Ang Pinakamasarap Na Pinoy Christmas Ham Ever!

There’s just something about the combination of December holidays and hamon that makes a Christmas celebration truly Pinoy. No Noche Buena spread is complete without Christmas ham. In fact, learning how to cook Christmas ham in the Philippines is a love language that will win hearts no matter the season or occasion.

Luckily for you, we have the perfect Christmas ham recipe that’s easy to follow. The result? Succulent Filipino Christmas ham that’s sweet, salty, and fragrant at the same time. You have the bay leaves, sugar, and Knorr Pork Cube to thank for that. It will take some practice, though, so better start warming up the kitchen!

Tips

When talking about the best Filipino ham recipes for Christmas, people often ask: what’s better — boneless or bone-in? If you don’t mind carving your meat from the bone after it’s done cooking, we highly recommend going for bone-in ham. This tends to be more packed with flavor and it makes for beautiful plating to boot. Yours will be a Noche Buena spread to remember, for sure.

87 min.
7 People
Medium

Ingredients

2 kilograms whole pork kasim (shoulder) or pique (ham), skin removed

Brine

2 pcs Knorr Pork Cubes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp pink salt or Prague powder
4 pcs star anise
1 tsp black peppercorn
4 pcs bay leaves
2 1/2 cups water

Pineapple Glaze

2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Cooking Method

Combine all brine ingredients in a pot. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
Submerge whole pork meat in cooled brine. Keep chilled for 3-4 days to cure.
After 4 days of curing, remove brined pork and transfer to a roasting tray or pan with a rack. Preheat over to 300 degrees celsius.
Roast pork for 1 ½ hours. Cover with foil if parts darken too fast while cooking.
Once fully cooked and tender, brush pork with pineapple glaze then put back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes.
To make pineapple glaze, combine all glaze ingredients in a saucepot. Allow to boil then reduce heat to simmer. Mix lightly until slightly thick.
Let meat rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve with more pineapple glaze on the side.

What’s not to love about this Filipino Christmas ham recipe? We can almost taste that lovely Pineapple glaze complimenting your homemade brine. It’s not everyday you get to tell guests that you cured your own Christmas ham, so better start recipe trials just to make sure you’ve got the steps down pat. The best thing is: it does’t have to be Christmas to enjoy Christmas ham! You can try this recipe at home even before the ‘ber months settle in. Enjoy!