This Genius Hack Will Keep Your Holiday Ham from Drying Out (2024)

FAQs

How to prevent a ham from drying out? ›

First, before placing the ham in the oven, wrap the top of the pan with aluminum foil. This helps to retain the moisture that you added as well because the juices won't escape while baking, keeping the area where your ham is cooking moist.

Cover top of ham with loosely wrapped aluminum foil to keep moisture in.

Arrange slices in a single layer on a greased baking pan. Add a couple of tablespoons of broth or water and cover with foil. Bake for about 10 minutes or until heated through, turning slices once.

Cover it in Foil

The foil traps steam and keeps the meat moist. You don't have to wrap the aluminum foil tightly around the ham because you'll want to be able to check on it later. Instead, simply cover the ham with the foil, tucking it under the lip of the roasting pan.

To cook a spiral ham without it drying out make sure you use a meat thermometer to reach 140°F and do not overcook it. I usually remove it around 135°F and keep an eye on the thermometer to ensure it reaches 140°F. How long to cook a Spiral Ham will depend on the size but allot for 12-15 minutes per pound at 325°F.

Baking the ham uncovered

Ham is best reheated low and slow, and heating it uncovered means that the moisture in the ham evaporates, leaving it dry and unappetizing. → Follow this tip: Place the ham cut-side down in a baking pan. Cover the ham with foil or use a baking bag to heat up the ham until it's time to glaze.

Naturally smoked hams usually have less water-weight and better flavour, so look for one that has a dark colour on the rind and is naturally smoked. Choose one with a good layer of fat of you are going to glaze, as that's where the flavour melts in. Keep the rind to help store your ham and stop it drying out.

To keep the ham moist, cover it in foil for part of the reheating and/or add some liquid, such as broth apple cider, or a mix, to the pan and baste the ham while it cooks. Consider sweeter woods when double-smoking a ham.

Preheat the oven to 350 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. If the ham is labeled "fully cooked" (does not require heating), heat it in the oven for about 10 minutes per pound, or to an internal temperature of 140 F.

Instead, reheat food on a lower heat (around 200-250 degrees) and add a dash of oil or butter to keep the meat moist. This method normally takes 10-15 minutes.

How to reheat a spiral ham without drying it out? ›

A spiral ham is already cooked, you just need to warm it up. Put the oven on 225 degrees, put the ham in a roasting pan with an inch of water and over it tightly with foil. Leave it for two hours and it'll be ready to serve.

Reheat – Take the ham out of the fridge 2 hours prior. Cover loosely with baking/parchment paper then loosely with foil. Reheat in a 130°C oven for 2 hours or until the centre of the ham registers 60°C/140°F (or a skewer inserted into the middle is hot).

Let it sit before baking: Let the ham come to room temperature before cooking to ensure juicer, more evenly cooked meat. Cook it cut-side down: Place the ham cut-side down in your pan to prevent it from drying out while baking.

Bake in a preheated 325F oven for 10-14 minutes per pound, or until a meat thermometer registers 135F. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. If the ham came with extra glaze, follow the package directions for adding it and cooking the glaze.

Fully Cooked, or Ready-To-Eat

Set your oven too high and you'll end up with a dry, flavorless ham. Under roast it and you will not have unleashed the hidden flavors, and sufficiently caramelized the glaze.

Bake the ham in the preheated oven, uncovered, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 140°F, basting every 30 minutes with 1/2 cup of the glaze. Be sure to keep an eye on the ham, and cover it loosely with foil if it starts getting too dark.

Drape the paper or foil over your meat, then stick it in the oven for the required time. As your meat cooks, the covering will help it retain more of its own juices. This is also known as “dry-poaching.”