A big baked ham is one of the easiest things to prepare for a holiday celebration. It's economical—even a half-ham can feed a dozen people with leftovers. Full hams typically go on sale the week before the holidays, bringing the per-person cost down even more. Show
There's very little in the way of actual cooking that needs to happen, which makes the prep a lot simpler, too. How To Choose a Holiday HamYou have a lot of different choices at the store for buying ham:
For this recipe, and for most holiday occasions, we prefer an un-sliced bone-in half ham, preferably from the shank end. A half a ham will comfortably feed at least a dozen people, and cooking it un-sliced means that it's less likely to dry out. (Though see our tips below if you prefer to buy a spiral-cut ham.) Bone-in hams are more flavorful, and you can use the ham bone to make soup. Half hams are also either cut from the shank end or from the butt end. The butt end may have more meat, but because of the shape of the bone at that end, is more difficult to cut. The hams pictured here are both from the shank end. Most hams you buy at the grocery store are already fully cooked. If your ham is a partially cooked ham or an uncooked ham, it will say so on the package. Follow the cooking directions on the package to cook. The directions in this recipe are for a regular, fully-cooked ham. Lori RiceHow To Prepare Baked HamSince most hams you buy are already cooked, all you have to do is heat the ham, and if you want, apply a simple glaze. Prepare the ham by scoring a diamond pattern into the fat and skin, taking care not to cut into the meat itself. This scoring will allow the glaze to soak into the meat and flavor it. Apply the glaze just before putting it into the oven to bake. Remember, the ham is already cooked, so all we're doing here is warming it back up again with the glaze. Use a meat thermometer and warm it to 110°F to 120°F. To finish, baste the ham with its juices and put it under the broiler to brown the skin. Then slice and serve. Lori RiceTips for the Best Baked HamHam is easy to cook, but here are some tips to keep in mind to ensure your ham turns out beautifully:
One Recipe, Two GlazesFor this recipe, my friend Suzanne and I baked two hams, one with Suzanne's favorite sweet hot honey mustard glaze, and one with an intriguing honey thyme glaze from an old issue of Gourmet magazine. We used regular non-spiral cut hams, scored them first in a diamond pattern, applied a glaze, cooked, basted with glaze, and finished browning in the broiler. Both hams turned out beautifully. Ideas for Other GlazesThe two glazes we used are both honey-based, though you could use other things for a sweetened glaze, such as pineapple juice, marmalade, or maple syrup. Also try our recipes for Cranberry Glazed Ham or Brown Sugar Glazed Ham. Do you have a favorite glazed ham glaze? If so, please let us know about it in the comments. Lori RiceStoring and Freezing Leftover HamLeftover ham will keep, well wrapped, in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can freeze it, wrapped and put in a ziptop bag or airtight container, for 3 to 4 months. Love Ham? Here Are 5 More Ways to Enjoy It:
Watch This Glazed Baked Hamm RecipeMost baked ham recipes call for heating the ham to an internal temp of 140°F.
But, if it's a ready-to-eat ham, you can heat it to a lower temp, you just want it to be warm enough to eat. The higher the internal temp, the more risk there is of drying out the ham. So the guideline here is 110°F to 120°F, but heat it to a higher temp if you want. If you are working with a partially cooked or uncooked ham, and not a ready-to-eat ham, follow the cooking directions on the package. Most suggest cooking a partially cooked ham to 150°F. Half hams are either cut from the shank end or from the butt end. The butt end may have more meat, but because of the shape of the bone at that end, it is more difficult to cut. The hams pictured here are both from the shank end. For the ham:
For the Sweet Hot Honey Mustard Glaze:
For the Honey Thyme Glaze:
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Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included. How long does it take to cook a ham in oven?Cooking Temperature and Time: A half ham weighing between five and eight pounds requires 35 to 40 minutes of roasting at 325°F per pound. For whole bone-in hams weighing 12 and 16 pounds, cook the ham at 325°F for 22 to 26 minutes per pound. The internal temperature should be 145°F.
Do you cover a ham when you bake it in the oven?Cover either the ham itself or the pan with foil. Make sure it is covered well so the ham doesn't dry out. Set the oven to 350 degrees and bake the ham, basting every 15-20 minutes. Uncover the ham when you baste it, but then cover it back up when you put it back in the oven.
How long does it take to bake a ham at 350?Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap the ham and rinse it under cold water. Place it on the rack in the roasting pan. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour 40 minutes.
How do you bake a fully cooked ham in the oven?The goal is to reheat the ham without drying it out. The best way to do this is to place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan. Add water to the bottom of the pan and cover the whole thing tightly with foil. Bake at 325F for 16-20 minutes per pound, until a meat thermometer registers 135F.
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