Chiled Pineapple Maple Baked Ham

By Shaylie

The maple and chile marry very well with the cooking ham juices. Because I have an abundance of rosemary, 1 pin the pineapples and chiles on the ham with cut, cleaned sprigs of the rosemary. It adds a little more flavor and is a good way to start up a conversation.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup maple sugar
• 1 chile de arbol, toasted and crushed
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon rosemary, minced
• 1 (10-pound) fresh ham
• 12 pineapple rings in juice
• 12 jalapenos, red if available
• 12 toothpicks, or sprigs of rosemary

Preparation

Step 1

1. Place pineapple juice, syrup, chile, oil, and rosemary in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, slowly for 5 minutes. Take off heat to cool. Trim excess fat from ham. Score the ham in checkerboard fashion about an inch apart, just like you were playing tic-tac-toe.

2. With a pastry or paint brush, paint the ham generously with the maple-chile mix. Artistically arrange the pineapple rings on each available square, with the jalapenos centered in the rings over the top half of the
ham. Brush with the maple-chile mix.

3. Bake for 30 minutes per pound of meat, until meat thermometer registers 180°. Baste occasionally with the maple-chile syrup. Pull from the oven and allow 15 minutes for the ham to rest. Pull the pineapple and chiles from the ham and slice as needed, serving with a piece of pineapple and jalapeno. Happy Zesty Holidays!