How to Cook a Ham

• Also try: Ham

Introduction

• Ham. It's delicious, and at only 140 calories per 3 ounce serving, it's nutritious. Cooking a ham can be confusing because there are so many different cuts, preparations and glazes. But, don't worry. The actual roasting process isn't that complicated and is guided by the USDA's safety standards. The rest is pure creativity. Whether you slather your ham in mustard and honey or drown in it Dr. Pepper is entirely up to you.

Step 1: Buy a Ham

• Hams vary according to their cuts and how they've been prepared. When choosing a ham, you'll want to take how many people you plan on feeding into account as well as how much time you have to prepare the meat.

Types of Ham

1. Fully-Cooked Ham: Ham that has been heated through the middle to temperatures exceeding 147 degrees F. Ready to eat without further cooking.
2. Partially Cooked Ham: Ham that has been heated through the middle to temperatures exceeding 137 degrees F. Requires additional cooking.
3. Uncooked Ham: Ham that requires cooking to eat.
4. Boiled Ham: Ham that has been boned, cured and cooked using a boiling process. Ready to eat without further cooking.
5. Whole Ham: A cut that includes both butt ham and shank ham from the pig's leg. Weights 10 to 20 pounds. Available bone-in or boneless.
6. Butt Ham: A cut taken from the top half of the pig's leg. Contains more fat than a cut from the shank, but has more meat and is easy to carve.
7. Shank Ham: A cut taken from the bottom half of the pig's leg. Contains less fat than butt ham, but is not as meaty and is harder to carve. Has a slightly sweeter flavor than butt ham.
8. Spiral Sliced Ham: A precooked ham that has been pre-sliced in a spiral or continuous cut.
9. Wet-Cured Ham: A wet-cured or "city" ham has been cured with a brine. The majority of hams available in grocery stores are wet-cured.
10. Dry-Cured Ham: A dry-cured or "country" ham has been rubbed with a salt or sugar seasoning, dried and aged. The most common type of dry-cured ham in the United States is a Virginia or Smithfield Ham.

How Much to Buy

• The amount of ham you buy depends on how many people you plan on serving. Adjustments to the following quantities can be made for small children or people with large appetites:

Type of Ham Bone-in Ham Partially Boned Ham Boneless Ham

Pounds per Serving 1/2 to 3/4 lbs. per serving 1/3 to 1/2 lbs. per serving 1/4 to 1/3 lbs. per serving

What to Look for in a Ham

1. Look for a ham that is bright grayish-pink in color and has a firm texture.
2. Avoid cuts that have a slimy appearance, are soft to the touch or emit a foul order.
3. Avoid hams that are greenish in color.
4. The fat on the outer edges of the ham should be white and blemish-free. If the fat has yellowed, the ham may be spoiled.

Ham Safety

1. Uncooked pork should be stored in the refrigerator at 40 degrees or lower and used within 3 to 5 days of the "sell date" indicated on the package. Ham can be frozen, but freezing will make the meat less tender and juicy.
2. Ham should be purchased right before leaving the store and transported home for refrigeration immediately after buying. Avoid exposing ham to unsafe temperatures for an extended period of time.
3. Place ham in a plastic bag, or keep in its original packaging, to avoid contaminate of other foods while in the refrigerator.
4. Ham should be stored tightly wrapped to avoid exposure to the air, which will dry out the meat.

Step 2: Thaw Your Ham

• If you are cooking a frozen ham, you will need to thaw it out first. There are two methods for thawing pork - the refrigerator method and the cold water method. Never thaw a ham by setting it on the kitchen counter. If the outside of the meat reaches a temperature above 40 degrees before cooking, it will be susceptible to bacterial growth.

Refrigerator Thawing Method

1. Place the wrapped ham on a tray to catch its drippings as it thaws.
   • These drippings should be drained off as they accumulate. Otherwise, they may go bad and contaminate the meat.
2. Allow to thaw for the following length of time:

Size of Ham Small Ham Large Ham

Thawing Time 4 to 5 hours per pound 5 to 7 hours per pound

Cold Water Thawing Method

1. Fill the sink with enough cold water to cover the ham.
2. Place the ham in a leak proof bag.
   • Ham will lose its flavor and coloring if exposed to water while thawing.
3. Place the ham in the cold water.
4. Replace the water every 30 minutes.
5. Allow to thaw for the following length of time:

Size of Ham Small Ham Large Ham

Thawing Time 2 to 3 hours 30 minutes per pound

•   WARNING: Do not use the sink for any other purpose while thawing. When thawing is complete, sanitize the sink and all other surfaces that the meat touched in the thawing process.

Step 3: Prepare Your Ham

• How your ham is prepared depends on what type of ham you've purchased. A wet-cured ham doesn't require as much preparation as a dry-cured or country ham, but both can be trimmed and scored to make the ham more flavorful.

