This is a step-by-step tutorial on cooking a ham. You’ll be able to turn out a great holiday ham year after year with extensive information on preparation methods, cooking timings, ham glaze options, and success tips and tricks. I always have a ham on the table when the holidays arrive. Hams are impressive, easy to prepare, and enjoyed by both children and adults. Sweet potato casserole and green bacon beans are two festive side dishes to consider. Cooking a ham in the oven at 350 degrees F takes about 15 minutes per pound. Make sure your ham is cooked to the appropriate temperature and safe to eat by using a thermometer.
Ham is just a ham until it’s slathered in a tasty glaze, transforming it into a flavorful and festive main course. To make the ham glaze, melt 1/2 cup butter with 1 cup brown sugar, then add any of the flavorings listed below. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the glaze has thickened, then pour over the ham. Placing leftover ham in a covered dish and baking it at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes or until heated through is the best way to reheat it. Individual slices of ham can also be reheated in the microwave; be careful not to overheat it or become harsh.
How To Cook a Ham?
Cooking a ham in the oven or a crockpot is convenient. To bake your ham, pour half of the glaze over the top, cover it with foil, and bake it. Cover the ham and pour the remaining glaze over it after baking, and serve after baking until the glaze has browned.
Choose a ham that will fit inside your crockpot when cooking it in the slow cooker. In the crockpot, place the ham cut side down. Pour the glaze on top of the cake. Cook on low heat for 3-4 hours.
Tips For Cooking A Ham
- To prepare a ham, start by removing all of the packings. If there is any additional liquid in the package’s bottom, dump it. You’ll need to thaw your ham before cooking it if it’s frozen. A little bit of plastic that lies on top of the bone on many hams should be discarded.
- If you’re using a spiral-cut ham, place it in a roasting pan and continue with the rest of the recipe. If you’re using a shank half ham, score a diamond pattern across the top of the ham with a sharp knife. A boneless ham will also be required. There will be plenty of cracks for the glaze to seep into due to this.
- Invest in the best ham you can find Instead of buying a mass-produced grocery store ham for the holidays.
- The flavor and texture are typically more affluent and meatier.
- Choose bone-in ham experts who seek semi-boneless meat. The bone helps to keep the ham moist and adds flavor. Don’t throw the bone away! It’s excellent in pea soups, broths, and bean pots. This hidden ingredient also adds a lot of flavor to soups.
- Avoid overcooking the ham: Keep in mind that it’s already cooked. Because you’ll only be gently warming it in the oven, keep the temperature low. Reheating instructions may be included with your ham.
What Types Of Ham?
Hams come in a wide range of flavors. Pre-cooked hams make up the great majority of hams marketed nowadays. Some hams are thinly sliced and served as deli meat, such as the Black Forest and Virginia ham. Spiral sliced hams, boneless hams, and bone-in shank half hams are the three most common forms for cooking whole.
Because they’re already sliced and ready to go, spiral cut hams are the easiest to prepare. A bone-in half ham that hasn’t been sliced is known as a shank half ham. You can use any of these types of ham; however, the shank half ham will require some more chopping.
How Much Ham Do You Need Per Person?
Prepare 3/4 pound of bone-in ham or 1/2 pound of boneless ham per person. This will provide a generous portion for each individual and some leftovers. When choosing a bone-in ham (which is heavier), plan on around 1/2 pound per person and 1/3 pound if choosing a boneless ham. Some folks will eat more than they anticipated, while others will eat less—it’ll all balance out.
How To Buy Ham For Cooking?
You must first choose the proper ham for your celebration before you even enter the kitchen or begin looking for the best ham recipes.
At the grocery shop or butcher, you can find a variety of hams. It would help if you chose a bone-in ham for the most delicate flavor. The ham will stay juicy and flavorful, thanks to the bone inside.
Our Test Kitchen advises the shank cut of ham if you’re new to cooking and carving. It’s easier to carve. The butt, on the other hand, is a little more sensitive but more challenging to carve with a carving knife.
And if everything else fails, seek advice from your butcher! They’re there to assist you in selecting the best cut of meat for your meal.
