Are you wondering how to cook a spiral ham? This easy Spiral-Cut Ham Recipe is baked with a sweet and tangy glaze Yum!
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What is a Spiral Ham?
A Spiral Ham has been precut in one continuous motion around the ham. They’re usually precooked (but you should always check the package to be sure). Most spiral hams are around 10 pounds.
How Long to Cook a Spiral Ham
A Spiral ham should be cooked low and slow. I like to do 350°F for about 20 minutes per pound. Spiral Ham is fully cooked and safe to eat at 140°F.
I typically take my ham out at 130-135°F and allow it to rest (covered) for at least 15 minutes (up to 30 minutes). This gives you time to prepare your other sides and dishes and prevents your ham from drying out.
If you’re going to put a glaze on your spiral ham, add it for the last 20ish minutes of cooking.
Ingredients, Substitutions, & Budget
This total recipe costs $14.63 to make. It makes 20 servings which works out to $0.74 per serving.
Your grocery costs are probably different than mine. Location, shopping habits, seasonal availability, and other things can all have a major impact on the cost of food. Find out how I calculate what a recipe costs.
Spiral-Cut Ham Recipe Ingredients
There are 4 ingredients in this dish.
Spiral-cut Ham ($14.00)
This is the only ingredient you really need for this recipe. A spiral-cut ham.
I like to buy one a couple of weeks after Easter/Thanksgiving/Christmas because they’re usually on sale for dirt cheap as grocery stores try to get rid of the leftovers. But even at regular price, they’re inexpensive.
Glaze Ingredients ($0.63)
- Brown Sugar ($0.29): you can substitute with maple syrup, honey, or the sweetener of your choice. How much will depend on the sweetener (and your tastes).
- Orange Juice ($0.15): you can substitute pineapple juice
- Mustard ($0.19): whatever mustard you enjoy is the right mustard. Dijon is a popular choice. Personally, I use half hot mustard and half whole-grain mustard.
How Can You Reduce the Cost?
Every time I buy a spiral-cut ham it comes with a package of glaze. I usually just throw it away (because they’re always too something: too sweet, too bland, not too good). So you could save some money by using that glaze or not glazing at all.
Equipment & Plating/Glassware
What equipment do you need to cook a spiral-cut ham? Not very much.
Roasting Pan
Your ham is going to release a lot of liquid while it cooks so you’re going to want to cook it in something with depth. A roasting pan or a dutch oven is perfect.
Meat Thermometer
Food safety is important. Be sure that your ham reaches 140°F before eating.
I have a meat thermometer that you stick into the meat before you put it in the oven and it checks the temperature constantly while cooking and lets you know when it’s ready. I’d highly recommend this style.
Small Tools
To make this recipe, you’re going to want the following small tools:
- Butcher’s Knife
- Mixing Cups & Spoons
- Small Bowl
What to Eat it with
Ham is a pretty salty dish so you’re probably best to serve it with things that will help temper that saltiness. Try serving it with one (or more) of these:
Got Leftovers?
Eat them! Either reheat them and eat them as is or repurpose your leftovers into a completely new meal.
- Reheat: leftover ham can be reheated in the microwave, oven, or on the stove.
- Refrigerate: you can store leftover ham in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze extra ham for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool completely and store in an airtight container.
Note: I like to store some of my ham diced and some sliced for easy defrost and use in the future. - Repurpose: Use your leftover spiral ham in a different recipe. Insanely Good Recipes has 31 Recipes for Leftover Ham. Try one (or all of them).
Easy Baked Spiral Ham with Glaze
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Spiral Ham ($14.00)
Glaze
- ⅔ cup Brown Sugar ($0.29)
- ¼ cup Orange Juice ($0.15)
- 2 tbsp Mustard ($0.19)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Remove all packaging from ham.Note: some hams will have a little piece of plastic on the bone, be sure to remove this!
- Place ham, cut side down, in a roasting pan.
- Bake for about 20 minutes per pound until ham is 135°F.Note: if you're not going to rest your ham, cook until 140°F.
- Make Glaze: mix together brown sugar (2/3 cup), orange juice (1/4 cup) and dijon mustard (2 tbsp).
- With 20 minutes of cook time left, spread glaze on ham.
- Once the ham has reached 135°F, remove from the oven. Cover and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes.Note: the ham will continue cooking while resting. It should reach 140°F before eating.
- Slice ham around the bone, serve, and (most importantly) enjoy!
- Optional: use the ham juices to make a ham gravy. Or, just spoon some of those juices right on the ham before serving. Delish!
Enjoy Your Ham!
Did you make this Spiral-Cut Ham Recipe? How did it turn out? What did you serve it with? What did you do with your leftovers? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Until next time. Xoxo