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READY IN 8+ hrs

Bone-In Ham Cooked in Beer

Read Reviews (91)

"This is a recipe we have used for the past 5 years. The beer really tenderizes the ham. Using beer is probably a Wisconsin thing. We seem to find many uses for it. But don't worry, the ham will not taste like beer when it is done other than maybe a small hint on the bottom portions. I don't like beer at all, so I was quite skeptical at first, but when I found out that the ham I had at my friend's house for Christmas the year before had beer used to make it, I tried it and have been hooked ever since." — LBMQH

Ingredients Edit and Save

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How to Cook Ham

Original recipe makes 30 servings Change Servings

20 pounds bone-in ham
1 (20 ounce) can sliced pineapple

2 (12 fluid ounce) cans beer

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Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease an 18 quart roasting pan.
Place the ham, with the fattier side up, in the roaster. Use toothpicks to secure pineapple rings on the ham. Pour the beer over the ham. Place lid on roasting pan.
Bake 6 to 8 hours, or until cooked through.
Remove the pineapple rings and let sit 15 minutes before slicing.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 15 mins
COOK 8 hrs
READY IN 8 hrs 15 mins

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Dec 25, 2006

Too bad there are not ten stars here. This recipe certainly deserves it! I baked my first ham today for a family gathering. After combing this site for recipes, I chose this one. And am I ever glad I did! My friends whom I consulted on baking my ham kept telling me to use coke instead of beer. I'm glad I didn't listen! This was one of the most delicious hams I have ever tasted. My husband, who does not really care for ham, couldn't keep from eating it while he was slicing it. He said it was "awesome"! You absolutely can't beat how simple this recipe is. Tender, moist and juicy. I can't wait to do this again! Thanks for the great recipe!

—Janine

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jan 04, 2010

I had a precooked spiral cut ham and tried this. I used a rack underneath the ham and poured 2 cans beer in the pan. Put aluminum foil over all and crimped the aluminum foil to the edges of the pan. I only cooked it for 4 hours and the ham was dry and overcooked.

—jhp

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106 Ratings

Jan 01, 2006

This moist and tender ham could not be easier! I used a large, turkey-size oven bag, two bottles of Yuengling, and almost a full can of pineapple slices. Everyone remarked that they'd never eaten such a moist ham. After slicing it, I combined about 1/2 C each of honey, butter, and orange juice and added about 1 tsp. cinnamon, brought to a boil, and poured over the sliced ham. I reheated gently, and it did ont dry out at all. Delicious! I will use this method again!

—kim*designer

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Jan 18, 2004

I made this w/ a spiral ham, and it was DELICIOUS! I've never had such a tender, juicy ham. I used Alaskan Smoked Porter, which was a perfect compliment. I also used a glaze (I wasn't completely convinced that just the beer & pineapple give enough flavor) of 1 cup honey, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup of pineapple juice, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves. I brushed on the mixture every 15-20 minutes, and removed the cover at the end to carmelize the glaze. The drippings even made a delicious gravy! Everyone loved it... from now on, I will always cook my ham in beer.

—ToniaRenee

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Dec 25, 2005

This was EXCELLENT...I halved the recipe and inserted cloves into the ham before baking. I cooked it at 300 for about 4 hours....it was so tender and was literally falling apart...I used a 9.5 lb ham...HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

—SUNSHINEGAL76

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Dec 14, 2005

I normally don't really care for ham, but this was awesome! I used a 7.27 lb. brown sugar cured bone-in ham. Dumped 1 can of beer on it put on an 8 oz. can of pineapple rings and dumped that juice on it too. I baked it for about 2 1/2 hours (I turned to oven up to 350 for the last 1/2 hour). I basted it about 5 times while cooking and let it rest for about 15 minutes before carving. This is by far the best ham I ever made and have probably ever tasted! I was so moist and tender. I can't wait to make it again! Thanks for sharing this recipe.

—pammy74

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Dec 27, 2006

Great taste and very moist. I made a half ham and embellished as follows: Used 1 can chunk pineapple instead of slices. Put about 1/3 of can juice plus 6-7 chunks in the basting liquid. Heated the ham to internal temp of 140°F (Removed from oven at about 130°) Broiled the rest of the chunks to brown them slightly. Made a sauce of: - Rest of pinapple juice - 1/4 c brown sugar - 1/8 c honey - 1/4 t cloves, 1/8 t allspice, 1/8 t nutmeg - Thickened with arrowroot to keep it clear When this was thick I added the broiled pinapple and the chunks from the baste. (I did not use any of the baste liquid). This was a great ham sauce.

—KIRKCOOK

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Jan 18, 2004

I cooked this ham for twelve people for a christmas/engagement dinner. I had never had such a reaction to one of my meals...RAVE REVIEWS! I made a ten lb. ham with three cans of micro beer and added potatoes, celery, and onions to cook (and serve on the side) in the beer/ pineapple juice. I am going to make this recipe every time i make a ham! MUST TRY!

—2FROGGIE4U

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Nutrition

Calories
605 kcal
30%

Carbohydrates
4.5 g
1%

Cholesterol
148 mg
49%

Fat
40.1 g
62%

Fiber
0.2 g
< 1%

Protein
51.6 g
103%

Sodium
2838 mg
114%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Bone-In Ham Cooked in Beer

Serving Size: 1/30 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 30
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 605
Calories from Fat: 361

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 40.1g 62 %
Saturated Fat 14.3g 71 %
Cholesterol 148mg 49 %
Sodium 2838mg 114 %
Potassium 690mg 19 %
Total Carbohydrates 4.5g 1 %
Dietary Fiber 0.2g < 1 %
Protein 51.6g 103 %
Sugars 3.4g
Vitamin A 0 %
Vitamin C 3 %
Calcium 2 %
Iron 21 %
** Thiamin 144 %
** Niacin 158 %
** Vitamin B6 57 %
** Magnesium 17 %
** Folate 5 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.