Pot pressure cook or bake a spiral ham.
Instructions for a soul food brown sugar glazed Easter ham
- Open the Instant Pot lid and pour the water into the stainless steel inner pot.
- Prepare the ham’s glaze by whisking together the pineapple juice, crushed pineapple, brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, vanilla extract, and corn starch, and set the mixture aside.
- Place the ham in the Instant Pot baking sling. (If you don’t have a baking sling, you can use heavy-duty aluminum foil folded up to make a hammock-like sling shape around the ham.)
- Gently separate the slices of the spiraled ham, and use a large serving spoon to pour the pineapple glaze over the ham and in between the spiraled slices.
- Secure the Instant Pot baking sling around the ham. (If using foil, make sure it’s securely wrapped around the ham, and there’s enough foil for ‘handles’ to lift the ham.)
- Using the handles of the baking sling, place the ham in the Instant Pot stainless steel inner pot. (If using an aluminum foil sling, first place the Instant Pot trivet rack in the stainless-steel inner pot. Then using the aluminum foil sling handles, place the ham on the trivet rack inside the pot.)
- Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 2 minutes per pound of ham (For example, pressure cook a 5-pound ham for 10 minutes). *Add an additional 5 minutes of pressure-cooking time if you’re using a heavy-duty aluminum foil sling. (Ex. 15 minutes for a 5-pound ham in a foil sling).
- When the cooking time is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least the same amount of time as your pressure cooked the ham. (For example, allow a 10-minute natural pressure release for a 5-pound ham. 15 minutes of natural pressure release if the 5-pound ham is in a heavy-duty foil sling.)
- To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable.
- In the rare case that your ham is not done when the pressure-cooking time is complete, add an additional 3-5 minutes and pressure cook on high again.
- After the pressure is released, remove the ham from the Instant Pot using the baking sling handles (or the aluminum foil sling handles). You may need to use oven mitts.
- Place the fully cooked ham on a large platter and remove the baking sling (or aluminum foil) by gently sliding it from under the ham.
- Optionally, garnish your Black folks’ pineapple glazed ham with a medley of festive fruits around the platter like cut pomegranates, figs, clementine’s, oranges, cranberries, or apples. Pearl onions, fresh parsley, and baby arugula also add a beautiful touch!
- Serve the finished, pre-sliced brown sugar glazed Easter ham right away, and enjoy! Happy Easter!
Pro tips:
Can you start with a raw ham?
Of course, you could start with an uncooked ham and worry about long cooking times and the internal temperature.
But why go through the trouble?
This soul food brown sugar glazed ham recipe is for a pre-sliced, pre-cooked Easter ham.
What is the best way to cook a precooked ham?
- This recipe is for a 4–6-pound ham. If you’re making a larger ham, simply use the dynamic recipe card below to double the ingredients.
- For a ham larger than 6 pounds, use an Instant Pot larger than the standard 6-quart size.
- Or you can use the same recipe ingredients for baking your ham in the oven.
- You can use the remaining glaze from the pot or pan juices to brush on the ham, baste the ham, or for dip on a serving tray.
What should you serve with a brown sugar glazed Easter ham?
Brown sugar glazed ham pairs well with various side dishes, such as fried cabbage, soul food black eyed peas, sweet potatoes (Southern candied yams), mashed potatoes, Southern deviled eggs, or Southern green beans.
And for Easter dessert?
My great-grandma’s recipe for Black folks’ soul food carrot cake!
It’s also delicious on rolls or on bread for lunch sandwiches!
There are lots of different options. So check out some of the best side dish recipes below to get started.
What can you make with leftover Easter ham?
Easter is over, but you have leftover ham. Don’t worry! There are lots of delicious things you can make with it.
You can create an array of tasty dishes. For example, place ham on a charcuterie board with fruit, cheeses, and a dijon mustard dip.
Or make biscuits and ham, leftover ham sandwiches, homemade pot pie with ham, or use ham slices (since there is no ham bone) for ham hock meat flavoring in your collard greens.
Soul food brown sugar glazed ham FAQs
What is a spiral cut ham?
