It’s so easy to bake a ham in a Dutch oven. It’s a popular main dish for holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, as well as for graduations and other family gatherings, and for good reason. It’s a crowd-pleaser with robust flavor that feeds many with minimum effort. An easy, hands-off recipe that is perfect for beginner cooks!.
If you’ve never baked a ham before, this guide will show you how to make a juicy spiral ham with a tasty marsala glaze that tastes like Sicily!
This Marsala-glazed ham is one of the easiest main dishes that you can make. It’s already cooked, so all you have to do is heat it up, glaze it, and serve. This is a very easy recipe that cooks of all levels can follow.
Cooking ham in a dutch oven is a fantastic way to infuse tons of flavor while keeping the meat nice and moist. A dutch oven provides the ideal environment for braising and glazing a ham thanks to its thick, heavy-duty construction that retains and radiates heat evenly.
Compared to roasting a ham in the oven, using a dutch oven creates more moisture and allows you to baste the ham in its own juices. The result is a juicy, tender ham that pulls apart easily with a delicious glaze.
Follow the tips and step-by-step instructions below to cook a spectacular glazed ham in a dutch oven.
Benefits of Cooking Ham in a Dutch Oven
There are several advantages to cooking ham in a dutch oven rather than just roasting it in the oven
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Moisture retention – The tight-fitting lid traps moisture and steam to keep the ham incredibly juicy and tender No more dry, stringy ham!
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Even heating – Dutch ovens heat evenly all around thanks to their thick walls. This prevents hot spots and drying.
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Flavor infusion – Cooking the ham in its own juices, wine, broth or other flavorful liquids allows the meat to soak up tons of extra taste.
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Easy basting – The lid helps the liquids condense so you can easily spoon them over the ham to self-baste as it cooks.
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Hands-off cooking – Once assembled, a dutch oven does most of the work for you with minimal fuss.
Tips for Cooking Ham in a Dutch Oven
Follow these tips to ensure tender juicy ham cooked in a dutch oven
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Choose bone-in – Bone-in hams tend to be more flavorful and moist. The bone conducts heat slower than the meat which helps prevent overcooking.
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Get a good fit – Make sure the ham fits comfortably in the dutch oven with at least 2 inches of clearance on all sides.
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Add flavorful liquid – For braising liquid, use broth, wine, cider, fruit juice or water.
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Brown it first – Searing the ham on all sides before braising boosts flavor.
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Cook low and slow – Low, gradual heat between 250-325°F allows the connective tissue to break down properly.
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Baste frequently – Brush or spoon the cooking liquid over the ham every 30 mins or so as it braises.
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Rest before slicing – Letting the ham rest for 15-30 mins allows juices to redistribute for maximum moistness.
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Save the bone – Don’t throw out the bone! Use it to make soups, beans or broth.
Step-by-Step Guide to Cooking Ham in a Dutch Oven
Follow this simple process for foolproof ham cooked in a dutch oven:
1. Choose a Good Size Ham
Pick a bone-in, fully cooked smoked ham in the 5 to 7 pound range. This size range fits well into a standard 5 to 7 quart dutch oven. Allow around 1/3 pound of ham per person.
For a larger gatherings, choose a 10 to 14 pound whole ham and cook it in a larger 7 to 9 quart dutch oven.
2. Prep the Ham
Unwrap the ham and rinse it under cool water. Pat it completely dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score the ham by making shallow crosshatches across the top and sides. This helps the glaze soak in.
If using a spiral cut ham, skip the scoring step since it’s already sliced.
3. Sear the Ham
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in the dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the ham in the pot and sear for 2-3 minutes per side until nicely browned. This caramelization adds tons of flavor.
4. Add Liquid and Aromatics
Pour in 2 cups of broth, wine, juice or water around the bottom of the ham. Add any aromatics like halved onions, smashed garlic cloves, whole peppercorns or bay leaves.
Feel free to get creative with the liquid and aromatics!
