The Perfect Ham: Laying It Out For The Oven

how to lay a ham in pan for oven

There are several ways to lay a ham in a pan for the oven, depending on the type of ham and the desired outcome. For example, a bone-in ham should be placed on its side, fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, while a pre-cooked ham should be placed cut-side down. The oven temperature and cooking time will also vary depending on the type of ham and the desired level of doneness. In general, it is recommended to preheat the oven to between 250°F and 350°F and cook the ham for approximately 10 to 20 minutes per pound.

Characteristics and their Values:

Characteristics Values
Oven Temperature 250° F to 350° F
Ham Placement Face down, cut side down, flat side down, or fat side up
Additives Water, juices from packaging, broth, stock
Covering Tightly with foil, loosely with foil, or in a roasting bag
Timing 10-23 minutes per pound, or 4.5-5 hours total
Glaze Brown sugar, sugar, honey, maple syrup, orange juice

cycookery

Preheat the oven to 250° F or 325° F

Preheat your oven to 250° F or 325° F, depending on the type of ham you are cooking. If you are cooking a fully cooked ham, you can preheat your oven to 250° F. Remove the ham from its packaging and place it face down in the roasting pan. If there are juices in the packaging, pour them into the bottom of the pan, along with about a cup of water, to keep the ham moist. Cover the ham tightly with foil, leaving the bottom uncovered so that the juices can run out and steam into the ham. Then, bake the ham according to the instructions on your recipe or packaging.

If you are cooking a ham that is labelled "cook before eating", preheat your oven to no lower than 325° 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. Heat the ham to an internal temperature of at least 145° F. The ham should be cooked for 15 to 20 minutes per pound, depending on its weight. For example, a half ham with the bone weighing 5 to 7 pounds should be cooked at 325° F for 18 to 24 minutes per pound, while a whole ham weighing 10 to 14 pounds should be cooked at the same temperature for 15 to 18 minutes per pound.

If you are making a glazed ham, brush the glaze across the surface of the ham every 10 minutes for the last 35 minutes of roasting. To keep the ham from drying out, you can add water to the bottom of the pan to a depth of about 1/4 inch.

cycookery

Place ham face down in a roasting pan

To place a ham face down in a roasting pan, start by preheating your oven to 250° F. Next, remove the ham from its packaging and place it face down in the pan. If there are any juices in the packaging, pour them into the bottom of the pan—this will help your ham stay moist. You can also add about a cup of water to the pan for similar moisture-retaining effects.

After placing the ham in the pan, cover it tightly with foil, leaving the bottom exposed so that the juices can run out and steam into the ham. Then, bake the ham according to the instructions provided in the recipe or on the packaging. Typically, you'll bake the ham for 12 to 15 minutes per pound, so adjust the baking time based on the weight of your ham.

For example, if you have a 10-pound ham, you'll bake it for approximately 120 minutes or two hours. About 45 minutes before the end of the baking time, prepare the ham glaze by mixing the contents of the glaze packet with water in a small saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil while stirring constantly. Once the glaze is ready, remove the ham from the oven, take off the foil, and apply the glaze generously all over the ham with a basting brush.

The Science of Pan Flute Frequencies

You may want to see also

cycookery

Pour juices and water into the pan

To ensure your ham stays moist while baking in the oven, it is recommended to pour juices and water into the pan. This is an important step to avoid the ham drying out.

Firstly, if your ham comes in a package with juices, pour these into the bottom of the pan. This will add flavour and moisture to the ham as it cooks. If your ham did not come with juices, you can add a little less than a cup of water, or some kind of stock or broth. You could also add wine, or another liquid of your choice, to the bottom of the pan for extra moisture.

The amount of water you add will depend on the size of your roasting pan. You want to add enough water to create a depth of around one inch. This will ensure the ham stays moist without creating a sticky mess of glaze sugars on the bottom of the pan, which can be hard to clean.

Once you have added the juices and water to the pan, cover the ham tightly with foil. Leave the bottom of the ham uncovered so that the juices can run out into the pan, and steam into the ham.

Transmission Pan Gasket Replacement Cost

You may want to see also

cycookery

Cover the ham with foil

Covering the ham with foil is an important step in the cooking process. It helps the ham retain moisture and prevents it from drying out. Before placing the ham in the roasting pan, line it with two pieces of aluminium foil long enough to wrap up and around the ham, ensuring it is completely enclosed. Leave the bottom of the ham uncovered so that the juices can run out into the pan and steam into the ham, keeping it moist.

When reheating a ham in the oven, the exposed cut-side is susceptible to drying out. To prevent this, place the ham with the wide, cut-side facing down. Cover the ham with foil or use a baking bag to heat it until it's time to glaze.

Some recipes suggest basting the ham every 20-30 minutes instead of covering it with foil. However, covering the ham with foil towards the end of the cooking process can help preserve the juices and keep the top from overcooking and drying out.

It is recommended to remove any gold foil that the ham may come wrapped in before baking. This allows the ham to cook evenly and develop a desirable crust. Instead, use your own aluminium foil to cover the ham while it cooks.

cycookery

Bake for 12-15 minutes per pound

The baking time for your ham depends on its weight. As a general rule, bake your ham for 12 to 15 minutes per pound. For example, a 10-pound ham will bake for about two hours or 120 minutes.

Before baking, preheat your oven to 250° F. Remove the ham from its packaging and place it face down in the roasting pan. If there are any juices in the packaging, pour them into the bottom of the pan. You can also add about one cup of water, stock, or broth to the pan to keep the ham moist during baking. Cover the ham tightly with foil, leaving the bottom uncovered so that the juices can run out and into the pan.

After calculating and setting the bake time according to the ham's weight, remove the ham from the oven about 45 minutes before the end of the bake time. Take off the foil and apply the glaze. You can make the glaze by mixing the contents of the ham glaze packet with two tablespoons of water in a small saucepan. Bring the glaze to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Then, remove the glaze from the heat and apply it all over the outside of the ham with a basting brush.

Frequently asked questions

Written by
Reviewed by

Explore related products

Share this post
Print
Did this article help you?

Leave a comment