Festive Grilled Glazed Ham

Ingredients:

• 1 smoked ham weighing 3.5-4.5 kg on the bone, spiral-sliced
• 1 can (560 g) of canned pineapple rings, drain the juice into a separate container
• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 10 maraschino cherries, stemmed
• Special equipment: heavy-duty foil; small disposable aluminum tray

Preparation:

1. Preheat the grill to medium indirect heat. On a gas grill (with 3 or more burners), turn all burners to medium-high heat. After about 15 minutes, turn off one of the middle burners and reduce the heat to medium on the remaining burners. If you have a charcoal grill, place one chimney starter of burnt-out briquettes on one side of the grill. Place a drip pan on the other side to prevent flare-ups. Be sure to consult your grill's instruction manual.
2. Cut three 20-inch (50-cm) pieces of heavy-duty foil. Working with one sheet at a time, fold it in half lengthwise. Fold it in half again, and then in half again; you should have a long strip of foil about 1.5 inches (4 cm) wide. Twist the two ends of the strip in opposite directions to create a twisted foil rope. Repeat with the remaining two sheets of foil. Place all three ropes in the center of a small disposable aluminum pan, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, and place the ham on top. These foil ropes will prevent the ham from burning on the bottom.
3. Cover tightly with foil and place on the grill over indirect heat (if your grill has a built-in thermometer, the temperature should read approximately 160°C). Cover the grill and roast until the ham is heated through, 35 to 45 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, combine the pineapple juice, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until the glaze is very thick and the consistency of honey, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and remove from heat.
5. Carefully remove the foil from the ham and discard; brush the ham with the glaze, making sure to get it between the slices. Increase the heat to medium-high and transfer the ham to the hot zone of the grill. Cover the grill and cook until the glaze begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. Brush again with the remaining glaze, then cover and cook until the glaze begins to bubble, another 5 minutes. Continue brushing the ham and grilling until it is shiny and the glaze begins to darken, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the grill and let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes before serving.
6. Meanwhile, grill the pineapple rings over direct heat until lightly charred on one side, 4-5 minutes. Let cool. Arrange the pineapple rings on the uncut portion of the ham, grill marks facing up, and secure with toothpicks. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple ring. Serve the ham with any juices, the remaining pineapple rings, and the cherries.