Our 32 Favorite Ham Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Does ham get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

Editor's Tip: For a fall-apart tender ham, let it cook longer; 10 to 12 hours on low. This method is perfect for families who prefer a more casual dinner of shredded hot ham and roll sandwiches.

A little sweetness balances the smoky savoriness of ham. But think beyond gloppy, sugary-sweet glazes and get a little more adventurous. Peach preserves, hot pepper jelly, and maple syrup work as sweet bases for glazes that add sheen as well as distinct flavor.

The shank is the lower half of the leg above the hock and is the cut most associated with baked ham. The shank cut contains the femur bone only, making it a little easier to carve.

If you don't cover your ham while cooking it will quickly dry out. Instead: Put some aluminum foil over your ham while it's cooking. It is recommended that the ham is covered for at least half of the cooking process and only removed during the last half when you glaze it.

Lay the ham in a deep oven pan on a layer of thickly sliced onions. For a different taste you could also add thick slices of apple, pear or pineapple under the ham . Score the fat diagonally about each inch and then repeat at 45 degrees to create a diamond pattern.

Arrange slices in a single layer on a greased baking pan. Add a couple of tablespoons of broth or water and cover with foil. Bake for about 10 minutes or until heated through, turning slices once.

To help keep your ham moist and juicy, place the ham cut-side down in a baking pan and tent it with foil. Every 20 minutes or so, brush the ham with glaze and baste it with the pan juices.

Bake The Ham

Move the oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 350°F. 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.

While baking a show-stopping ham is simple and easy, be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to bring the ham to room temperature for an hour (for even heat distribution) as well as up to 2 1/2 hours to bake it long, low and slow, depending on your ham's size.

Cook it cut-side down: Place the ham cut-side down in your pan to prevent it from drying out while baking. Cover it while cooking: Help the meat retain moisture by covering the ham or pan with aluminum foil before putting it in the oven.

What type of ham has the best flavor? ›

Buy bone-in ham. Yes, the bone is a little more work to cut around, but the meat is more flavorful and the hambone can be used to flavor soups and stews.

1/4 - 1/3 lb. per serving of boneless ham. 1/3 - 1/2 lb. of meat per serving of bone-in ham.

Place ham, cut/flat side down, on rack in shallow roasting pan; cover tightly with aluminum foil. Heat approximately 18 to 23 minutes per pound until heated through. Remove ham from oven. Glaze as directed below or let stand, covered, 10 minutes before serving.

Heating above 135 degrees will only detract from taste and tenderness. Re-cooking or prolonged heating will always make cooked meat tough and in the case of cured hams, the meat will be crumbly. The same is true for any fully cooked or cured meat such as wieners or sliced ham.

Any meat that is roasted in the oven needs moisture so it won't burn at the bottom of the pan or dry out. The trick is to make sure you add some kind of liquid to your pan. So here's the hack: Add half a cup of wine or stock to the bottom of your pan before popping that ham in the oven.

BOILING THE HAM

Whenever someone asks me how to cook a smoked ham, I always suggest getting a large STOCKPOT for this boil-then-bake method. Boiling the ham coaxes the sodium from the meat while returning moisture at the same time. This important step is the key to a surprisingly tender and juicy ham.