Hot Pot Ham: Cooking Spiral Boneless Ham In A Hot Pot

Spiral ham is a popular dish for special occasions and holidays. It's a simple dish to make and can be cooked in an oven, slow cooker, or on a grill. The key to a juicy spiral ham is ensuring it doesn't dry out during cooking, so it's important to cover the ham with foil or glaze it with a mixture of honey, juice, brown sugar, or mustard.

How to cook a spiral ham in the oven

Preparation

Remove the ham from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for an hour. Preheat your oven to 325°F–350°F. Unwrap the ham and place it in a shallow roasting pan, cut side down. If your ham has a small plastic disk on the underside of the bone, remove and discard it. Cover the ham with foil.

Cooking

Bake the covered ham for 12–15 minutes per pound, or until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140°F. If you are adding a glaze, do so during the last 20–30 minutes of cooking. Brush the glaze onto the ham and leave it uncovered for the remainder of the cooking time.

Resting

Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. Spoon the juices over the ham before serving, if desired.

Tips

• If cooking covered with foil, remove the foil once the glaze is added.
• The shape of your ham can affect cooking time. A larger, rounder ham may need extra cooking time compared to a flatter-shaped ham.
• If your ham is done early, remove it from the oven and let it cool so it doesn't keep cooking.
• To prevent your ham from drying out, add water to the bottom of your roasting pan, place the ham on a baking rack above the water, and cover it with foil.
• To get caramelized edges, uncover your ham in the last 30 minutes of cooking.

How to cook a spiral ham in a slow cooker

Ingredients

• 7-8 lb spiral-sliced ham
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
• 1 cup pineapple juice

Method

• Unwrap the ham and place it flat side down in a large slow cooker.
• Throw away the glaze packet and any plastic pieces that cover the bone.
• Rub brown sugar over the sides of the ham.
• Pour maple syrup and pineapple juice over the ham.
• Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
• Baste the ham with the juices from the bottom of the slow cooker occasionally while it is cooking and right before serving.

Tips

• If your ham doesn't fit in the slow cooker, cover it with foil to keep the heat in and then place the lid on top.
• To ensure the ham is heated thoroughly, use a meat thermometer. It should read around 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
• If you prefer a thicker glaze, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch and 2-3 tablespoons of water together and pour into the ham juice.

How to glaze a spiral ham

Spiral hams are a popular dish for Easter and Christmas, but they can be enjoyed all year round. Spiral hams come pre-cooked, so you only need to heat them through and add a glaze. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to glaze a spiral ham.

Firstly, preheat your oven to 325°F-350°F. Remove the ham from its packaging and discard any glaze packets or plastic pieces that cover the bone. Place the ham in a shallow roasting pan, cut side down. Cover the ham with foil and place in the oven.

Cooking Time:

For a 7-10lb ham, cook for 12-15 minutes per pound or until the ham reaches 140°F. This should take around 1 1/2 to 2 hours. If you are cooking a larger ham, it may need a little extra time.

Adding the Glaze:

For the glaze, you can either use a store-bought packet or make your own. To make a simple homemade glaze, combine 2/3 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of juice (orange or pineapple work well), and 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard with your choice of warm spices.

Around 20 minutes before the ham is done, remove it from the oven and brush the glaze onto the ham. Leave the ham uncovered and return it to the oven to finish cooking.

If you want your ham to have a sticky glaze, turn the oven up or put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes.

Once the ham is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving and serving.

Tips:

• If you want to avoid drying out the ham, add water to the bottom of the roasting pan and place the ham on a rack above the water.
• Uncover the ham in the last 20-30 minutes of cooking to get caramelized edges.
• You can also cook the ham in a slow cooker on a low setting for 3-4 hours. Baste the ham with the juices from the bottom of the slow cooker occasionally while it cooks and before serving.

How to cut a spiral ham

Spiral hams are typically between 8 and 11 pounds and already come pre-cooked, so you just need to heat them through. Spiral hams are made by one continuous cut from one end to the other and come apart very easily whether they are served cold or warm.

To cut a spiral ham, first, turn the ham onto its bottom and cut around the bone. The ham on the outside will fall away in slices. There are natural breaks in the ham, generally where a line of fat is, so cut through those. Then, lay the pieces out on a platter for serving.

A typical serving is about 6 ounces per person, so an 8-pound ham will yield about 20 servings.

How to serve spiral ham

Spiral ham is a popular dish for Easter and Christmas dinner, but it can be enjoyed year-round. Spiral hams are typically between 8 and 11 pounds and come fully cooked, so you just need to heat and serve! Here is a guide on how to serve spiral ham:

Heating the Ham

Spiral ham is easy to prepare as it is already cooked, so you just need to heat it through. The best way to do this is on a low temperature so the outside doesn't dry out before the inside is heated. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Place the ham in a shallow roasting pan, cut side down, and cover with foil. Bake for 12-15 minutes per pound or until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140°F. If you are adding a glaze, do so in the last 20 minutes of cooking and leave the ham uncovered for the glaze to caramelize.

Carving the Ham

Carving a spiral ham is quite simple. First, turn the ham on its bottom and find the bone. Using a large knife, cut around the entire bone. Then, find the natural breaks in the ham, usually where there is a line of fat, and cut through these. Lay the pieces out on a platter for serving.

Serving the Ham

Spiral ham goes well with classic potato side dishes such as garlic smashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, or mashed potato casserole. You can also serve it with garlic-Parmesan roasted carrots, fluffy potato rolls, cheesy baked asparagus, or a spring Cobb salad. If you have leftovers, try using them in a croque madame, crescent rolls, or your next batch of scalloped potatoes and ham.

Frequently asked questions