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.
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Remove roasting pan and baste ham with 1/2 of the maple syrup. Return to oven and continue cooking for 15 minutes.
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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.
Can I do a ready to eat smoked ham like this recipe?
Hi Lorna, The cooking instructions here are for an UNCOOKED SMOKED ham that still needs to be cooked in the oven. If you have a fully cooked, ready to eat ham, you could add the maple spice mixture and bake it on high (think 425F or 450F) for just 8 to 10 minutes to caramelize the sugar in the maple syrup and add a nice spice coating. It won’t be as dark though but still very delish!
This ham was so good!! I’ve never had ham taste like this. It was very moist. Thank you!!
Thanks so much Debbi – so glad you loved it!!
I assume you don’t cover the ham when roasting it?
Hi Holly, The details around covering are listed in Step 6. Thanks!
I had my ham smoked at the local butcher when I had my pig processed, should I assume it’s Uncooked as far as figuring out which temperature and length of cooking to use? There isn’t anything on the label except SMOKED HAM (vs FRESH HAM which I also sometimes get).
I’m in the same dilemma. The ham still needs to be cooked. I’m going to follow these suggestions for cooking.
YES! And, that is exactly what this recipe is for – an uncooked smoked ham!
Cooked as directed, except I didn’t have maple syrup so I just basted with the drippings in the pan. Turned out delicious and the crunchy bits on top were my favorite!
That’s awesome Sandy! So glad to hear it 🙂
Do you soak an uncooked ham in water for 24 hrs. To remove salt?
Hi Kelley! No, I don’t.
That is a cottage roll. My mom and grandma would boil and drain them twice before eating to remove salt they said
Fantastic recipe. Came out great!
Thanks!
Should I cover the ham?
Hi Kristine, All of the instructions are listed in the recipe and notes. Hope you loved it!
Hi and thanks. I can’t see where it specifies covering or not in the above directions. I see the aluminum foil in the pics. Am I missing something? Thanks and Merry Christmas.
Hello Gordon, The instructions for covering are listed in Step 6 of the recipe instructions on the recipe card.
My ham weighs 9.91 pounds. How long should I cook it?
Hi Gerry,
This is from the text on my site, “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.”
This was so good that I have to ask you… Are you married?
Ha! Yes, very happily! Glad you loved this recipe and have a great holiday!