All of your questions about How to Cook Smoked Ham are answered plus get the recipe for our holiday Smoked Ham with Maple Spice Glaze! Naturally gluten-free and refined sugar-free!
When it comes to cooking a whole smoked ham, there are a lot of options and questions. When I originally posted this maple spiced glazed smoked ham recipe a few years ago, I was just focused on how great it tasted and looked on the holiday table.
After hearing from so many of you with questions, I updated this post to include some of the most commonly asked questions about how to cook a bone-in smoked ham.
Bookmark this for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s or whenever you want to serve a whole ham.
Let’s get to it!
WHAT IS SMOKED HAM?
- A smoked ham is a section of the leg of pork that is cured in a brine and then hung in a smokehouse and smoked over low heat for a long time to add flavor.
- Both fresh ham and cooked ham can be smoked.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE A SMOKED HAM OR FRESH HAM?
- The USDA requires producers to label fresh hams with an instruction to “cook thoroughly” and cooked hams as “ready-to-eat” or “fully cooked”.
- This recipe is for a SMOKED BUT UNCOOKED FRESH HAM!
- If you are buying it at a supermarket, read the package. If you are buying from a butcher or farmer, ask them!
DO YOU HAVE TO COOK A SMOKED HAM?
- If it is a fresh smoked ham, YES. If it is a fully cooked smoked ham, NO, you just need to reheat it.
HOW TO COOK A FRESH SMOKED HAM:
- Preheat the oven to 325F.
- Prepare glaze.
- Use a paring knife to cut diamond marks on the fat cap and stud each diamond with a whole clove.
- Transfer to a roasting pan and roast for the allotted time.
- Baste with glaze and continue cooking until golden.
- Cool, slice and serve!
HOW LONG TO COOK A SMOKED HAM IN THE OVEN?
In this recipe, I used a 6.5-pound bone-in smoked ham and the total cooking time was 2 hours and 15 minutes. Your ham’s cooking time depends on how big the ham is and how your oven performs. Adding 20-25 minutes per additional pound is a good rule of thumb – you’re looking for an internal temperature of 145F.
BEST SIDE DISHES FOR HAM:
This is a mostly hands-off recipe that yields a beautiful and unbelievably tasty ham that is a show stopper for your holiday table! Here are some ideas for what to serve it with:
Holiday Salad with Thyme Balsamic Vinaigrette
Garlic Rubbed Roasted Cabbage Steaks
Cornbread Stuffing with Andouille Sausage
Vegetarian Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Shallots
WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER HAM:
Leftover Ham, Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Green Eggs and Ham (Scrambled Eggs with Ham and Kale) from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Ham and Bean Soup Recipe from Wonky Wonderful
Ham and Split Pea Soup from Culinary Ginger
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
All of your questions about How to Cook a Smoked Ham answered plus get the recipe for our holiday Smoked Ham with Maple Spice Glaze! Naturally gluten-free and refined sugar-free!
- 6 pound smoked, bone-in ham
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoon coconut palm sugar
- handful whole cloves
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
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Remove completely defrosted ham from fridge about 60 minutes prior to cooking.
Mix all ingredients except whole cloves and maple syrup in a dish and use your hands to evenly coat the ham with the spice mix.
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Preheat oven to 325F. Line a large roasting pan with tin foil and set aside.
Place spice covered ham on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to make 1" diagonal slices (about 1/4" deep) into the layer of exposed fat. Repeat in the other direction to make a diamond pattern.
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Place one whole clove in the middle of each diamond.
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Move ham to roasting pan and place in the oven. Bake, undisturbed for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
-
Remove roasting pan and baste ham with 1/2 of the maple syrup. Return to oven and continue cooking for 15 minutes.
-
Remove and raise heat to 450F. Baste ham with remaining maple syrup and return to oven for an additional 15 minutes. If there are any very dark spots that you think may burn, fold a small piece of tin foil into a square and gently cover those spots.
The total cooking time for a 6.5-pound ham was 2 hours and 15 minutes. The first hour and 45 minutes undisturbed, 15 minutes basted at 325F and 15 minutes basted at 450F.
You may need to adjust this slightly based on the size of your ham or how your oven performs.
A good rule of thumb is 20 to 25 minutes per lb or an internal temperature of 145F.
Allow to rest for 15 to 20 minutes, slice and Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.
This Smoked Ham recipe was originally published in April, 2014 and was last updated in March 2019.
Jess says
I want to try this recipe, but I live in a small village in Germany so finding Palm sugar is completely out of the question. Also, customs will not allow it to be shipped into Germany, either. What if anything can I substitute instead?
Alyssa Brantley says
Hi Jess! You could use brown sugar if that is easy to find?
Melissa Richards says
Best darn ham I ever baked! I love the unique flavor of the spice rub combined with the sweetness of the maple syrup. I used brown sugar instead of palm sugar. The ham was from a pasture raised hog and was dry-cured and smoked, so I had a really good start on an excellent ham even before I found this recipe. And I’m so glad I did!
EverydayMaven says
Hi Melissa! Thank you SO MUCH!! You made my day 🙂
Marcy says
Do you cover the ham when in the oven ?
EverydayMaven says
Hi Marcy – I mention that in Step 6 of the instructions — Enjoy!
Ricky says
How much is 2t coconut palm sugar excatly?
Dan says
A little t is a teaspoon! A big T is a tablespoon!
EverydayMaven says
Hi Ricky!
the small “t” is for teaspoon and the large “T” is for Tablespoon.
Denise Mellott says
My question is I have an 18 pound fresh ham that has been smoked and uncooked how long should I cook it and I was going to do it in 7-Up anything I can add to that but I’m going to do it in an electric roaster I need advice. Neecee_1955@yahoo.com
EverydayMaven says
Hey Denise! The instructions I have in this post are for a fresh smoked ham that still needs to be cooked so just follow them and you will be good!
Melissa says
If the ham is already smoked would you cook a shorter time?
Stephanie Reilly says
Looks delicious! Can you cook this ham in a crockpot instead of the oven?
EverydayMaven says
Hi Stephanie,
I wouldn’t recommend it if you want that caramelized crust. The slow cooker is a moist heat environment so nothing gets crispy or caramelized.
Irene M. says
how long in a slow cooker
Odessa says
Hi I’m Odessa I have a half smoked ham
I’ve never cooked a ham before can you help me too get started I m gonna cook it in the morning help me
Alyssa Brantley says
Hi Odessa,
Half smoked as I’m still needs to be cooked? How many pounds is it?
Carmen says
Could I use honey instead of the maple syrup? We are bee keepers and have access to unlimited amounts of honey!
EverydayMaven says
Hi Carmen, I haven’t tried it but it should taste good. I don’t know that it will get that brown caramelized color and flavor though!
Jazdys says
Made it! Our pallets are dancing! Thank you for this delicious recipe 🙂
EverydayMaven says
So glad you loved it!
Kim says
We made this for Christmas dinner this year – DELICIOUS. Just the right amount of sweetness and the spices were delicious. Thank you for this keeper of a recipe!
EverydayMaven says
So glad you and your family loved this Kim!!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 🙂