- Bone-in ham is a complete ham with the bone remaining attached. The huge classic showstopper, with the hock on one end and an oval-shaped ham leg on the other.
- A half ham is a bone-in ham that has been chopped in half. The butt, or top half, is the leaner, more tender portion of a whole ham. The shank is the lower half of the lamb, which has more flavor but is also fattier.
- All the bones are removed except the central bone (the hock/shank section) in Semi Boneless Ham, also known as Easy Carve Ham. The ham’s meat is molded around the bone to generate the typical ham shape, and it’s easier to carve if the bone is still present.
- Boneless ham is made by removing all bones and shaping the meat into a round, oval, or log shape. They may not be as fashionable as a bone-in ham, but you are getting 100% meat for your money. They aren’t the best option for glazing, but they can work.
- Shoulder Crackle Ham: These hams are meant to be baked without glaze. The rind on crackling ham is still present, and it produces crackling in the same way a regular hog roast does.
- Spiral Cut Ham: We don’t have it in Australia, but my American readers are familiar with it. Spiral cut ham is a bone-in ham that has been spiral cut from the outer to the bone in one continuous spiral. Consider it a ham slinky, with the bone holding everything together in its original shape. There’s no need to carve the ham; chop the pieces off. I’m sure it’ll show up in Australia at some point.
- Whether you want it smoked or not is entirely up to you. Unsmoked, smoked, or triple smoked hams are available.
How Long Should A Ham Be Cooked For Optimal Flavor?
Place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan with the flat side down. Pour 1/4 inch of water into the bottom of the pan and cover with a lid. Transfer the ham to the oven and roast until a thermometer is inserted into the thickest portion of the ham registers 130 degrees Fahrenheit, about 2 hours and 30 minutes more (about 15 minutes per pound).
Cook an entire, bone-in smoked ham for 18-20 minutes per pound, depending on its size. Cook a half bone-in smoked ham for 22-25 minutes per pound for a half bone-in smoked ham. Cook the shank or butt section bone-in for 35-40 minutes per pound for a single portion of shank or butt. Cook a boneless shoulder or butt for 30-40 minutes per pound of meat for a boneless shoulder or butt.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the ham on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and cook for 30 minutes. Allow 18 to 20 minutes per pound for a whole 10- to 15-pound ham; about 20 minutes per pound for a half-pound ham (5 to 7 pounds); or about 35 minutes per pound for a shank or butt section weighing 3 to 4 pounds (about 35 minutes per pound).
What Is The Best Way To Cook A Ham On The Stove?
Cook for a total of 20 minutes per pound of meat. Remove the cover from the ham and insert a meat thermometer 2 inches into the ham’s interior. The interior temperature of medium-rare hams should be 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and the internal temperature of well-done hams should be 160 degrees Fahrenheit. The internal temperature of the ham should be 140 degrees Fahrenheit when it is cooked on the stovetop before roasting.
Wrap the ham in aluminum foil or a cast-iron pan to prevent it from drying out while cooking. Place on grill grates and cook for 15 to 20 minutes per pound, depending on the size of the meat. If using a glaze, remove the foil for the last half hour of cooking and baste with the glaze. Cook the ham until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
A meat thermometer helps ensure that it is cooked to the correct doneness when cooking a ham. Roasting ham in the oven is preferred for most cooks, but you can roast ham on the stovetop with little change in taste.
Conclusion
The leftovers are one of the most delicate parts of preparing ham! Check out this post for 40 creative ways to repurpose your leftover holiday ham. When a thermometer put into the thickest ham section registers 145 degrees F, the ham is ready to heat. If your thermometer comes into contact with a bone, it will give you an erroneous reading. Keep in mind that your ham has already been cooked.
It spends time in the oven to warm up and develop a beautiful sticky coating. Your ham may get dry if you overcook it, which you want to stay away from. Make sure your ham isn’t overcooked. Remove the ham from the refrigerator 30 minutes to an hour before cooking. The amount of time you spend outside the fridge is determined by where you are in the world and whether or not you have air conditioning.
