The glazed ham is the dish that belongs to everyone at the table. The pork roast is for the Dominicans. The chicken is for the ones who do not eat pork. But the ham - lacquered, caramelized, sliced at the table while people watch - belongs to everyone.

Ours has always been pineapple and mustard. Sweet and sharp at the same time, the glaze reducing in the oven until it coats the ham in a layer that catches the light. My family puts whole pineapple rings on top held in place with cloves - the kind of presentation that has been on Dominican Christmas tables for generations and shows no sign of leaving.

This version swaps the brown sugar in the glaze for allulose - a naturally occurring sugar that caramelizes exactly like brown sugar in the oven, gives you the same lacquered crust and the same sweet-tart flavor, and does not spike blood glucose. For a table full of women over 45 managing insulin sensitivity through the holiday season, that swap is not a compromise. It is an upgrade. The ham looks identical. It tastes identical. Your body responds differently.

35g protein per serving. The most festive dish on the table, rebuilt.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Allulose caramelizes at the same temperature as brown sugar and produces an identical glaze - there is no visual or textural difference in the finished ham and the flavor is indistinguishable at the table.
• Score-and-glaze-twice technique builds two layers of caramelization - one layer goes on before the ham goes in the oven, the second layer goes on in the last 20 minutes for the glossy finish.
• Pineapple juice in the glaze keeps the ham moist while the oven heat would otherwise be drying the surface - the acid in the juice also tenderizes the outer layer of the meat.
• Dijon mustard in the glaze creates the savory counterpoint that keeps this from tasting like dessert - it is the mustard that makes the glaze complex rather than simply sweet.
• Whole pineapple rings secured with cloves on the surface is the presentation your grandmother used and there is no reason to change it - visual tradition matters at Noche Buena.
• The glaze recipe makes more than you need - reserve half and serve warm alongside the sliced ham as a sauce at the table.

Sugar-Free Jamon Glaseado - Dominican Glazed Ham with Pineapple and Mustard

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 3 hours hours

Servings: 12

Author: Gaila - Strength & Sazón

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Ham scored and glazed twice with a pineapple-mustard-allulose glaze that caramelizes to a lacquered finish in the oven. Traditional pineapple rings and cloves on top. 35g protein, sugar-free, gluten-free. The most festive dish on the Dominican Noche Buena table.

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Ingredients

For the Ham

• 1 Ham half approximately 4-5 lbs (pre-cooked/smoked - most supermarket hams are pre-cooked)
• 8-10 whole cloves
• 4 pineapple rings canned in juice (not syrup) or fresh-cut

Fo the Pineapple mustard allulose glaze:

• ½ cup granulated allulose https://amzn.to/4djbACB
• ⅓ cup pineapple juice from the canned rings or fresh
• 3 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch of fine sea salt

Instructions

• Prep the ham: remove ham from refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 325F. Place ham cut-side down in a roasting pan. Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern - cuts approximately ½ inch deep and 1 inch apart. The scoring allows the glaze to penetrate and creates more surface area for caramelization.
• Make the glaze: combine all glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk together and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened - it will thicken further on the ham in the oven. Remove from heat. Reserve half the glaze in a small pitcher for the table.
• First glaze: brush or spoon half of the remaining glaze generously over the entire scored surface of the ham, working the glaze into the score marks. Place pineapple rings on the surface of the ham and secure each one with 2-3 whole cloves pressed through the ring into the ham.
• Roast: tent the roasting pan with aluminum foil and roast at 325F. Calculate approximately 15-18 minutes per pound - a 4 lb ham will take approximately 60-70 minutes to this stage.
• Second glaze and finish: remove foil, brush remaining working glaze over the ham and pineapple rings. Return to oven uncovered and increase temperature to 400F. Roast an additional 20-25 minutes until the glaze is deep amber and caramelized and the internal temperature reads 140F. Watch carefully during this phase - allulose can darken quickly.
• Rest: remove from oven and rest uncovered 10-15 minutes before slicing. The glaze will set slightly during resting.
• Slice and serve: carve the ham at the table alongside the warm reserved glaze for drizzling. Serve pineapple rings alongside - they have caramelized in the oven and are extraordinary.

Nutrition

Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 420mg | Potassium: 603mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 3mg

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TEXTURE TIPS

• The score pattern matters. Cuts that are too shallow do not allow the glaze to penetrate - you get surface caramelization only. Cuts that are too deep can cause the ham to fall apart during carving. Half an inch deep, one inch apart, is the correct depth for a 4-5 lb ham.
• Allulose caramelizes faster than sugar in the oven. The temperature increase to 400F in the final phase needs to be watched more carefully than you would watch a sugar-glazed ham. Check at 15 minutes - you want deep amber, not black.
• Do not skip the room-temperature rest before cooking. A cold ham straight from the refrigerator into a 325F oven will cook unevenly - the outer layer overcooks before the center reaches temperature.
• The reserved glaze served warm at the table makes a significant difference in the final eating experience. The ham itself will have a set, tacky glaze on the surface - the warm liquid glaze at the table adds the saucy element that the sliced ham needs.
• Carve against the bone, not parallel to it. Work from the top of the ham down to the bone, making vertical slices, then run the knife along the bone to release them. This gives you clean, even slices rather than irregularly shredded pieces.

MEAL PREP HOW-TO

• The glaze can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in a sealed jar. Reheat gently before using - it will thicken significantly in the refrigerator and needs to be loose enough to brush.
• The ham can be scored the day before, covered tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerated. Remove 45 minutes before cooking.
• Leftover glazed ham is one of the best meal prep ingredients of the holiday season. Thin-sliced cold ham keeps in the refrigerator for 5 days and goes into eggs, salads, and quick plates without any additional cooking.
• Bariatric portioning: 3oz of carved ham is approximately 17g protein in a very manageable volume. The ham is soft, easy to cut small pieces, and the glaze adds significant flavor without requiring a large portion. Serve with 2 tablespoon moro de guandules and a small scoop of ensalada rusa for a complete bariatric Noche Buena plate.
• Use the ham bone: after carving, the bone goes directly into a stock pot or Instant Pot. Cover with cold water, add 1 onion halved, 4 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoon ACV, and simmer 4 hours or pressure cook 90 minutes. The resulting ham bone broth is extraordinary.

STORAGE TIPS

• Refrigerator: carved ham in an airtight container up to 5 days. The flavor improves on day 2 as the glaze settles into the meat.
• Freezer: slice and freeze in portion-sized bags up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Cold ham does not need to be reheated - serve it straight from the refrigerator for the best texture. Ham bone: refrigerate up to 3 days before making broth, or freeze the bone itself up to 6 months.

TRY THESE NEXT

• High-Protein Puerco Asado - the pork roast that anchors the other side of the Noche Buena table. Both dishes, same night.
• Moro de Guandules con Coco - the only rice that belongs beside this ham. Make both on Christmas Eve.

The pineapple rings caramelizing on top, the glaze turning amber in the oven, the smell of mustard and pineapple filling the kitchen. That is Christmas Eve in this household.

Same dish your grandmother made. Better ingredients. Your body will know the difference.