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 Long to Bake a Smoked Ham Per Pound
| Type of Ham | Weight Per Pounds | Baking Temperature(Oven). | Approximate Baking Time (minutes per pound) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole, bone in | 10-14 pounds | 325 °F | 18-20 minutes per pound |
| Half, bone in | 5-7 pounds | 325 °F | 22-25 minutes per pound |
| Shank or butt portion, bone in | 3-4 pounds | 325 °F | 35-40 minutes per pound |
| Arm picnic shoulder, boneless | 5-8 pounds | 325 °F | 30-35 minutes per pound |
| Shoulder roll (butt), boneless | 2-4 pounds | 325 °F | 35-40 minutes per pound |
How Many Minutes Per Pound Should You Cook A Ham At 350 F?
Hams should be cooked at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes per pound. However, feel free to alter the cooking time as necessary because it will depend on the ham’s cut and thickness.
The following table contains more information about how long to cook a ham per pound.
| Ham Cut | Weight | Meat Thermometer Temperature | Approximate Cooking Time (minutes per pound) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arm picnic shoulder (bone-in) | 5-8 lbs. | 170°F | 30 minutes |
| Shoulder boneless roll | 2-3 lbs. | 170°F | 35-45 minutes |
| Half ham (bone-in) | 5-7 lbs. | 160°F | 25-30 minutes |
| Whole ham | 10-14 lbs. | 160°F | 18-20 minutes |
| Whole ham | 14-16 lbs. | 160°F | 15-18 minutes |
| Half ham (bone-in) | 5-7 lbs. | 140°F | 18-20 minutes |
| Half ham (boneless) | 3-4 lbs. | 140°F | 25-30 minutes |
| Whole ham (bone-in) | 12-14 lbs. | 140°F | 15 minutes |
| Whole ham (boneless) | 6-8 lbs. | 140°F | 10-12 minutes |
| Whole ham (boneless) | 14-16 lbs. | 140°F | 5-7 minutes |
How to Bake Ham
Baking a ham is easier than you may think. I just put the ham in a 9×13 pan or roasting pan, then top it with a cup of ginger ale and a cup of orange juice. This helps keep the ham juicy while it cooks and enhances flavor.
Cover either the ham itself or the pan with foil. Make sure it is tightly covered to prevent the ham from drying out.
Bake the ham at 350 degrees in the oven, basting every 15 to 20 minutes. When basting the ham, remove the cover; when re-entering the oven, replace the cover.
Heat the spiral-sliced ham to 140 degrees Fahrenheit typically taking 10 to 15 minutes per pound. We preheat our oven to 350 degrees and anticipate that the nearly 10 pound hams we purchase will cook in 1 12 to 2 hours.