5 Mistakes To Avoid When Cooking Easter Ham - UW Provision Company (2024)

04.04.2022•Tips & Tricks

Easter is only a short few weeks away! We suggest celebrating by cooking a delicious Easter ham! Stop by The Meat Market or Local Source Foods to pick up a few hams! Also, make sure to take a look at the list below of the five mistakes to avoid and what to do instead to ensure a delicious ham.

1. Not Cooking Your Ham With Any Liquid

If you don’t add any braising liquid you can risk your ham coming out of the oven completely dry.

Instead: Cook your ham in chicken broth, orange juice, or cider vinegar to avoid your ham coming out dry. You can also add some herbs such as sage to the liquid to add even more flavor to the ham.

2. Scoring Your ham Too Deep

Scoring your ham is an awesome idea! Scoring will help the glaze seep into the ham allowing for maximum flavor. If you end up scoring too deep into the ham you run the risk of drying it out while cooking.

Instead: Make sure to only score into the ham 1/4 of an inch.

3. Not Covering Your Ham

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.

4. Pre-slicing Your Ham

Don’t slice your ham until everyone is ready to eat! If you slice beforehand and put it in the oven to keep warm, the ham can run the risk of drying out.

Instead: Wait until everyone is sitting down and ready to eat, then slice your ham to ensure that it’s hot and flavorful!

5. Cooking Your ham At Too High A Temperature

Because most hams aren’t sold raw, you can cook them at a lower temperature compared to other meats. If you do cook the ham at too high of a temperature you will dry it out.

Instead: Try cooking your ham between 275 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit! The cooking time depends on the weight of the ham, the general rule of thumb is 15 minutes per pound.

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5 Mistakes To Avoid When Cooking Easter Ham - UW Provision Company (2024)

FAQs

5 Mistakes To Avoid When Cooking Easter Ham - UW Provision Company? ›

Baking the ham uncovered

Ham is best reheated low and slow, and heating it uncovered means that the moisture in the ham evaporates, leaving it dry and unappetizing. → Follow this tip: Place the ham cut-side down in a baking pan. Cover the ham with foil or use a baking bag to heat up the ham until it's time to glaze.

Should I cover ham with foil when baking? ›

Baking the ham uncovered

Ham is best reheated low and slow, and heating it uncovered means that the moisture in the ham evaporates, leaving it dry and unappetizing. → Follow this tip: Place the ham cut-side down in a baking pan. Cover the ham with foil or use a baking bag to heat up the ham until it's time to glaze.

Do you cook a ham at 325 or 350? ›

Heat oven to 325ºF. Remove all packaging materials and place ham on its side, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan; cover loosely with aluminum foil. Heat approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound until heated through. Remove ham from oven and let stand, covered, 20 minutes before serving.

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

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the ham on a rack in a large baking pan and add about 1/4- to 1/2 inch of water to the pan. If the ham is labeled "fully cooked" (does not require heating), heat it in the oven for about 10 minutes per pound, or to an internal temperature of 140 F.

What liquid keeps ham moist? ›

You can use water, but if you want to add more flavor, you should use wine or beef, chicken, or vegetable stock. Most of this liquid will cook off, but your tinfoil cover will help your meat absorb those juices.

What makes ham taste better? ›

Peach preserves, hot pepper jelly, and maple syrup work as sweet bases for glazes that add sheen as well as distinct flavor. Tasty additions such as aromatics, herbs, and spices switch up a traditional ham and make it truly memorable.

Do you cook a ham on the side or face down? ›

Tips for Making the Best Baked Ham

Cook it cut-side down: Place the ham cut-side down in your pan to prevent it from drying out while baking. Cover it while cooking: Help the meat retain moisture by covering the ham or pan with aluminum foil before putting it in the oven.

Do you rinse ham before cooking? ›

Whether you are cooking a bone in or boneless ham, pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees. Start by removing the packaging from the ham (and bone guard if you're cooking a bone in ham), and you can rinse the ham before cooking if desired.

What temperature should ham be cooked at? ›

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.

Why does precooked ham have to reach 140? ›

However, if you want to reheat these cooked hams, set the oven no lower than 325 °F and heat to an internal temperature of 140 °F as measured with a food thermometer. Unpackaged, cooked ham is potentially contaminated with pathogens.

How long to cook a 10 lb fully cooked ham? ›

Plan on baking your pre-cooked ham at an oven temperature of 325 degrees Fahrenheit, covered with foil, until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit, as recommended by the USDA. A pre-cooked 10-pound ham, bone-in will need about 2 1/2 hours.

What is the best cooking method for ham? ›

Roast in a 350 degrees F oven until the thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham registers 130 degrees F. Increase the oven temperature during the last 45 minutes of cook time to 375 degrees and glaze several times. The ham is done when it's cooked to 140 degrees F. Rest the ham.

Should I glaze a precooked ham? ›

Since the ham comes from the grocery store pre-cooked, this is an easy extra step that results in major flavor. Plus, it gives it that gorgeous glossy, lacquered look that just screams holiday ham!

How do you enhance a precooked ham? ›

A pre-cooked/smoked ham should be reheated for around 20 minutes per pound at 325 degrees. Every 15-20 minutes, glaze the ham. An optional step is to add a sprinkle of sugar after each glaze to build up even more of a crust, but this is personal preference.

How do you keep pre cooked ham moist? ›

How do I keep ham moist when reheating? I your asking about a ”chunk” or piece of ham, place it in a baking dish with about a 1/4 inch of water, cover with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes at 375.

What makes ham good? ›

Compared with poultry and fish, pork products like ham are higher in iron, thiamine, and other B vitamins. Yet, pork may be lower in some nutrients than other red meats, such as beef (5). Ham also provides all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.

Does soaking ham in water reduce the sodium? ›

To reduce salt in cooked ham, you can try soaking it in cold water for a few hours. Alternatively, you can slice the ham thinly or use it in recipes with other low-sodium ingredients to balance the overall saltiness.

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