Things You'll Need
Roasting pan
Ovenproof meat thermometer
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. brown sugar
Pastry brush
Ham is the hind leg of a pig and is either raw or cured, which will be indicated on the packaging. Some cured hams still require cooking, which will also be indicated on the packaging. Ham that requires cooking and not simply reheating needs to reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. If the cured ham requires only reheating, it needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Bone-in hams will require slightly longer cooking times than hams without the bone.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Video of the Day
Step 2
Place the ham in a large, shallow roasting pan and cover it with foil. Put it in the preheated oven.
Step 3
Roast a whole, raw or cured bone-in ham for 18 to 20 minutes per lb.. Roast a half, raw or cured, bone-in ham for 22 to 25 minutes per lb.. Roast a whole, bone-in smoked ham for 15 to 18 minutes per lb. and a half, bone-in smoked ham for 18 to 24 minutes per lb.. Roast a whole, fresh ham, bone-in for 22 to 26 minutes per lb. Roast half of a fresh ham, bone-in for 35 to 40 minutes per lb..
Step 4
Stick a meat thermometer in the ham. Remove the ham from the oven once it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees for a raw or cured ham or 165 degrees for a ham that is already cooked.
Step 5
Remove the foil. Cut a crisscross pattern into the fat and brush the ham with a mixture of Dijon mustard and brown sugar. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and roast the ham for an additional 20 minutes.
Step 6
Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting it. Carve thin slices and serve.
Tip
Cooked ham packaged in a USDA-inspected plant needs only to reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also simmer a whole fresh ham to retain its moisture or partially simmer the ham, then bake it to achieve a crispy outside. The ham must reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Cured ham is a deep rose or pink color; fresh ham is pale pink or beige in color.
Video of the Day