How to Prepare Smoked Hams

Smoked ham makes a great holiday dinner.

Smoked ham makes a festive Christmas or Easter dinner. Since smoked hams are usually fully or partially cooked, preparing them is a simple process. Smoked hams are traditionally sliced and served with a variety of side dishes, such as mashed, baked or scalloped potatoes and fresh cooked vegetables. Smoked ham can also be cut up and included in scalloped potato and other casserole dishes. When preparing a ham for a large holiday dinner party, make sure you choose one large enough to accommodate everyone on your guest list.

Things You'll Need

• Fully cooked or cook-before-eating smoked ham
• Roasting pan
• Aluminum foil
• Glaze and brush (optional)
• Serving tray
• Sharp carving knife

Instructions

1. Line a large roasting pan with aluminum foil to make clean-up easier and more convenient. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for a cook-before-eating smoked ham or 325 degrees for a fully cooked smoked ham.

2. Place the ham into the roasting pan and set the pan into the pre-heated oven. Bake a cook-before-eating smoked ham 18-20 minutes per pound for a 10-14 pound ham and 15-18 minutes per pound for a 14-16 pound ham.

3. Bake a bone-in, 12- to 14-pound fully cooked ham for 15 minutes per pound. Bake a boneless, 6- to 8-pound fully cooked ham for 10 to 12 minutes per pound and a 14- to 16-pound boneless fully cooked ham for 5 to 7 minutes per pound.

4. Brush a glaze onto the top of the ham during the last hour of baking if you wish.

5. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest portion of the ham to check the internal temperature. Make sure a cook-before-eating smoked ham has an internal temperature of 160 degrees and a fully cooked ham has an internal temperature of 140 degrees.

6. Transfer the ham to a large serving tray and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then slice the ham using a sharp carving knife with a thin blade.

References

• Recipe Tips: Ham Cooking Times
• What's Cooking America: How to Cook a Ham