Hey, y’all! Looking for the perfect holiday main course? Look no further than my signature holiday dish: Baked Country Ham with Ale-8-One! I know y’all are going to love it — so easy + so, so delicious!
This post is in partnership with Ale-8-One. Thank you all for supporting those that make JCP Eats possible. All opinions expressed are my own. Originally posted December 2019, updated June 2021.
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Baked Country Ham with Ale-8-One: A Signature Holiday Dish
Most baked ham recipes do not call for country ham — but, I think the salty nature of country ham is the perfect base. Country ham, for those that are not familiar (bless your heart!), is heavily-salted, cured, and preserved via a method that was used prior to widespread refrigeration. It is a pinnacle of the cuisine south of the Mason-Dixon and has been, to understate, a large part of my life.
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The salt in the country ham balances perfectly with sweeter notes, which inclined me to use brown sugar. From there, I rooted the recipe in the pairing of the ginger profile from Ale-8-One and pineapple. The end result? Heaven.
FAQ + Helpful Tips
Enjoying “Baked Country Ham with Ale-8-One: A Signature Holiday Dish“? Check out my other blog posts here!
No! You can use a traditional ham, though I do think using a country ham makes this recipe extra special!
No! Ask your butcher to remove the skin from the country ham — this will save you a lot of time and effort!
I prefer to purchase bone-in ham — it holds its shape better; plus, the bone will make a fantastic addition to a pot of beans!
Baked Country Ham with Ale-8-One
Equipment
- meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 15-18 lb Country Ham
- 36 oz. Ale-8-One
- 1.5 c. brown sugar
- 40 oz. crushed pineapple with juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Place a large roasting pan (I use the throwaway version that is easy to find during the holiday season) on a baking sheet — this will make transporting the ham in and out of the oven much easier.
- Remove the ham from the packaging and place in the roasting pan. Using your hands, coat both sides with brown sugar. After an even coat of brown sugar is applied, pour Ale-8-One into the base of the roasting pan.
- Add crushed pineapple, using all of the juice, to the Ale-8-One in the base of the pan.
- Cover with foil and bake until the internal temperature reaches 145F (be sure to have a meat thermometer). I usually remove the foil with 5-10 minutes of baking left to brown the top of the ham. The total bake time is roughly 4-4.5 hours; however, monitor the internal temperature carefully.
- Liberally spoon the Ale-8-One + Pineapple mixture in the bottom of the pan over the ham.
- Let the ham rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Enjoying “Baked Country Ham with Ale-8-One: A Signature Holiday Dish“? Check out my other blog posts here!
Y’all come back now, ya hear?
My best,
JC
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Enjoy “Baked Country Ham with Ale-8-One: A Signature Holiday Dish“? Check out my other blog posts here!
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