5. Braise the Ham
Put the lid on the dutch oven and place it in the oven. Braise at 300°F for approximately 15-18 minutes per pound, until the internal temperature reaches 140°F.
For example, cook a 7 pound ham for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Check the temp after 2 hours.
6. Make a Glaze
As the ham braises, make a glaze. Good options include maple syrup, brown sugar, honey, cranberry sauce, preserves or mustard mixed into a sauce.
Simmer the glaze for 5-10 minutes until slightly thickened.
7. Glaze and FinishCooking
Remove the lid and brush or spoon half the glaze all over the ham. Increase the oven temp to 375°F. Continue glazing every 20 minutes until the ham is 140°F internally.
If the glaze starts to burn, tent foil loosely over the ham.
8. Rest and Carve
When the ham reaches 140°F, remove it from the oven. Let it rest for 15-30 minutes before carving so the juices redistribute.
To carve, cut around the bone to release the main slices. Then simply carve across the grain.
Delicious Ham Glaze Ideas
Glazing a ham adds sweetness, shine and tons of flavor. Try these tasty glazes:
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Maple mustard – Maple syrup, Dijon mustard, brown sugar
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Cherry cola – Cherry preserves, cola, brown sugar
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Cranberry orange – Cranberry sauce, orange juice, ginger
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Peach bourbon – Peach preserves, bourbon, butter
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Pineapple brown sugar – Crushed pineapple, brown sugar, rum
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Spicy apple – Apple jelly, hot sauce, chili powder
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Mango chutney – Mango chutney, white wine vinegar, ginger
Get creative with your own combinations!
Handy Tips for Dutch Oven Ham Success
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Choose a dutch oven at least 2 inches larger than the ham to allow braising liquid.
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Add veggies like potatoes, carrots and onions during the last 30-60 mins of braising.
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Use broth, cider, juice or wine for extra flavorful braising liquid.
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Make a double batch of glaze. Reserve half to pass at the table.
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Let the cooked ham rest at least 15 mins tented in foil before carving.
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Carve across the grain for tender slices.
Troubleshooting Ham Cooked in a Dutch Oven
Dry and stringy: The ham cooked too fast at high heat. Use lower heat next time around 300°F.
Bland flavor: Boost flavor with bolder braising liquids. Try using broth instead of water.
Burned glaze: Add glaze too early before the ham was up to temperature. Wait until later in the cooking process to glaze.
Takes too long to cook: You may need to increase the oven temp if cooking over 2 hours. Try 325-350°F.
Still pink: Double check the temp with a meat thermometer. Ham should reach 140°F minimum.
How to Use Leftover Cooked Ham
Leftover ham stays good for 3-5 days refrigerated. Slice it to make sandwiches, dice it up for omelets and hash or shred it for casseroles. You can also freeze ham for 2-3 months.
Here are some tasty ways to use up leftover ham:
- Ham and potato hash
- Ham and cheese omelet
- Ham salad sandwiches
- Split pea and ham soup
- Ham and bean skillet dinner
- Ham fried rice
- Macaroni and cheese with ham
- Ham quiche
Don’t let any of that delicious ham go to waste!
Satisfying and Simple Ham Dutch Oven Meals
Cooking ham in a dutch oven helps it come out unbelievably moist and tender every time. With the right size ham and a flavorful glaze, you’ll have a hit on your hands!
What is a Spiral Ham?
A spiral ham is a whole or half cooked ham that has been cut into thin, even slices by a special machine. It is almost always cured and often smoked and can be bone-in or boneless.
Spiral hams are part of the category of hams also known as city hams (as opposed to country hams). (Click here to read more about this.) All hams come from the upper portion (femur bone) of the back leg of a pig. And, while you can buy a whole ham, they are most often cut into two parts, each weighing about 7-10 pounds. The half closest to the pig’s leg is known as the shank half, while the half closest to the pig’s body is the butt half.
