The Most Moist, Tender & Delicious Ham with these TIPS!

Mmmmm.. the smell of ham and fresh baked rolls drifts throughout the house.  Your mouth waters as you pass the cheesecake you made for dessert sitting on the counter as you head to the oven to check on your ham.

Ughh!  You’ve spent all day prepping and cooking for your Easter meal to find out your ham is dry and chewy when you pull it out of the oven.

I’m here to help you create the most moist, tender and delicious ham ever!

First off, what type of ham are you going to cook?  You’ve got a few options.  

Typically if you purchase a ham from the grocery store it will be precooked, and simply requires reheating.  

When you purchase your ham from the butcher or your local farmer, it may or may not be cured/smoked or precooked.

If your ham is fresh, you’ll just have to make sure you get the meat temperature up to 145 degrees F to be fully cooked.

So, do you want boneless or bone-in?  Here are a few pros about each.

Bone-less: easy to carve
Serving size: ½ lb per person

Bone-In: better flavor & juicier meat, leftover bone to make soup
Serving size: ¾ to 1 lb per person

Spiral-cut: already sliced, glaze can spread throughout the ham because of the slices, cooks a bit  faster.
Serving size: ¾ to 1 lb per person

8 NO FAIL TIPS FOR THE PERFECT HAM

1. Thaw Your Ham

Make sure your ham is completely thawed.  1-hour prior to cooking, set it out and let it come to room temperature.  This will help keep your ham tender and juicy.

2. Score the Skin

Making a diamond pattern, use a sharp knife to cut through the fat and skin layer of the ham.  Not only does this make your ham look professional and beautiful, it allows the glaze to seep down into the meat.

3. Glaze Your Ham

Get creative and glaze your ham! Mix up the ingredients of your glaze while your ham’s cooking. When you’re down to the last hour of cooking, brush your ham with the glaze every 15 minutes or so.

4. Cover Your Ham

Always keep your ham covered whether it’s with aluminum foil or a lid if you’re using a deep dish.  And, be sure to cover it back up everytime after you apply the glaze.

5. Add Moisture to Your Ham

Add a cup of water, apple or pineapple juice to the bottom of your pan.  This will help to keep your ham moist and add flavor!

6. Cooking Your Ham

Use a meat thermometer for best results. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the ham, but make sure you avoid the bone.  

Precooked Ham: 140 degrees F
Fresh Ham: 145 degrees F

Here’s a quick little table on how long to cook your ham!

Ham Roasting Guidelines
Bake at 325 degrees F
Slow Cooker on Low

Boneless Ham	1 ½ to 2 lbs 3 to 4 lbs 6 to 8 lbs 9 to 11 lbs	45 min to 1 hour 1 to 1 ½ hours 1 ½ to 2 hrs 40 min 2 hrs 15 min to 2 hrs 50 min
Bone-In Ham	6 to 8 lbs 14 to 16 lbs	1 ½ to 2 hrs 15 min 2 hrs 20 min to 4 hours

7. Rest Your Ham

Allow your ham to rest covered for at least 15 minutes when you pull it out of the oven before you start carving it.  This gives the ham time to reabsorb much of the juices back through the meat.

8. Carving Your Ham

Boneless ham: Simply carve away with a sharp knife.

Bone-in ham: perpendicular to the bone, cut the ham into thin slices.  Then, cut along the bone to release the slices.

Whether you are feeding a crowd or enjoying a ham steak for just the two of you, follow these simple tips and we know you will not be disappointed!

Check out our favorite Easter Ham Recipe below!

I want to hear how great your ham was! 

Email me and let me know!

MOUTHWATERING SWEET & SPICY HAM

yield:  18 SERVINGS  prep time: 15 MINUTES  bake  time: 2 ¾ HOURS   total time: 3 HOURS

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Combine the brown sugar, marmalade, and mustard in a small bowl. Set aside. 
3. Score the surface of the ham, making diamond shapes ½ inch deep.
4. Insert a whole clove in the center of each diamond.
5. Place ham in a shallow roasting pan.
6. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the roasting pan.
7. Cover with aluminum foil.
8. Bake until your ham reaches a temperature of 140 degrees F, about 2 hours.
9. Brush ham with some of the glaze.  Continue to bake your ham for 45 minutes, brushing with the glaze every 15 minutes.  Don’t forget to recover your ham after each glazing.
10. When ham is done, allow to rest, covered for 15 minutes before carving.
11. Carve.
12. ENJOY!

Adapted from Taste of Home