How to Cook a Delicious Shank Ham

This oven-baked ham recipe is so simple, with no scoring and no studding with cloves. For the first half of this recipe, moist heat is used to cook the meat. At the end, a blast of high heat is used to caramelize the top of the ham. The result yields meat that is juicy, tender, and full of flavor. This baked ham recipe is perfect for entertaining!.

Last Christmas, I bought a half, bone-in ham from Dakin Farm. It was marked with lines and cloves, and I baked it for 10 minutes per pound at 325ºF as the recipe said to do. I turned up the heat and brushed it with a simple glaze made of brown sugar, maple syrup, and orange juice that had just been squeezed.

In my post Christmas after-action report, I wrote: “The ham was spectacular; the mustard sauce outrageously delicious.”

But I had questions still: Was scoring necessary? Were cloves necessary? Was a glaze even necessary?

So I emailed Dakin Farm: To Score or Not? A man named Eric replied, “My advice to everyone is to add a little water to the pan and cover it with foil.” This really helps in preventing the ham from being dry. ”.

He also noted that studding with cloves is not necessary, but it won’t dry the ham out either. And added that glazing is nice for visual purposes.

This all made sense to me, and the next time around, I followed his advice. I roasted my 13-pound whole ham, which wasn’t scored or cloved, at 325ºF for 1 hour and 45 minutes in a pan with a little water and foil over it. In the last 30 minutes, I took off the foil, raised the temperature to 425oF, and glazed the ham twice, each time for 15 minutes.

The result? A beautifully burnished, glazed ham with super moist, tender meat. And no thanks to anything I did: the meat was super flavorful.

Cooking a shank ham can be an intimidating task, but with the right techniques, it can result in a juicy, flavorful centerpiece for any holiday meal or Sunday dinner. In this article, I’ll walk through the easy process for preparing a mouthwatering baked or roasted ham shank.

Overview of Shank Ham

A ham shank refers to the lower portion of a pig’s leg, specifically the shank bone surrounded by meat. Shanks are an economical cut that contain a good amount of bone, fat, and connective tissue. While not as tender as a traditional ham, shank ham offers pronounced ham flavor with a pleasant chew.

Shank ham is sold fully cooked, ready to eat, or fresh. Fully cooked shanks only require reheating Fresh shanks need more extended cooking to become tender If your shank ham is smoked, that will impart extra hammy flavor.

Ingredients

To make a delicious baked or roasted shank ham you will need:

1 bone-in fully cooked smoked ham shank (4-8 pounds)
1⁄4 cup yellow mustard
1⁄4 cup Dijon mustard
1⁄2 cup brown sugar
1 cup water

Optional glaze ingredients

Minced garlic
Balsamic vinegar
Black pepper
Extra brown sugar

Prep Work

Before cooking your shank ham you will need to do a bit of prep

Check the label. Be sure to check the label on your ham to see if it’s fully cooked, ready to eat or fresh. This will impact cook time.
Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 325°F.
Prepare a pan. Place a foil-lined roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet on the center oven rack.
Score the fat. If your ham shank has a thick fat cap, lightly score it in a diamond pattern to allow the fat to render and crisp up.
Make a glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustards and brown sugar. Set aside.

How to Cook the Ham Shank

Follow these simple steps for oven-roasted ham shank perfection:

Coat with glaze. Place the ham shank fat side up in the prepared pan. Brush the mustard-sugar glaze all over the ham, covering all sides.
Add liquid. Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pan to keep the ham from drying out.
Cover and roast. Tent the ham loosely with foil and roast for approximately 12-15 minutes per pound, until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
Uncover and broil. During the last 20-30 minutes of cook time, remove the foil, baste the ham with pan juices, and broil to caramelize the glaze.
Rest and slice. When the ham reaches 150-160°F, remove it from the oven, tent with foil, and let rest 15 minutes before slicing into juicy perfection!

Tips for Maximizing Flavor

Follow these tips for enhancing your ham’s flavor:

Stud the ham with garlic cloves and brush with balsamic vinegar for a more robust glaze.
Increase the brown sugar for a thicker, stickier glaze.
Rub the scored fat with black pepper and paprika before cooking.
Save the bone and ham drippings for beans, soups, greens, or gravy. Don’t let that flavor go to waste!
Let the cooked ham rest at least 15 minutes before slicing for juicier results.

