How to Cook a Spiral Ham (2024)

If you’re wondering how to cook a spiral ham, here’s everything you need to know! Cooking a spiral ham, like copycat honey baked ham, is so easy that it practically cooks itself.

Spiral hams are popular at Easter and Christmas dinner alongside mashed potatoesor Scalloped Potatoesand turkey, but you can buy them year-round! Spiral ham comes fully cooked, all you have to do is heat and serve!

How to Cook a Spiral Ham (1)

How Long to Cook a Spiral Ham

Spiral cut hams are typically between 8 and 11 pounds and already come fully cooked (make sure your package says pre-cooked). This means when you’re cooking a ham, you just want to heat it through. The best way to do this is to cook it on a low temperature so the outside doesn’t dry out before the inside is heated.

To cook a spiral ham without it drying outmake sure you use ameat thermometerto reach 140°F and do not overcook it. I usually remove it around 135°F and keep an eye on the thermometer to ensure it reaches 140°F.

How long to cook a Spiral Ham will depend on the size but allot for 12-15 minutes per pound at 325°F. I have cooked this ham both with and without covering it with foil. Uncovered will give a slightly crisper exterior and need closer to the longer cooking time. Covered will need closer to the shorter cooking time.

If cooking covered with foil, remove the foil once the glaze is added for the last 20 minutes.

If your ham is done early, remove it from the oven and let it cool a little bit so it doesn’t keep cooking. Once slightly cooled, cover with foil and don’t cut until ready to serve.

The shape of your ham can affect cooking time, a larger rounder ham may need extra cooking time compared to a flatter shaped ham.

Glazing Spiral Ham

If you’re glazing your ham like when you’re making a copycat homemadehoney baked ham the glaze should be added at the end so it doesn’t burn. I always toss out the glaze that comes with my ham and opt for an easy homemade glaze!

Simply brush it on during the last 20 minutes. I sometimes turn the oven up or give it a broil for a couple of minutes to make the glaze good and sticky.

Our Favorite Glaze Recipes:

  • Brown Sugar Glaze for Ham
  • Rosemary Balsamic Glazed Ham
  • Apple Glazed Ham
  • Simple Glaze:
    • 2/3 cup brown sugar
    • 1/4 cup juice (orange or pineapple are great)
    • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard

How to Cook a Spiral Ham in the Crock Pot

Slow and steady wins this race! For a perfectly tender spiral ham recipe, you can also make Crock Pot Ham, brush with the glaze of your choice, add a little water or apple juice and cook on the lowest setting.

Remember, your spiral ham is already cooked, you are just reheating the meat and infusing it with the seasonings or the glaze.

How to Cook a Spiral Ham (2)

How to Cut a Spiral Ham

Spiral hams are made by one continuous cut from one end to the other and come apart very easily whether they are served cold or warm. A typical serving is about 6 ounces per person, so an 8 lb ham will yield about 20 servings. But who can eat just one slice?

More Recipes You’ll Love

  • Copycat Honey Baked Ham– so juicy
  • Ham and Corn Chowderperfect use for leftover ham
  • Ham Bone Soup (Slow Cooker)– another great option for leftovers
  • Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze– classic holiday ham recipe
  • Scalloped Potatoes and Hammy favorite leftover dish

Why not pick up a spiral ham and pan fry slices for breakfast? Or put a slice (or two!) into a sandwich with a little mustard for lunch?A spiral cut ham is so easy to prepare and versatile to serve, you’ll wonder why you don’t serve them year-round!

How to Cook a Spiral Ham (4)

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How To Cook A Spiral Ham

Spiral ham is incredibly easy and perfect for serving on special occasions or for Christmas dinner.

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How to Cook a Spiral Ham (5)

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 59 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 4 minutes minutes

How to Cook a Spiral Ham (8)

Ingredients

  • 1 spiral ham 8-10 pounds
  • glaze of your choice optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F.

  • Remove packaging and if your ham has a small plastic disk on the underside of the bone, remove and discard the disk.

  • Place the ham in a shallow roasting pan, cut side down. Cover with foil*.

  • Bake the covered ham for 12-15 minutes per pound or until the ham reaches 140°F*.

  • If adding ham glaze, add it during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Brush the glaze on the ham and leave it uncovered to finish cooking.

  • Remove the ham from the oven and rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting. Spoon juices over the ham before serving if desired.

Notes

I have cooked this ham both with and without covering it with foil. Uncovered will give a slightly crisper exterior and need closer to the longer cooking time. Covered will need closer to the shorter cooking time. Keep in mind, for the most part, a spiral ham ispre-cooked and just needs to be heated through.

If cooking covered with foil, remove the foil once the glaze is added for the last 20 minutes.

The shape of your ham can affect cooking time, a larger rounder ham may need extra cooking time compared to a flatter shaped ham.

For glaze, combine 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup juice (orange or pineapple are great) and 2 tablespoons dijon mustard with your favorite warm spices.

Nutrition information is for a 4oz serving of ham and does not include glaze.

The original version of this recipe called for slow cooking the ham at a low and slow temperature. However, some readers found that the results were not consistent, and some readers found they needed to add extra cooking time. We strive to ensure that every recipe at Spend With Pennies is perfect every time. This recipe has been retested and adjusted for more consistent results.

