How to Cook a Bone in Ham

Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano

Last Updated: December 22, 2022

Roasting a bone-in ham will impress guests on your next special occasion. You can make a homemade sweet or spicy glaze. Cook a bone-in ham slowly, basting or glazing regularly for rich moisture and flavor.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Choosing a Bone-in Ham

1
Determine the size of ham you need. Generally bone-in roasts weigh 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) or more. They can feed a large family on a special occasion.
2
Pick an uncooked ham, if you want to cook it yourself. Most spiral hams or honey-baked hams are pre-cooked, meaning you simply have to warm it up in the oven for 10 minutes per lb. (0.45 kg).
- You may be able to pick between a half-ham roast and a full-ham roast. Cooking times will vary, but preparation is very similar.
- Cook a 1/2 lb. (0.22 kg) of ham for each person you plan to serve. Increase the amount to ensure leftovers.
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3
Make sure the label indicates the ham bone is still in the ham. Most hams in supermarkets are boneless. You may need to inquire with a local butcher or pig seller in the area, if you can’t find an uncooked, bone-in ham at the supermarket.
4
Choose a ham that has had its skin removed, if you want to save preparation time. You can remove the skin yourself at home.
5
Pay attention to the expiration date. If your ham is fresh, it should have a cook-by date that is within a week. A frozen ham may be prepared within a few months.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Prepping a Bone-in Ham

1
Place your ham in the refrigerator, if it is frozen. It will take between 2 and 4 days to defrost completely before you can cook it.
2
Take the ham roast out of the refrigerator. Unwrap it completely. Discard any juices.
3
Excise the skin with a sharp chef’s knife or boning knife. You can cut horizontally, parallel to the meat. Leave some fat on the ham’s surface for flavor.
- Having the right knife is essential to safe and accurate cutting. A chef's knife, with its long blade measuring between 6-14 inches, is ideal. Make sure your knife is freshly cleaned and sharpened.
- It can be handy to also have a boning knife. This knife will enable you to get to the pieces of meat closer to bones and joints that can't otherwise be easily detached using your fingers.
4
Choose a glaze or spice blend. Some hams come with a glaze that you can mix with water.
5
Cut a crisscross design into the surface of the ham. Your diamonds should be 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) deep, cutting through the fat and slightly into the top of the flesh. Scoring will let the glaze seep in and render the fat from the top.
- You can use a clean piece of cardboard to guide the knife along the top like a ruler. ^{[1]
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6
Stud the ham. If you like a traditional flavor and look, stud each of the diamonds with cloves. ^{[2]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Roasting a Bone-in Ham

1
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (149 degrees Celsius).
2
Prepare your ham for cooking early on in the day, when you want to serve it. A 20 lb. (9 kg) ham can take 7 hours to cook, while a 10 lb. (4.5 kg) ham takes between 3 and 4 hours. ^{[3]
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- Cook 10 to 14 lb. (4.5 to 6.4 kg) hams for 22 to 25 minutes per lb. (0.45 kg).
- Cook a larger ham for 18 to 22 minutes per lb.
- Always check the core temperature with a meat thermometer.
3
Place the ham roast in a roasting rack. Choose a shallow rack with a sturdy pan to catch drippings.
4
Put the ham in the oven. Test the ham halfway through the cooking time. When a meat thermometer reaches 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54 degrees Celsius) in the center, you can start to baste or glaze the roast ham.
5
Remove the ham from the oven for a few minutes. Brush your glaze mix onto the surface of the ham. If you are basting the ham with its own juices, use a baster.
- Cover the surface of the ham with pineapple slices for extra flavor.
6
Place the ham back in the oven. Baste or glaze the ham every half an hour. Cover it with aluminum foil if the surface appears too brown or dry.
7
Remove the ham when the central internal temperature reaches 150 degrees Fahrenheit (66 degrees Celsius). Place it on a carving board to rest for 15 minutes and cover it with aluminum foil. ^{[4]
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Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Carving a Bone-in Ham

1
Insert your carving knife in the side of the ham. Ensure the knife is cleaned and sharpened before use. Cut inward until it reaches the bone.
2
Cut in a circular motion around the bottom of the bone. Remove the knife.
3
Slice at a slant from your initial cut into the bone. Cut a 1-inch (2.5 cm) slice of ham from skin surface to the bone. Repeat until the top section of the roast fans out into slices.
4
Serve the top slices. Then, cut away the sides of the ham along the fat lines on each side.
5
Flip the ham over. Carve the slices from top to bone, just as you did on the first side.
- Reserve the bone for soup.
6
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

Should I add water or other liquid to the roasting pan with the ham?

Michele

Top Answerer

This is a recipe for a dry roasting a bone-in ham and there is no need to add any sort of liquid. However, if you want to braise the ham, that's different. Braising is the process by which meats are cooked in a savory liquid that provides a moist cooking environment.
Question

Should I add water or another liquid to the roasting pan with the ham?

Community Answer

It really depends on what you're cooking it with. If you're baking it in an oven, or you're slow cooking it, a simple broth will work just fine.
Question

How long do I bake a 12 lb. bone in ham?

Adele Orr

Top Answerer

A 12 lb. bone-in ham will take approximately 4.5 to 5 hours to cook. Cook until the internal temperature of the ham reaches 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54 degrees Celsius).