Honeyed Ham with Pineapple Gravy

Ingredients

• 1 small (10-pound) spiral-sliced, bone-in ham, preferably shank-end
• 2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
• ¾ cup honey
• ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, plus 1 tablespoon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple

Instructions

1. Remove the ham from the refrigerator 1½ to 2 hours before cooking so that it starts at room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 300°F with a rack in the lower-middle of the oven. Cover a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet with foil. Set a roasting rack in the roasting pan and cover that with foil, shiny-side up, leaving overhangs sufficient to fully wrap the ham once it's on the rack. Position the ham cut-side down on the rack, cover with the overhanging foil, and crimp the edges to seal the ham. Bake until the ham registers about 120°F on an instant-read thermometer, 3 to 3½ hours.
3. At around the 3-hour mark, in a skillet over medium-high heat, bring the pineapple juice to a boil. Continue to boil until the juice is reduced to 1 cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour off and reserve ⅔ cup of the reduced juice for the sauce.
4. Add ½ cup of the honey, the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons mustard, cloves, and ½ teaspoon pepper, to the remaining ⅓ cup reduced juice in the skillet and whisk to combine.
5. Remove the ham from the oven and adjust the oven temperature to 400°F. Peel back the foil and, working carefully with the hot ham, pour as much of the accumulated ham juices as possible into a large measuring cup or bowl and set aside. Brush half the pineapple juice mixture evenly over the exposed surfaces of the ham (don't worry about the cut side). Leaving the foil open, bake until glossy and beginning to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Brush the remaining mixture over the ham and continue baking, again until glossy and caramelized, about 8 minutes more.
6. Remove the ham from the oven and again working carefully, pour as much of the accumulated ham juices as possible into the bowl with the first batch (you may have as much as 1½ cups) and set aside. Fold the foil back up over the ham to tent loosely and let rest for 15 minutes.
7. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallot, thyme, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the shallot softens, about 2 minutes. Add the ⅔ cup reserved reduced pineapple juice, the remaining ¼ cup honey, and remaining 1 tablespoon mustard. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer, about 2 minutes.
8. In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk the cornstarch and ⅔ cup of the reserved ham juices until uniform. Add to the saucepan and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Add the chopped pineapple and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, to heat the sauce through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Carve the ham and serve with the warm sauce.