How Long to Cook Ham - Recipes That Crock! (2024)

FAQs

Is ham better in the crockpot or oven? ›

Not only will it free up space in your oven for all those Easter side dishes, but cooking your ham in the slow cooker allows all the juices to stay in one place so the ham turns out extra moist and flavorful. That's a win-win!

Slow cooker ham is infinitely more tender for a fall-off the bone texture. A low, consistent heat over hours breaks down the collagen and connective tissues, which tenderises the meat. The natural fat slowly renders down, infusing the meat with a more intense, rich flavour.

Cook all raw fresh ham and ready-to-eat ham to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F (62.8 °C) as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming.

The ham cooking instructions below cover all bases, but generally, a half ham will cook in 1½–2¼ hours, while a whole ham could need anywhere from 2½–4½ hours. Allow around 20 minutes per pound for an uncooked half ham; and 18–20 minutes per pound for an uncooked full ham.

Place the ham in a roasting pan and rub it with your choice of seasonings: A mixture of salt, pepper, garlic and herbs always works well. Cover with foil and cook in a 350 F oven for approximately 20 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 F.

Allow 20 minutes per pound when calculating how long to bake a fully cooked ham. For example, if the ham weighs 8 pounds, the cooking time would be 2 hour and 40 minutes. A fully cooked half ham will weigh approximately 3 to 4 pounds. Cooking time for a 3 pound ham would be 1 hour.

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.

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.

A large slow cooker, with its moist environment, is perfect for reheating a fully-cooked ham. As the ham heats up, it releases juices that blend with the glaze, creating a delicious sauce to spoon over the sliced meat.

Cooking Temperature and Time

If the ham is a half ham weighing five to seven pounds, it should heat at 325°F for 22-25 minutes per pound. If it is a whole ham weighing between 10 to 14 pounds, heat the ham at 325°F for 18-20 minutes per pound. The internal temperature should be 140°F.

Does a fully cooked ham have to reach 140? ›

If reheating is desired, hams that were packaged in processing plants under USDA inspection must be heated to 140°F as measured with a food thermometer. Leftover spiral-cut hams or ham that has been repackaged in any other location outside the plant, must be heated to 165°F.

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.

Transfer ham flat side down to the prepared pan. Cover with foil. Bake 2 to 2½ hours or until browned and heated through (140°F). For the last 45 minutes of cooking, uncover and spoon glaze over ham (if you're using a glaze).

You'll find most hams available at the grocery store are smoked and fully cooked, and simply require you to heat them up. Reheat cooked ham in an oven set to 325 degrees F until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F. 10 to 14 lbs. 15 to 18 min/lb.

*Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C/Gas 4). *Place the ham on a rack in a baking pan and add about 1/4 inch of water to the pan. *If the ham is labeled 'fully cooked' (does not require heating), heat for 8 to 10 minutes per pound, or to an internal temperature of 140°F.

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.

1. **Hands-Off Cooking:** One of the primary benefits of a slow cooker is its "set it and forget it" convenience. Once you've added the ingredients to the slow cooker and set the cooking time and temperature, you can leave it unattended while it cooks.

One of the greatest things about slow cooking beef is that it guarantees juicy tenderness. You can use tougher cuts of beef, which are naturally more robust as they come from well-used muscles on the animal, and still find they'll be transformed into juicy morsels that will literally fall off your fork.

Though if you're warming up pre-cooked ham, you can put it in your slow cooker to heat through with just enough water or broth to cover the bottom of the liner. Make sure the ham is kept at a minimum temperature of 140°F for safe consumption.