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How to Cook a Bone in Ham

Four Parts:Choosing a Bone-in HamPrepping a Bone-in HamRoasting a Bone-in HamCarving a Bone-in HamCommunity Q&A

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
Choosing a Bone-in Ham

  1. 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. 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.
  3. 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. 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. 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
Prepping a Bone-in Ham

  1. 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. 2
    Take the ham roast out of the refrigerator. Unwrap it completely. Discard any juices.
  3. 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.
  4. 4
    Choose a glaze or spice blend. Some hams come with a glaze that you can mix with water.
  5. 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]
  6. 6
    Stud the ham. If you like a traditional flavor and look, stud each of the diamonds with cloves. [2]

Part 3
Roasting a Bone-in Ham

  1. 1
  2. 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]
    • Cook a larger ham for 18 to 22 minutes per lb.
    • Always check the core temperature with a meat thermometer.
  3. 3
    Place the ham roast in a roasting rack. Choose a shallow rack with a sturdy pan to catch drippings.
  4. 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. 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. 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. 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]

Part 4
Carving a Bone-in Ham

  1. 1
    Insert your carving knife in the side of the ham. Cut inward until it reaches the bone.
  2. 2
    Cut in a circular motion around the bottom of the bone. Remove the knife.
  3. 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. 4
    Serve the top slices. Then, cut away the sides of the ham along the fat lines on each side.
  5. 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. 6

Community Q&A

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Things You'll Need

  • Roasting pan
  • Basting brush
  • Glaze
  • Knife (boning or chef’s)
  • Meat thermometer
  • Oven mitts
  • Kitchen timer
  • Aluminum foil
  • Carving knife

Article Info

Categories: Pork

In other languages:

Italiano: Cuocere un Prosciutto con l’Osso, Deutsch: Einen Schinken mit Knochen zubereiten, Português: Preparar Presunto Inteiro com Osso, Español: cocer un jamón con hueso, Русский: приготовить окорок на кости, Français: cuisiner un jambon à l'os

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