Cleaning a Dry-Cured Ham

• If you've purchased a dry-cured or country ham, there may be mold on its surface that needs to be cleaned. (Don't worry! The mold is not harmful.) You will also need to soak the ham to remove excess salt.

1. Wash the ham in warm water.
2. Scrub the mold from the surface of the ham with a stiff brush.
3. Rinse the ham well.
4. Two days before you plan on serving the ham, place it in a large pan.
5. Cover the ham with cold water.
6. Let the water-covered ham stand at room temperature.
7. Depending on the saltiness of the ham, crystals will begin to form on the ham's surface.
8. If crystals begin to form, change the water every 4 to 6 hours. Let the ham soak for at least 12 hours.
9. If crystals do not form, change the water every 6 to 10 hours. Let the ham soak for 6 to 12 hours.
10. Once the ham has been scrubbed and soaked, it is ready to cook.

Trim Your Ham

• If your ham has a layer of rind and fat on it, it can be trimmed before cooking or towards the end of the cooking process, just before a glaze is applied.

1. Make a slit in the rind.
2. Trim the rind and fat at the same time.
3. Leave a 1/4 inch layer of fat on the ham.
   • You don't want to cut into the meat while trimming.

Score Your Ham

• Scoring your ham allows the glaze to penetrate the meat—making it more flavorful. Cloves can also be added while scoring for decorative purposes. Scoring can be done before the ham is put in the oven or towards the end of the cooking process when it is being trimmed and glazed.

1. Make diagonal cuts along the surface of the ham. The cuts should be made to the fat layer. Don't penetrate the meat while scoring.
2. Make diagonal cuts in the opposite direction—forming diamond shapes in the fat layer.
3. Insert a clove into each diamond.

Cook and Carve Ham by Cooking.com

Step 4: Bake Your Ham

• There are many different ways to bake a ham. Many of these variations depend on the type of ham you are preparing and whether or not you wish to add a glaze during the cooking process.

• The most important rule, however, applies to all hams: The internal temperature of fresh hams must reach 160 degrees F before serving. If you choose to reheat a cooked ham, the internal temperature should reach 140 degrees F.

• The following is a timetable of recommended ham cooking times from the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. The times are based on baking in a 325 degree oven.

Smoked Ham, cook-before-eating

Cut Whole, bone in Half, bone in Shank/Butt Portion, bone in Shoulder Roll, boneless

Weight/lbs 10 to 14 5 to 7 3 to 4 2 to 4

Minutes/lb 18 to 20 22 to 25 35 to 40 35 to 40

Smoked Ham, cooked

Cut Whole, bone in Half, bone in Canned Ham, boneless Vacuum packed, boneless Spiral cut, whole or half

Weight/lbs 10 to 14 5 to 7 3 to 10 6 to 12 7 to 9

Minutes/lb 15 to 18 18 to 24 15 to 20 10 to 15 10 to 18

Fresh Ham, uncooked

Cut Whole leg, bone in Whole leg, boneless Half, bone in

Weight/lbs 12 to 16 10 to 14 5 to 8

Minutes/lb 22 to 26 24 to 28 35 to 40

Basic Baking Instructions for Uncooked, Wet-Cured Ham

• The ham you'll find in most grocery stores in wet-cured. The following directions will ensure that the ham is moist, delicious and safe to eat.

What You'll Need

• Uncooked, Wet-Cured Ham
• Roasting Pan
• Aluminum Foil
• Sharp Knife (if trimming and scoring)
• Cloves (if scoring)
• Meat Thermometer

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.
   • A roasting pan is a shallow pan with a rack insert that lets the ham's drippings collect underneath it during cooking. You never want to let the ham stew in its own drippings as they are excessively salty.
3. Place ham in roasting pan fat side up.
4. Insert meat thermometer.
   • Be sure that the thermometer does not touch the bone. This will give you a false reading.
5. Cook ham according to the USDA timetable above.
6. Turn ham over half-way through the cooking time.
   • Do not use sharp utensils when turning the ham over. It's important that no juice escape the ham while roasting.
7. Approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour before the ham is finished cooking, it can be removed for trimming, scoring and glazing if desired.
   • Do not baste the ham with the drippings from the pan. They contain an excessive amount of salt.
   • Ham can be trimmed and scored before it is put in the oven, but waiting until the end of the cooking process will help the ham maintain its juiciness.
8. Remove the ham from the oven.
   • Do not overcook the ham. It's internal temperature should be 160 degrees F.
9. Let stand 15 minutes before carving.

Basic Baking Instructions for Uncooked, Dry-Cured Ham

• A dry-cured or country ham should be soaked before baking. It can also be boiled with seasonings before browning in the oven.