Serving Suggestions

A beautifully roasted ham shank makes for amazing holiday dinners and Sunday suppers. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:

For dinner: Slice the ham and serve with scalloped potatoes, roasted vegetables, and dinner rolls.
For sandwiches: Pile sliced ham on bread with mustard, mayo, lettuce and tomato for an easy lunch.
In hash: Dice up leftovers to make a savory ham, potato and veggie hash.
In eggs: Chop ham and add it to scrambled eggs or an omelet for a breakfast twist.
In soup: Ham bones and drippings make a stellar base for split pea or bean soup.

how to cook a shank ham

Brown Sugar Ham Glaze Recipe

A ham glaze recipe should include something sweet — brown sugar, sugar, honey, maple syrup, etc. — which will promote good caramelization in the oven. If you want a beautifully browned ham, you don’t have to glaze it all the way through the cooking process. Just do it in the last 30 minutes, with the oven temperature raised to 425ºF.

To make this glaze, stir together:

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Halve the recipe if you are making a half ham.

The Secret to Baking A Good Ham?

… lies in the ham. If you buy a good one, you’ll bake a good one. If you buy a bad one, you won’t. No glaze or scoring or cooking technique will save a bad ham. You’re not marinating or brining a ham (and how nice!) — you’re simply heating it through. And the glaze, while delicious, doesn’t penetrate beyond the outer layer.

As you can tell, I really like Dakin Farm (I have nothing to do with the company; I’m just a fan!) My Vermont aunt and uncle have always had some kind of Dakin Farm ham product when we visit, and it’s always delicious. I’ve purchased both their whole and half hams, and they never disappoint. A half ham will feed at least 12 people, making the cost per serving about $4. 66.

My mother’s advice regarding ham is to never buy a spiral or frozen ham. One year, I bought just that: a frozen, spiral ham (from a highly regarded source). It looked beautiful when it came out of the oven, and I thought, “Just this once, I’ll show her!” But it was dry and tasteless when it was done. Should have known.

Friends: If you have any ham-baking tips or sources for favorite hams, please share in the comments.

Glazed Ham Shank Portion For The Holidays ll Easy ll Brown Sugar

FAQ

How long do you cook a fully cooked shank ham?

Heat oven to 325ºF. Remove all packaging materials and place ham on its side, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan; cover loosely with aluminum foil. Heat approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound until heated through. Remove ham from oven and let stand, covered, 20 minutes before serving.

Do you cook a shank ham with cut side down?

Let it sit before baking: Let the ham come to room temperature before cooking to ensure juicer, more evenly cooked meat. Cook it cut-side down: Place the ham cut-side down in your pan to prevent it from drying out while baking.

Are all shank hams precooked?

You may have one that is totally uncooked, or “fresh.” Or, you may have one labeled “Ready-to-eat,” or “Heat and Serve.” If you’re using a fresh ham shank, it will require a longer cooking time than what is listed here, but other than that, the process will be pretty much the same.

Should ham be baked covered or uncovered?

Bake the ham in the preheated oven, uncovered, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 140°F, basting every 30 minutes with 1/2 cup of the glaze. Be sure to keep an eye on the ham, and cover it loosely with foil if it starts getting too dark.

How do you cook a shank Ham?

Now that your shank portion ham is prepared, it’s time to cook it to perfection: Place it in a roasting pan: Position the ham on a rack in a roasting pan, with the fat side up. Cover it: Tent the ham with aluminum foil to retain moisture during the cooking process. Cook it: Calculate the cooking time based on the weight of the ham.

How do you eat a shank Ham?

Slice the shank ham against the grain into thin, even pieces. Arrange the slices on a serving platter, and drizzle any remaining glaze from the roasting pan over the top. Serve your delicious shank ham with your favorite sides, such as roasted potatoes, steamed vegetables, or a fresh salad.

How do you glaze a ham shank?

Place the large end face down, then glaze with mustard. Turn the ham shank in the roasting pan so that the larger side is face down in the pan. Then, apply a healthy coating of mustard on the ham shank. Smother the ham in mustard until the outer side of the ham shank has a thin, constant coating.

How do you know if a ham shank is cooked?

Once the internal temperature of the ham shank reaches 145°F (63°C), it is considered cooked and safe to eat. You can use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. 12. Remove the ham shank from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.