4.99 from 266 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 275 | Protein: 24g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 1346mg | Potassium: 324mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

How to Cook a Spiral Ham (10) Cuisine American

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.

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Christmas, Easter, Main Dishes, Pork, Recipes, Thanksgiving

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How to Cook a Spiral Ham (2024)

FAQs

How to Cook a Spiral Ham? ›

How do you bake a ham without drying it out? Spiral cut hams should be covered with aluminum foil to help retain moisture when re heating. You could also place a foil pan with water underneath the ham to create some steam inside the oven to keep everything moist.

What is the best way to cook a spiral ham so it doesn t dry out? ›

How do you bake a ham without drying it out? Spiral cut hams should be covered with aluminum foil to help retain moisture when re heating. You could also place a foil pan with water underneath the ham to create some steam inside the oven to keep everything moist.

How long does it take to cook a fully cooked spiral ham? ›

If you're starting with a pre-cooked ham, you'll only need to cook your ham long enough to heat it all the way through. Total cook time will depend on the size of the ham, your cooking method, and the cooking temperature. In general, you'll want to plan for 10-16 minutes per pound.

What is the best way to heat a precooked spiral ham? ›

Wrap the ham tightly with the foil and bake at 300 F for about 15 minutes per pound, or until a meat thermometer registers 140 F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat, not touching bone.

Should a spiral ham be covered when baking? ›

Covering the ham with foil will trap moisture inside, and that will keep the ham juicy while it cooks more quickly. However, uncovered ham has better texture on the outside slices. They get lightly caramelized, especially if you add a glaze during the bake.

How do you keep a ham moist when baking? ›

First, before placing the ham in the oven, wrap the top of the pan with aluminum foil. This helps to retain the moisture that you added as well because the juices won't escape while baking, keeping the area where your ham is cooking moist.

Do you need to add water when cooking a ham? ›

Water-Cooking

Add water to keep ham covered. Take ham from the pan and while warm, remove the skin and fat as desired. If a sweet coating is desired, sprinkle the fat side with brown sugar and bread crumbs and bake in a 400 degree oven until brown (approximately 15 minutes).

Should a spiral ham be brought to room temperature before cooking? ›

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.

Do you wash a spiral ham before cooking? ›

Preheat the oven to 325°F. You don't need to wash a ham before baking. If you ask us, baked ham is delicious even when you leave it plain; however, scoring a diamond pattern with a chef's knife in the outer layer and brushing on a glaze during baking makes the ham a showy centerpiece and adds flavor.

How do you use the glaze packet that comes with the ham? ›

Glazing: Empty contents of the glaze packet into a small saucepan. Add 22 mL (1 1/2 tbsp) warm water. Heat glaze mixture on high, stirring constantly, until glaze begins to boil. Remove immediately from heat.

What is the best way to cook a precooked ham? ›

Place the ham, cut-side-down, on heavy-duty aluminum foil and wrap the ham thoroughly. Or use an oven roasting bag; follow instructions on the bag for preparation. Bake in a preheated 325F oven for 10-14 minutes per pound, or until a meat thermometer registers 135F.

How do you heat up a precooked ham without drying it out? ›

The goal is to reheat the ham without drying it out. The best way to do this is to place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan. Add water to the bottom of the pan and cover the whole thing tightly with foil. Bake at 325F for 16-20 minutes per pound, until a meat thermometer registers 135F.

Can you eat fully cooked spiral ham without heating? ›

Cooked canned ham and cooked vacuum-packaged ham, both from federally inspected plants, can be eaten right out of the package. All of these along with spiral-cut cooked ham are safe to eat cold or can be warmed to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), as they are already fully cooked.

What side goes down when cooking a spiral ham? ›

Spiral Sliced Ham (Bone-In and Boneless) Heating Instructions. Preheat oven to 325˚F. Remove all packaging materials and place ham on wire rack in shallow roasting pan, flat side down. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil.

How to keep a spiral ham from drying out? ›

Wrap the ham in tin foil to retain moisture and the maple-glaze.

Do you put a spiral-cut ham fat side up or down? ›

Half hams should be cooked Flat/Face Side Down. Whole hams should be cooked Fat Side Up. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 275ºF for approximately 15 minutes per pound until heated through.

Why is my spiral ham always dry? ›

The key to preventing a shriveled spiral ham disaster is to wrap it in aluminum foil before sticking it in the oven. The aluminum foil blanket will help keep the moisture in the ham by holding onto the steam and preventing the natural juices from evaporating.

How do you add moisture to cooked ham? ›

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.

How do you cook a fully cooked ham without drying it out? ›

The goal is to reheat the ham without drying it out. The best way to do this is to place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan. Add water to the bottom of the pan and cover the whole thing tightly with foil. Bake at 325F for 16-20 minutes per pound, until a meat thermometer registers 135F.

What makes a ham dry? ›

The meat is preserved by burying it in salt or rubbing it with salt and other spices (black pepper, sugar, etc.) Then the ham is hung up to dry for a long period of time– months in fact. This dehydrates the meat, making it even more “dry” if you will.

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