How Long to Cook a Holiday Ham—or an Anytime Ham
A mainstay of many Easter dinners, a large burnished roast of savory ham is a beautiful and low-effort way to anchor just about any holiday menu. It's an all-around crowd-pleaser, everyone will want to scoop a slice or two of this classic onto their plate. What's more, hams typically come in larger weights, so you won't need to worry if there will be enough to feed your crew. You're more likely to have generous leftovers for everyone to take home.
Related: Tips for Choosing the Right Ham for Your Holiday Table
The best part of all? Ham is a very forgiving protein and the perfect project for beginners, as well as seasoned cooks who would rather focus on the side dishes. Even so, there are ideal times and temperatures at which to cook ham so it comes out moist and juicy every time.
Wondering how long to cook that 10-pound ham for? Read on for cooking tips that are tailored for the different types of ham you will find at the grocery store.
How Long to Cook Pre-Cooked Hams
Pre-cooked hams are the most common type of ham you'll find at a supermarket. Often imbued with a pleasant smoke flavor, these hams are an excellent candidate for an easy glaze to brush on top, and are the easiest and most convenient way to a special holiday meal.
To make things even easier, opt for the spiral-cut ham so you won't need to bother with carving it before the meal. Plan on baking your pre-cooked ham at an oven temperature of 325°F, covered with foil, until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 140°F, as recommended by the USDA.
How Long to Cook Uncooked Hams
How do you know if a ham is uncooked? Check the label on the ham at the grocery store and it will usually read "cook before eating." Often smoked, these hams need a little extra time in the oven to reach a safe temperature for eating. Bake an uncooked ham at an oven temperature of 325°F, covered, until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 145°F.
Ham Recipes
Try these recipes for cooked whole, half, and spiral hams, plus our favorite recipe for an uncooked whole ham.
Honeyed Ham with Pears and Cranberries
Full of holiday flavors, this cooked whole ham is studded with cloves and has a glaze of apple cider and honey. Baking pears and cranberries in the roasting pan alongside the ham is a genius touch.
Brandied Ham
This is one of our favorite recipes for a fully cooked bone-in half ham weighing about 6 pounds. Like many ham recipes, it calls for the meat to be baked covered initially to keep the ham moist. Then the ham is brushed with glaze and baked uncovered until the glaze is sticky and the ham has browned.
Pomegranate-Glazed Ham with Jammy Cipollinis
A 6- to 8-pound spiral-cut ham is roasted at 325°F, then finished with high heat to crisp the glaze of pomegranate molasses, brown sugar, honey, mustard, and allspice.
Baked Easter Ham
Martha's classic recipe for baked ham starts with a bone-in, 12- to 14-pound uncooked smoked ham. She glazes it with the simple yet sophisticated combination of cognac and brown sugar during the last 11/2 hours of cooking.
