Cooking a bone-in ham is often seen as a daunting task reserved for professional chefs or seasoned grandmothers during the holidays. However, once you understand the basic mechanics of heat, moisture, and flavoring, you will realize that a bone-in ham is actually one of the most forgiving and impressive centerpieces you can prepare.
Whether you are hosting a festive Easter brunch, a Christmas dinner, or a large Sunday family gathering, a bone-in ham offers superior flavor and texture compared to its boneless counterparts. The bone acts as a conductor of heat and a reservoir of flavor, ensuring the meat stays succulent and rich.
Choosing the Right Bone-In Ham
Before you even turn on your oven, the success of your meal begins at the butcher counter. When you look for a bone-in ham, you generally have two choices: the shank end or the butt end. The shank end is the classic “ham shape” we see in advertisements. It has a single straight bone, making it much easier to carve. The meat is slightly leaner but very flavorful. The butt end, or the upper part of the leg, is leaner still but contains the hip bone, which makes carving a bit of a puzzle. Most home cooks prefer the shank end for its aesthetic appeal and ease of service.
You should also decide between a city ham and a country ham. Most hams found in grocery stores are city hams, which are wet-cured and usually fully cooked or smoked. These simply require reheating. Country hams are dry-cured with salt and aged, resulting in a much more intense, salty flavor that requires soaking before cooking. For the purpose of this guide, we will focus on the popular, succulent city ham.
Preparing Your Ham for the Oven
Preparation is minimal but crucial. If your ham comes with a thick layer of fat or “skin” on the outside, you may want to score it. Scoring involves using a sharp knife to cut shallow diamond patterns into the fat, about a quarter-inch deep. This serves two purposes: it allows your glaze to penetrate deeper into the meat, and it provides a beautiful, professional look as the fat renders and pulls apart in the heat.
Bring your ham out of the refrigerator about one to two hours before you plan to cook it. This takes the chill off the meat, allowing it to heat more evenly. If you put a stone-cold ham into a hot oven, the outside may dry out before the center near the bone reaches a safe or palatable temperature.
The Importance of Low and Slow Roasting
The biggest mistake people make when learning how to cook a ham with the bone in is using too much heat. Since most bone-in hams are already smoked or fully cooked, your goal isn’t really “cooking” in the traditional sense; it is a gentle reheating process. High heat will tighten the muscle fibers and squeeze out the moisture, leaving you with a tough, dry dinner.
Set your oven to 325°F. This temperature is the “sweet spot” that allows the ham to warm through to the bone without scorching the exterior. Place the ham in a heavy roasting pan, flat-side down. To ensure the meat remains moist, add about a cup of liquid to the bottom of the pan. This could be water, apple juice, pineapple juice, or even a dry white wine. The liquid will create a steam-filled environment inside the pan.
Mastering the Foil Tent
To prevent the surface of the ham from drying out during the long roasting process, you must wrap it tightly with aluminum foil. You can either wrap the ham itself or cover the entire roasting pan with a heavy-duty sheet of foil. The goal is to trap the moisture inside. If you are using a spiral-cut bone-in ham, this step is even more critical, as the pre-cut slices are more susceptible to losing juice.
Calculating Cooking Time
A general rule of thumb for a fully cooked bone-in ham is to roast it for 15 to 20 minutes per pound. If you have an 8-pound ham, you are looking at roughly two to two and a half hours in the oven. However, time is only a guide. The most accurate way to tell when your ham is ready is by using a meat thermometer. You are aiming for an internal temperature of 140°F. When checking the temperature, insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat, making sure not to touch the bone, as the bone conducts heat differently and will give you an inaccurate reading.
Crafting the Perfect Glaze
The glaze is where you can truly express your culinary personality. While the ham is in the oven, you can prepare a mixture that balances sweetness, acidity, and spice. A classic glaze often includes brown sugar or honey as the base. Add a splash of acidity through apple cider vinegar or Dijon mustard, and perhaps some warmth with ground cloves, cinnamon, or even a hint of bourbon.
Do not apply the glaze at the beginning of the cooking process. Because glazes are high in sugar, they will burn if left in the oven for two hours. Instead, wait until the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking. Remove the ham from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 400°F, and generously brush the glaze over the scored fat and surfaces. Return it to the oven uncovered, basting every 10 minutes until the glaze is bubbly, caramelized, and dark amber.
Resting and Carving
Once the ham reaches 140°F and the glaze is perfected, remove it from the oven. This is the hardest part: you must let the ham rest. Transfer it to a cutting board and let it sit for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. If you carve it immediately, all that delicious moisture will run out onto the board, leaving the meat dry.
Carving a bone-in ham is simpler than it looks. For a shank end ham, cut slices perpendicular to the bone. Once you hit the bone with your knife, cut along the base of the bone to release the slices. If you are working with a spiral-cut ham, the work is mostly done for you; you simply need to cut around the center bone to free the individual pieces.
Utilizing the Leftover Bone
One of the greatest benefits of cooking a ham with the bone in is the “bonus” meal. Never throw away the ham bone! It is packed with gelatin and smoky flavor. You can use it immediately or freeze it for later to make the best split pea soup, navy bean soup, or collard greens you have ever tasted. Simply simmer the bone in a pot of water or stock for several hours to extract every bit of savory goodness.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Should I wash the ham before cooking it?
No, you should not wash your ham. Washing raw or cured meat can spread bacteria around your kitchen sink and countertops. Instead, simply pat the ham dry with paper towels if there is excess moisture on the surface before you begin the scoring or seasoning process.
-
How do I keep a spiral-cut bone-in ham from drying out?
Spiral-cut hams are convenient but dry out faster because of the increased surface area. To keep them moist, ensure you use a liquid in the bottom of the pan and keep the ham very tightly sealed with foil for the majority of the cooking time. Only uncover it at the very end to set the glaze.
-
Can I cook a bone-in ham in a slow cooker?
Yes, if the ham fits in your slow cooker, this is an excellent way to keep it moist. You may need to trim a bit of the meat to get the lid to close. Cook it on low for 4 to 6 hours. Note that you won’t get the same crispy, caramelized crust that an oven provides, but the meat will be exceptionally tender.
-
What if my ham is labeled “cook before eating” instead of “fully cooked”?
If your ham is not fully cooked, it must reach a higher internal temperature for safety. You should cook it until the internal temperature reaches 145°F, and then allow it to rest for at least three minutes. The cooking time per pound will also be longer, usually 20 to 25 minutes per pound at 325°F.
-
How much ham should I buy per person?
When buying a bone-in ham, you need to account for the weight of the bone itself. A good rule of thumb is to estimate about 3/4 pound to 1 pound of ham per person. This ensures everyone has a generous serving with enough left over for those essential next-day ham sandwiches.