Orange-Glazed Ham

Orange-glazed ham is the kind of microwave dinner that feels almost retro now. Six ounces of leftover sliced ham, a couple of celery stalks for crunch, and a can of mandarin oranges with pineapple come together in about ten minutes start to finish. The whole thing cooks in a casserole dish on high power, no stovetop, no oven, no second pan to wash.

The sauce is what makes it more than the sum of its parts. The drained syrup from the canned fruit gets thickened with cornstarch and ground ginger (the recipe lists cinnamon in the directions but ginger in the ingredient list, so use whichever you prefer for warmth and depth), then poured back over the ham with the orange and pineapple. A final ninety seconds heats everything through, and you’ve got a sweet-savory plate ready over hot rice. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, a college dorm hotplate, or a small-household leftovers rescue.

Pro Tips

• Use a deli-sliced or spiral-cut ham. Thinner slices heat through faster and absorb the glaze better.
• Microwaves vary wildly. Check at the lower end of each time range and add bursts of 30 seconds rather than overshooting.
• Stir the cornstarch slurry every 30 seconds as the directions specify. Cornstarch can clump or scorch in microwave heat without movement.
• Use the syrup, not heavy syrup juice. If your canned fruit is in heavy syrup, dilute with a tablespoon of water to keep the glaze from getting cloyingly sweet.

Variations

• Use fresh pineapple chunks and orange segments instead of canned for a brighter, less syrupy sauce.
• Add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard and a teaspoon of brown sugar to the cornstarch mix for a sharper glaze.
• Serve over couscous or quinoa instead of rice for a quicker, fluffier base.