Tiffany Haney
Placing a ham in a pan is the first step to cooking a delicious ham dish. The process begins with removing all packaging materials from the ham and placing it in a shallow roasting pan, either fat-side up or cut-side down, depending on the recipe. The pan should be filled with a small amount of water, usually about 1/2 inch or 1/2 cup, and then covered tightly with aluminum foil. The ham is then placed in the oven at a temperature between 325-350°F for 10-30 minutes per pound, depending on the desired level of heating.
Placing a ham in a pan
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ham placement | Place the ham fat-side up or cut/flat side down on a rack in a shallow roasting pan |
| Water | Add 1/4 to 1/2 cups of water to the pan |
| Foil | Cover the pan with aluminium foil |
| Oven temperature | Heat the oven to 325°F to 350°F |
| Cooking time | Cook for 10 to 20 minutes per pound until heated through |
| Glazing | Remove the ham from the oven 30 minutes before the end of the heating time. Glaze the ham twice at 15-minute intervals and return to the oven uncovered for 10 minutes |
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What You'll Learn
Place the ham fat-side up in the pan
When preparing a ham, it is important to place it fat-side up in the pan. This will ensure that the meat is juicy and tender, and that the fat crisps up nicely.
Firstly, remove all packaging materials, including any clear 'button' on the bone of the ham. Next, place the ham in a large roasting pan, ensuring that it is fat-side up. If you are using a rack, place the ham cut/flat side down on the rack in the pan.
Add a small amount of water to the pan—roughly 1/2 inch or enough so that it reaches about halfway up the sides of the pan. This will help to prevent the ham from drying out during cooking. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
Heat the oven to 325ºF and cook the ham for approximately 10-15 minutes per pound, or until heated through. For a larger ham (around 13 lbs), you may need to cook it for closer to 18-23 minutes per pound.
Once the ham is cooked to the desired temperature, you can remove it from the oven and let it stand, covered, for about 10 minutes before serving. If you plan to glaze the ham, remove it from the oven about 30 minutes early and apply the glaze, returning it to the oven uncovered to finish cooking and caramelizing the glaze.
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Add water to the pan
Adding water to the pan when cooking ham is a crucial step in ensuring your meat is moist and tender. This technique is especially useful if you are cooking a large ham, as it can help prevent the meat from drying out.
Firstly, you'll want to use a shallow roasting pan. The amount of water you add to the pan will depend on the size of your ham and the depth of your pan. As a general rule, you should add enough water so that it reaches about 1/2 inch up the sides of the pan. This equates to roughly 2 cups of water. However, if you are using a smaller pan, you may only need to add 1/4 cup of water.
The water creates a moist heat cooking environment, which is essential for keeping the ham juicy. Covering the pan tightly with foil will also help to trap the moisture and steam inside, ensuring the ham cooks evenly and doesn't dry out.
For a bone-in ham, place the ham cut-side down on a rack in the shallow roasting pan. If your ham doesn't have a bone, simply place it fat-side up in the pan.
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Cover the pan with foil
Covering the pan with foil is a crucial step in cooking a ham, as it helps retain moisture and prevents the meat from drying out. Here is a detailed guide on how to effectively cover your ham-filled pan with foil:
Firstly, ensure that your ham is placed in the pan with the fat side facing up. This positioning is important as it allows the fat to baste the meat, keeping it moist and flavourful. Adding a small amount of liquid, such as water or wine, to the pan can further enhance moisture levels. Aim for around 1/2 inch of liquid in the pan, enough to provide moisture without submerging the ham.
Now, it's time to prepare the foil. You'll need a sheet of aluminium foil large enough to comfortably wrap around the ham. The foil should be long enough to completely enclose the ham, creating a tent-like structure. Lightly wrap the foil around the ham, ensuring it barely touches or doesn't touch the meat at all. This technique helps seal in moisture without interfering with the cooking process.
Covering the pan with foil is particularly beneficial during the initial stages of cooking. By trapping heat and moisture, the foil helps the ham cook evenly and prevents the top from drying out. However, towards the end of the cooking process, you'll want to remove the foil to promote browning and create a beautifully burnished exterior.
Remember, the exact timing of when to cover and uncover the ham may vary depending on the recipe and your personal preferences. Some recipes recommend keeping the ham covered for most of the cooking time, while others suggest covering it only towards the end. Adjust your timing accordingly to achieve your desired level of doneness and browning.
In summary, covering the pan with foil is an essential step in cooking a ham. It helps retain moisture, prevents drying, and ensures even cooking. By following the steps outlined above, you can effectively cover your ham-filled pan with foil and achieve delicious results.
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Calculate cooking time
The cooking time for a ham depends on its weight, type, and cut. Firstly, you need to determine whether your ham has a bone or is boneless. Next, check whether your ham is pre-cooked, or if the instructions state "cook before eating".
The weight of the ham is the most important factor in determining cooking time. As a general rule, the ham cooking time equals the weight multiplied by the time per unit of weight. For example, it takes between 35 and 40 minutes to cook a pound of boneless shoulder roll of a cook-before-eating smoked ham. This means it takes an average of 37.5 minutes to cook a pound of this particular cut. So, to cook a pound and a half, you would need 1.5 x 37.5 = 56.25 minutes, or about 56 minutes.
The cut of the ham will also influence the cooking time. For example, a 10-lb whole bone-in smoked ham (cooked) will take 15 minutes, whereas a 10-lb boneless whole leg will take 24 minutes to cook. A 2-pound ham that's smoked, cooked, and spiral-cut requires 10-18 minutes per pound to cook, which means it will take approximately 62 minutes to cook.
It's worth noting that most hams sold are pre-cooked and can be served cold. When warming a pre-cooked smoked ham, it's recommended to bake at 325 °F (160 °C) to an internal temperature of 145 °F (63 °C). For food safety, uncooked hams need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 °F, while pre-cooked hams need to be heated to 140 °F.
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Glaze the ham
Glazing a ham is an easy process that can elevate your dish to the next level. The glaze adds a sticky, sweet, shiny, and gleaming finish to your ham, making it the showpiece of the table.
The first step in glazing a ham is to make the glaze itself. A simple glaze can be made by mixing honey, brown sugar, and orange juice. You can also add a little bit of lemon juice to tone down the sweetness. Alternatively, you can use store-bought glaze. The glaze can be heated on a stovetop to thicken it and allow the flavors to blend.
Once your glaze is ready, you can start glazing the ham. About 20 minutes before the ham is done cooking, start applying the glaze to the ham. Use a silicon brush to apply the glaze to the surface of the ham and in between the slices. Glaze the ham every 5 minutes until the ham is done.
It is important to note that the glaze has a very high sugar content and can burn easily. Therefore, it is recommended to glaze the ham towards the end of the cooking process.
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Frequently asked questions
You should use a shallow roasting pan.
The flat or cut side should face down. However, if you are cooking the ham fat-side up, this should face upwards in the pan.
You should add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water to the pan. This helps to prevent the ham from drying out.
Yes, cover the pan with aluminium foil.
For the majority of the cooking time, the oven should be heated to 325°F. However, during the last 30 minutes, you should crank up the heat to 425°F.