Spiral cut ham is a boneless ham – a leg of pork that has been sliced into thin, circular pieces. It’s been trimmed and cured and called “spiral-sliced” or “sliced to order.” It’s then butterflied with a sharp knife to expose more surface area for glazing and slicing into uniform portions.
How do you slice ham?
There are many ways to slice ham, but I’ll focus on the spiral-cut method.
The spiral cut method is often the most visually appealing for slicing ham.
It involves cutting thin slices of meat, like carving a pumpkin or other round object at Halloween time.
The process can be done with an electric knife, but it’s also easy enough to do by hand using a regular kitchen knife.
- First, lay the ham down on its flat side and slice off any fat you see hanging from underneath.
- Then turn your attention towards making spirals out of the rest of the ham until you are left with just one small chunk in the middle, which won’t fit into your pattern.
- Don’t forget to carve extra ham slices before serving, so everyone gets their fair share!
What is in a brown sugar glaze for ham?
Brown sugar glaze is a sweet and tangy sauce that can be drizzled over just about anything.
It’s made from brown sugar, sometimes honey, and other common ingredients like vanilla extract, cinnamon, ground cloves, and pineapple juice.
Some folks even use orange juice, apple juice, and even Dr. Pepper soda to make their homemade ham glaze! Because a glaze is the perfect topping for your ham if you want to spruce it up!
Why cook ham at all?
Ham is a type of meat that comes from the leg of pork. It can be fresh or cured. Smoked ham, maple glazed ham, honey baked ham. Or pineapple brown sugar glazed ham like in this recipe. Delicious in any form!
Ham is a delicacy that many people love to eat. It can be served at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. But it’s often the go-to dish for Easter brunch or Easter Sunday dinner.
Do you have to glaze a ham?
Yes, for more flavor, you’ll need to glaze a ham before cooking it.
How do you keep a ham from drying out?
What can you put on your ham to keep it moist?
Glazing your ham will help seal in moisture and flavor while preserving its natural juices. It also helps prevent the ham from drying out during cooking.
So, if you want to make sure that your Easter dinner goes off without a hitch and you prepare a juicy ham. Follow the instructions mentioned above for the perfect soul food brown sugar glazed ham.
How do you make ham glaze?
Seriously, why are you still messing with those mysterious glaze packets that come with hams?
This Black folks recipe is for an Easter ham with a homemade brown sugar glaze.
The glaze is a delicious way to make ham even more enjoyable. It doesn’t just give your ham a great taste and texture, but it also looks beautiful when spread over the meat.
All you need are brown sugar, pineapple juice, vanilla extract, cornstarch, and some spices like cinnamon and clove. Whisk the ingredients in a mixing bowl until they form a thick glaze.
How do you thicken ham glaze?
To thicken the brown sugar ham glaze, you need the cornstarch that this recipe calls for.
How long does a Black folks’ pineapple and brown sugar ham need to cook?
You should pressure cook this glazed pineapple ham on high for 2 minutes per pound of ham. For example, if you have five pounds of ham, you need to pressure cook it on a high setting for 10 minutes.
Attention: If you are cooking your ham wrapped in a heavy-duty aluminum foil sling, then you need to add an additional 5 minutes of pressure-cooking time—for example, 15 minutes for 5 pounds of ham.
Instant Pot to oven recipe conversion
Instant Pot cook time | Oven baked ham cook time
40 minutes | 2 hours
30 minutes | 1 ½ hours
20 minutes | 1 hour
10 minutes | 30 minutes
*pressure cooking on high | oven cook times may vary by oven type
How do you prepare this soul food ham for baking?
Glazing a ham is an essential step in preparing it for baking or pressure cooking.
The glaze helps seal the meat and give it a flavor so that when you eat it, there is no dryness or bland taste. Glazing also provides the ham with its signature shiny appearance.
This is the real appeal of this soul food brown sugar glazed ham recipe and soul food in general. No one wants to eat plain boiled ham!
Do you usually buy a spiral cut ham?
Other than the ham store, can you get a fully cooked ham from the supermarket that is spiral cut?
Spiral ham is now sold from specialty ham stores to your local grocery store. No more pre-ordering is needed!
And a spiral sliced ham is the way you want to roll! Because of all that extra work is done for you at the butcher’s block. So you can easily slice your delicious Easter ham.
