How to Prepare Spiral-Sliced Ham
By America's Test KitchenPublished on December 22, 2010
Time
2¼ to 3¼ hours
Yield
Serves 21 to 40 (3 to 4 servings per pound)
Ingredients
Before You Begin
You can put the ham in the oven cold, bypassing the 90-minute standing time. If you do, add a couple of minutes per pound to the heating time. If using an oven bag, cut slits in the bag so it does not burst. Allow about 3 to 4 servings per pound for a bone-in ham. Most half hams range in size from 7 to 10 pounds, serving 20 to 30. We recommend buying a shank portion because the bone configuration makes it easier to carve; look for the half ham with the tapered, pointed end (see photos below). The Polder Cooking Thermometer/Timer is the perfect tool for monitoring the ham’s temperature; leaving it in the ham while the ham is in the oven and setting it to alert you when the ham has come up to temperature will save you from having to constantly check the oven to see when the ham is “done.”
Instructions
- Unwrap ham; remove and discard plastic disk covering bone. Place ham in plastic oven bag, tie bag shut, and trim excess plastic (see illustration below). Set ham cut-side down in 9 x 13-inch baking dish and cut four slits in top of bag with paring knife. Alternatively, place unwrapped ham cut-side down in baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Let stand at room temperature 90 minutes.
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Bake ham until center of ham registers about 100 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours (about 14 minutes per pound if using plastic oven bag, about 17 minutes per pound if using foil), depending on size of ham. Remove ham from oven and let rest in baking dish in oven bag or with foil cover until internal temperature registers 115 to 120 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 30 to 40 minutes. Cut open oven bag or remove foil, place ham on carving board, and slice, following illustrations below. Serve immediately with sauce, if desired.
Time
2¼ to 3¼ hoursYield
Serves 21 to 40 (3 to 4 servings per pound)Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For our simple spiral-sliced ham recipe, we let the ham come up to room temperature before putting it in the oven to keep oven time to a minimum and used an oven bag to seal in the heat. We then developed two sauces—one made with stout and dried cherries, the other with mustard, vermouth, and thyme—that do elegant justice to our perfectly cooked spiral ham recipe.
Before You Begin
You can put the ham in the oven cold, bypassing the 90-minute standing time. If you do, add a couple of minutes per pound to the heating time. If using an oven bag, cut slits in the bag so it does not burst. Allow about 3 to 4 servings per pound for a bone-in ham. Most half hams range in size from 7 to 10 pounds, serving 20 to 30. We recommend buying a shank portion because the bone configuration makes it easier to carve; look for the half ham with the tapered, pointed end (see photos below). The Polder Cooking Thermometer/Timer is the perfect tool for monitoring the ham’s temperature; leaving it in the ham while the ham is in the oven and setting it to alert you when the ham has come up to temperature will save you from having to constantly check the oven to see when the ham is “done.”
Instructions
- Unwrap ham; remove and discard plastic disk covering bone. Place ham in plastic oven bag, tie bag shut, and trim excess plastic (see illustration below). Set ham cut-side down in 9 x 13-inch baking dish and cut four slits in top of bag with paring knife. Alternatively, place unwrapped ham cut-side down in baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Let stand at room temperature 90 minutes.
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Bake ham until center of ham registers about 100 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours (about 14 minutes per pound if using plastic oven bag, about 17 minutes per pound if using foil), depending on size of ham. Remove ham from oven and let rest in baking dish in oven bag or with foil cover until internal temperature registers 115 to 120 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 30 to 40 minutes. Cut open oven bag or remove foil, place ham on carving board, and slice, following illustrations below. Serve immediately with sauce, if desired.
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