How to Serve Honey Baked Ham

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 29, 2020 References

Honey Baked Ham is a unique pre-cut and pre-cooked meat sold by The Honey Baked Ham Company, which sells various meats and entrees. Known for its sweet, crunchy glaze, Honey Baked Ham is best served at room temperature, although you can also reheat it with an oven, microwave, or skillet to your liking. Whatever your preference, make sure you know the best heating and storage options so you can get the most out of your ham!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Serving Your Ham at Room Temperature

1
Thaw your shipped ham in the refrigerator for 24 to 36 hours. After receiving your Honey Baked Ham in its shipping cooler, place it in the refrigerator to thaw. After it thaws, you can leave it in the refrigerator for an additional 7 to 10 days prior to serving.^{[1]
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- Discard your ham after 10 days if you still haven't eaten it.
2
Let your thawed honey smoked ham sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. If you're eating your ham straight from the refrigerator, let it sit until it hits room temperature. Remember: this is the way Honey Baked Ham is supposed to be eaten for the most flavor!^{[2]
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- Use a food thermometer to check that your ham's temperature is about 68 to 77 °F (20 to 25 °C).
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3
Separate your pre-sliced ham pieces by cutting along the spiral lines. Gently hold the top of your ham and insert your knife into the center. Now, cut around the bone of the ham along the 3 natural lines that spiral outward from the center. Since the hams are pre-sliced, they should separate easily with a gentle press of the knife.^{[3]
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- Remove each ham piece by holding the bottom with a fork and applying pressure to the top with the flat portion of your knife's tip.
- Remove about ¹⁄₃ to ¹⁄₃ pound (0.15 to 0.15 kg) per person.
4
Cut your ham slices into smaller pieces if you prefer small portions. Start by using your knife to cut around the bone of the ham. Try to keep your knife along the natural muscle lines, which will remove the top portion of your ham slices. After removing the top portion, start making straight cuts down from the bone's base to start releasing the remaining portions of ham below.^{[4]
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- Gently hold the top of the ham with your non-dominant hand as you cut it into pieces.
5
Store your unused Honey Smoked Ham in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. Wrap your extra pieces of ham in aluminum foil and freeze them within 5 days. To serve them again, refrigerate them for 24 to 48 hours to ensure they thaw.^{[5]
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- Honey baked ham will stay fresh for up 2 days after thawing them from the freezer.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Warming Your Ham

1
Thaw your frozen Honey Smoked Ham for 24 to 36 hours. Remove your Honey Baked Ham from its shipping cooler and thaw it in the refrigerator. After 24 to 36 hours, you can either remove it and warm it or keep it there for an additional 7 to 10 days.^{[6]
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- Don't eat your ham if it has been in the refrigerator for more than 10 days.
2
Preheat your oven to 527 °F (275 °C) if you want to use your oven. If you have an electric oven, it should take between 10 to 15 minutes to preheat. For gas ovens, about 5 to 10 minutes should do the trick. Be sure to keep your rack in the middle position.^{[7]
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- Use an oven thermometer for a more accurate measurement of oven temperature.
- Avoid using convection ovens.
3
Warm aluminum-wrapped slices for 10 minutes per 1 pound (0.45 kg) in your oven. Although room temperature is recommended, some people prefer their Honey Baked Ham warm. If this is you, start by removing the Honey Baked Gold Foil from your ham. Afterward, place the ham on a baking sheet and into the oven at 527 °F (275 °C) for 10 minutes or until it's sufficiently warm.^{[8]
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- Put a shallow pan filled with water onto the oven rack below your ham to make it extra juicy.
- Use a meat scale to determine the exact weight of your slices.
- Never reheat your ham in Honey Baked Gold Foil.
4
Fry your Honey Baked Ham for 3 to 4 minutes per side in a skillet on medium-high heat. Turn your stove dial to between 6 to 8, throw your ham slice into a skillet, and wait. For lean slices, use 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of cooking oil. However, if there's enough fat to keep it moist you can skip this step. Once the bottom is slightly browned, flip the ham over with a spatula and fry the other side until it looks the same. Remember that the fat will be a transparent color when it's done cooking.^{[9]
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- Use any cooking oil, such as vegetable, canola, or olive oil.
- Don't overcook your meat or it will become dry and lose its flavor.
- When frying smaller slices, make sure they're in a single layer with no overlap.
- Pat your Honey Baked Ham slices with a paper towel before adding them to the fryer.
5
Microwave your Honey Baked Ham for about 10 minutes. Start by removing the Honey-baked Gold Foil and putting your ham into a microwave-safe dish. Now, place the cover onto the dish loosely and let it warm for 10 minutes or until it's to your liking.^{[10]
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- Flip your ham 1 to 2 minutes and check on its heat.
- Don't overdo the heat!
- Swap your dish cover with a damp paper towel if you don’t have one.
- Never use aluminum foil in the microwave.