I think a bone-in spiral ham has more flavor and is less likely to dry out than a boneless one, which is what this recipe calls for. It’s so much easier to carve and serve than a bone-in whole ham that is not sliced.
The only caveat is that spiral hams tend to dry out if not cooked properly. Baking them in a Dutch oven with some braising liquid, like I did here, keeps the meat moist so the ham stays juicy and tender while it cooks. A no brainer!.
Glazes are to ham what icing is to cake. These add more sweetness and make the whole thing better. The sugar in the glaze also gives it some crunchy caramelized edges.
Often, spiral hams will come with a packet of glaze already enclosed. You can follow the steps below to use this, but I really hope you try my easy and unique Marsala glaze, which is inspired by Sicily. Homemade is always better!
Orange juice, brown sugar, butter, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard are slowly cooked with Marsala wine. A cornstarch slurry is then added to make the sauce a little thicker. A few times near the end of cooking, it’s brushed on the ham. It adds just the right amount of sweetness to go with the salty, smoky ham. I love how some of it seaps into the layers of the ham as well!.
Baking a ham in a Dutch oven really is the perfect, hands-off entrée for holidays. It’s very simple to make and doesn’t take much time to prepare. Both kids and adults love it, and there are always tasty leftovers that can be used in sandwiches, quiches, soups, frittatas, and other dishes. Plus, it smells amazing as it roasts. Let’s mangia!.
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat Baked Ham Leftovers
You can keep baked ham and all of its bones in the fridge for up to 5 days if you put them in a container or bag that keeps air out. But if you’re not going to eat them all by this date, you should definitely freeze the baked ham leftovers!
I love using the leftover ham meat in simple baguette sandwiches with brie, grilled cheese sandwiches and frittatas. You can also use the leftover ham in my Pasta with Peas and Pasta with Potatoes recipes.
There will probably be a lot of ham meat left over, as well as a tasty, meaty ham bone that is full of flavor. You can use this ham bone in soups and stews, like Split Pea Soup with Ham and Potatoes. Do not throw it away!.
Separate the meat and bones and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or put them in a freezer bag that won’t let air in. They will hold in the freezer for several months but are best up to 2 months.
I think you should put the leftover ham meat into 1 or 2 cup packages (either sliced or diced) so you can use it in recipes or sandwiches in the future. See my post on “Can You Refreeze Ham After Baking It?” for more about this.
To reheat ham leftovers without drying them out, place them in a small pan with a little water. Cover and heat on medium lo until heated through.
Dutch Oven Honey Ham
FAQ
What is the best way to cook a ham without drying it out?
How do you cook a ham in a Le Creuset?
How long to cook a 3 lb fully cooked ham?
How do you cook a precooked ham in the oven?
How do you cook a Ham in a Dutch oven?
Start by preheating your oven to 325°F. Then remove the packaging of the ham and place the cut side down in a 7 qt dutch oven. Bake covered for approximately 3.5 hours (see cooking chart below). I used aluminum foil to cover it since it was too large for the lid to fit on. Add the glaze for the last 35 minutes of baking and leave it uncovered.
Is honey baked ham as good as regular ham?
The addition of honey will affect the calorie content of the food. One tablespoon of honey contributes to approximately 64 calories. In addition, the use of heat when making baked ham will reduce the quality of the honey.
What does a Dutch oven ham taste like?
Dutch oven ham is just an explosion of flavor as soon as that lid is removed! It is rich, juicy, and satisfying! The glaze adds a delicious caramelized crust with the perfect balance of sweetness and savory. Not to mention how easy it is to just throw your ham into a dutch oven and check in after a few hours.
How do you cook a Ham in the oven?
Preheat oven to 350°F. Using the long end of a meat thermometer, carefully poke about 15 holes into the ham. Place ham, cut side down, in dutch oven. Stir together the glaze mixture and slowly poor over the ham. Baste the ham with the glaze several times to fully coat. Cover with lid and bake for approximately 1 hour.