This recipe uses a pre-purchased ham with the glaze to demonstrate how to cook a spiral ham without drying it out. A straightforward baked ham is the ideal way to feed a large group of people for a special occasion, with instructions for the oven, slow cooker, or grill. For all the tools and advice you need to successfully prepare a ham for your upcoming celebration, keep reading!
There isn’t anything better than a traditional holiday ham, but they often get a bad rap for being overcooked or too salty. Although this recipe is not particularly inventive, following these simple guidelines will enable you to make a gorgeous, juicy ham dinner that comes with a glaze. All you need is a spiral-cut ham from the store with the glaze!
Despite the fact that spiral hams are a popular holiday centerpiece, they are typically available all year. Therefore, this versatile ham has you covered whether you want to prepare one for a special occasion or have leftovers for sandwiches throughout the week. It’s so simple to make, it basically serves itself!.
Before beginning with our spiral-cut ham, let’s review the fundamentals. Ham comes in three different types: city, country, and fresh.
City Hams are the most traditional type of ham. On holiday tables for Christmas or Easter dinner, these are frequently present. These are sold fully cooked and sometimes spiral cut. City Hams can be purchased as a whole ham or a half ham, with or without the bone. These are usually referred to as spiral cut hams.
Country Hams are dry-cured and uncooked. Most commonly, these are smoked and very salty. It’s an acquired taste, but has a passionate following. Country ham slices are delicious served on a buttered biscuit.
It’s more challenging to find fresh hams at the supermarket. These are raw hams that are more difficult to prepare than the City Ham or Country Ham because they are sold uncured and uncooked.
A pre-cooked, pre-sliced ham called spiral was created with convenience in mind. Because of the preparation method, roasting and carving require much less work. Making delectable sides like mashed potatoes and baked sweet potatoes is now possible with more time!
Butchers use a special machine to slice spiral ham into even slices by making a single, continuous cut all the way around the ham. Although bone-in hams are offered, boneless hams are more convenient. These are also available as a whole ham or a half ham.
The only downside of a spiral ham vs. A raw ham has a higher risk of drying out while cooking. This is the rationale behind why a sweet glaze is typically applied to it.
How to Cook a Spiral Ham in the Crock Pot
You can also make Crock Pot Ham, brush with the glaze of your choice, add a little water or apple juice, and cook on the lowest setting for a perfectly tender spiral ham recipe.
Keep in mind that your spiral ham is already cooked; all you are doing is reheating the meat and flavoring it with the glaze or the seasonings.
How Long to Cook a Spiral Ham
Hams with a spiral cut typically weigh 8 to 11 pounds and are pre-cooked (verify this on the package). This means that you only need to heat a ham through when cooking it. Cooking it slowly at a low temperature prevents the outside from drying out before the interior is heated.
To cook a spiral ham without it drying out make sure you use a meat thermometer to reach 140°F and do not overcook it. I usually remove it around 135°F and keep an eye on the thermometer to ensure it reaches 140°F.
Size will determine how long a spiral ham needs to cook, but allow 12 to 15 minutes per pound at 325°F. I’ve cooked this ham both ways: with and without foil. Uncovered food will have a slightly crispier exterior and require cooking for a bit longer. Covered will need closer to the shorter cooking time.
If cooking with foil, take off the foil after the final 20 minutes of adding the glaze.
To prevent the ham from continuing to cook if it is done early, remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly. Cover with foil once it has slightly cooled, and wait to cut until ready to serve.
Your ham’s shape can affect how long it takes to cook; a larger, rounder ham might require more time than one that is flatter.
If you’re glazing your ham, such as when making a homemade honey baked ham knockoff, you should add the glaze toward the end to prevent burning. I always choose to make my own quick homemade glaze instead of using the glaze that comes with the ham.
Simply brush it on during the last 20 minutes. Sometimes I increase the heat in the oven or briefly broil the food to get the glaze nice and sticky.
Our Favorite Glaze Recipes:
How Do You Calculate the Cooking Time For a Ham?
Cooking a 1-Ib smoked boneless ham takes 35 to 40 minutes. Therefore, a 1 ½-Ib ham would take approximately 56. 25 minutes.
