How to Cook Spiral Ham

A cooked spiral ham in a blue and white speckled roasting pan.

5 stars (3 reviews)

Here are the quick and easy steps and best tips for how to cook a moist, tender and flavorful pre-cooked spiral ham with your choice of glaze. This foolproof recipe is perfect for holidays and family dinners, and leftover ham is great to make more savory dishes!

Prep Time2

Cook Time1 20

Total Time1 22

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Southern

Servings: - 16 servings

Calories: 462kcal

Author: Sommer Collier

Ingredients

8-10 pounds spiral cut ham bone-in (with glaze packet)
¼ cup water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Set out a roasting pan or a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Check the ham packaging for the exact weight.
Unwrap the ham and set the glaze packet aside. Discard the wrappings. Set the ham in the baking dish. Add ¼ cup of water to the bottom of the pan.
Wrap the ham tightly in foil. Place the covered ham in the oven and set the timer for the poundage X 10 minutes… For example, an 8 pound ham should bake for 80 minutes.
If using the glaze, remove the ham from the oven about 10 minutes before it's done. Uncover the ham and brush the prepared glaze over the top of the ham. Place it back in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, uncovered.

Video

Notes

Cooking Note - Generally, the temperature should be between 300-350°F. When you're focusing on glazing and braising the ham to create a crusty exterior, it's OK to go as high as 350°F. We do that several times here on the site. However, if you want a fool-proof “no way you dried it out” ham… Bake at 300°F for 10 minutes per pound. This works for any size of ham although most spiral cut hams that include a bone are sold between 8 and 10 pounds.

- Storing Leftovers - Store leftover ham in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

- Freezing - Slices of spiral ham are great to freeze! Stack slices together before wrapping tightly in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. For the most protection from freezer burn, I also recommend placing the wrapped ham in an airtight ziploc zipper bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight.

- Reheating - The best way to reheat ham so that it doesn't dry out is in short 10-second bursts in the microwave at 50% power. Or you can heat a couple of slices at a time in a hot skillet on the stovetop.

Nutrition