What You'll Need

• Whole or Half Dry-Cured Ham
• Bay Leaves and Peppercorns (Optional)
• Cloves (if scoring)
• 1 Large Pot
• Roasting Pan
• Aluminum Foil
• Meat Thermometer
• Sharp Knife (if trimming and scoring)

1. Scrub and soak ham according to the directions is Step 3.
2. In a large pot, cover ham with water.
3. Add bay leaves and peppercorns to pot. (Optional)
4. Boil for 20 to 25 minutes per pound.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees towards the end of the boiling process.
6. Drain ham.
7. Trim, score and glaze ham if desired.
8. Insert meat thermometer into the ham.
9. Place ham in roasting pan.
10. Brown at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
11. Remove the ham from the oven.
    • Do not overcook the ham. It's internal temperature should be 160 degrees F.
12. Let stand 15 minutes before carving.

Reheating a Cooked Ham

• While cooked ham can be eaten cold, you can reheat it. Roast the ham in a 325 degree oven until the meat's internal temperature has reached 140 degrees F. If for some reason your ham has been repackaged or is left over from an earlier meal, its temperature should reach 165 degrees F.

Step 5: Glaze Your Ham

• A ham glaze is a combination of ingredients slathered on the ham towards the end of its cooking process to enhance its flavor. Some people simply pat mustard or sugar on their ham; others create a moist glaze that can be brushed on.

• Regardless of which glaze you use, it should be applied to the ham's surface approximately 30 minutes before the meat is taken out of the oven. Adding it too early can burn the ham. Here are some ham glaze variations:

1. Mix equal amounts of powdered mustard and brown sugar. Sprinkle on ham in final 30 minutes of cooking.
2. Mix equal amounts of brown sugar and honey. Brush sugar and honey mixture over ham in final 30 minutes of cooking.
3. Mix 1 cup of raspberry preserves with 1/2 cup of light corn syrup. Brush on ham in final 30 minutes of cooking.
4. Combine 1/4 cup of pineapple juice with 1/4 of honey and 1/4 of brown sugar. Coat the ham with the pineapple-honey mixture in the final 30 minutes of cooking. Optionally, secure pineapple slices and cherries to the ham with toothpicks at this time.

Ham Glaze Recipes

• MarthaStewart.com: Glazed Ham
• About.com: Apricot Honey Ham Glaze  
• Cooks.com: Apple Mustard Glaze
• RecipeTips.com: Pineapple Glaze

Step 6: Carve Your Ham

• Different cuts of ham are carved in slightly different ways. In terms of utensils, it's helpful to have both a sharp knife and two-pronged carving fork on hand.

Whole Ham

1. Trim 3 to 4 slices off one of the ham's thin sides.
2. Turn the ham so it rests on the flat side you've just created.
3. Starting at the shank end, cut uniform slices of ham down to the bone.
4. Cut parallel along the bone to release the slices.

Spiral Sliced Ham

• A spiral sliced ham has been cut to provide slices of a uniform thickness. You only need three cuts to release the slices.

1. Face the cut side of the ham towards you.
2. Cut along one of the ham's visible muscle lines down to the bone.
3. Follow the muscle line until it turns upwards and back out of the ham.
4. Repeat along a second muscle line.
5. Your third cut will require that you cut along the bone to release the meat.

Shank Half

1. Trim 2 top 3 slices off one side of the ham.
2. Turn the ham so it rests on the flat side you've created.
3. Start slicing the ham from the narrow end, down to the bone.
4. Flip the ham back to its original position.
5. Trim the slices you've made from the ham by making a downward cut.
6. Repeat on the other side.

Butt Half

1. Lay the ham on its flat end.
2. Make one cut through the ham as close to the bone as possible.
3. Set this section of meat aside.
4. Cut slices in the remaining section of ham by cutting parallel to the cutting board.
5. Release the slices by making a single cut downward through the ham.
6. Slice the boneless section of the ham that you originally cut away by slicing downward, perpendicular to the board.

Tips, Tricks and Warnings

1. Save the ham bone. It's delicious in stocks and soups.
2. Never baste the ham with the drippings in the roasting pan. They are excessively salty.
3. Freezing ham is not recommended as its flavor deteriorates quickly.
4. You may not be able to score the fat of a ham that is extra lean and has been closely trimmed.

Resources for How to Cook a Ham

• • Mahalo's Guide to Ham
  • Mahalo's Guide to Leftover Ham Recipes

• USDA: Ham and Food Safety
• What's Cooking America: Ham 101
• RecipeTips.com: How to Prepare and Bake a Ham - Ham Preparation Guide
• MarthaStewart.com: Ham 101
• Smithfield Ham: How to Cook a Smithfield Ham
• eHow.com: How to Cook a Ham
• Expert Village Videos: How to Cook a Ham
• Squidoo: How to Cook a Ham
• Food Network: Hams  
• YouTube: How to Cook a Ham with Chef Gordon Drysdale (Time: 2:01)

Where to Buy Ham

• The HoneyBaked Ham Company
• Broadbent Hams
• Glazed Honey Ham Company
• Smithfield's Ham Shop
• Amazon.com: Ham

Related Searches