Do you serve glazed ham hot or cold?
Ham is a delicious entrée that can be served both hot and cold. Of course, it’s best to enjoy this brown sugar glazed ham warm. But it also makes for great cold-cut sandwiches the next day!
How do you store Easter ham?
If you’re lucky to have any leftover ham, you can refrigerate it in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to a week.
Can you freeze brown sugar ham?
Yes, in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months.
What did you think about this Easter soul food ham recipe?
How gorgeous is this ham?!
Black folk’s brown sugar glazed ham is a great way to add flavor and spice to your Easter meal. The sweet taste of the pineapple and brown sugar balance nicely with savory meat flavors.
Pineapple has an exciting mix of sweet and tart flavors, making it perfect for adding to dishes like this. The brown sugar also adds a shiny glazed color, making the ham more appetizing when plated.
If you’re looking for a new recipe for your Easter ham, give this one a try!
Did you enjoy this Easter ham recipe?
Planning your Easter Sunday menu?
Have you had ham for Easter?
Would you make this soul food brown sugar glazed recipe?
Lemme know in a comment below, and subscribe HERE for all the soul food!
Equipment
- Instant Pot 6-quart electric pressure cooker
- Instant Pot baking sling or heavy-duty aluminum foil & the Instant Pot trivet rack
- Roasting pan (if not using the Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- 6 pound ham pre-cooked, pre-spiraled 4-6 pound ham
- 1 ½ cups water for the Instant Pot
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup crushed pineapple fresh pineapple or canned pineapple
- 3 cups light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Open the Instant Pot lid and pour the water into the stainless steel inner pot.
- Prepare the ham’s glaze by whisking together the pineapple juice, crushed pineapple, brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, vanilla extract, and corn starch, and set the mixture aside.
- Place the ham in the Instant Pot baking sling. (If you don’t have a baking sling, you can use heavy-duty aluminum foil folded up to make a hammock-like sling shape around the ham.)
- Gently separate the slices of the spiraled ham, and use a large serving spoon to pour the pineapple glaze over the ham and in between the spiraled slices.
- Secure the Instant Pot baking sling around the ham. (If using foil, make sure it’s securely wrapped around the ham, and there’s enough foil for ‘handles’ to lift the ham.)
- Using the handles of the baking sling, place the ham in the Instant Pot stainless steel inner pot. (If using an aluminum foil sling, first place the Instant Pot trivet rack in the stainless-steel inner pot. Then using the aluminum foil sling handles, place the ham on the trivet rack inside the pot.)
- Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 2 minutes per pound of ham (For example, pressure cook a 5-pound ham for 10 minutes). *Add an additional 5 minutes of pressure-cooking time if you’re using a heavy-duty aluminum foil sling. (Ex. 15 minutes for a 5-pound ham in a foil sling).
- When the cooking time is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least the same amount of time as your pressure cooked the ham. (For example, allow a 10-minute natural pressure release for a 5-pound ham. 15 minutes of natural pressure release if the 5-pound ham is in a heavy-duty foil sling.)
- To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable.
- In the rare case that your ham is not done when the pressure-cooking time is complete, add an additional 3-5 minutes and pressure cook on high again.
- After the pressure is released, remove the ham from the Instant Pot using the baking sling handles (or the aluminum foil sling handles). You may need to use oven mitts.
- Place the fully cooked ham on a large platter and remove the baking sling (or aluminum foil) by gently sliding it from under the ham.
- Optionally, garnish your Black folks’ pineapple glazed ham with a medley of festive fruits around the platter like cut pomegranates, figs, clementine’s, oranges, cranberries, or apples. Pearl onions, fresh parsley, and baby arugula also add a beautiful touch!
- Serve the finished, pre-sliced brown sugar glazed Easter ham right away, and enjoy! Happy Easter!
Video
Notes
- This recipe is for a 4–6-pound ham. If you're making a larger ham, simply use the dynamic recipe card below to double the ingredients.
- For a ham larger than 6 pounds, use an Instant Pot larger than the standard 6-quart size.
- Or you can use the same recipe ingredients for baking your ham in the oven.
- You can use the remaining glaze from the pot or pan juices to brush on the ham, baste the ham, or for dip on a serving tray.
Nutrition