Julie Clark
Updated:
How to Cook a Ham in the Oven (Juicy Spiral Ham)
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Wondering how long to cook a ham? A fully cooked spiral ham takes about 10–15 minutes per pound in a 350°F oven, although the exact time depends on the ham. Keep it covered with foil to hold in moisture and use a meat thermometer to check when it’s heated through.
This is how we make our holiday ham with a sweet brown sugar maple glaze. It has orange juice and ginger ale in the roasting pan for tender, juicy slices for Easter, traditional Christmas dinner or Sunday dinner.
Julie’s tip: Check the package before you start. This recipe is for a fully cooked ham, not a fresh ham or one labeled “cook before eating.” And if you love ham, try our honey baked ham and cranberry ham recipes, too.
How Long Do You Cook a Ham in the Oven?
A fully cooked spiral ham generally takes about 10–15 minutes per pound at 350°F. For example, an 8-pound ham may take about 1 hour 20 minutes to 2 hours, while a 10-pound ham may take about 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes.
These times are estimates. The size, shape and type of ham all affect how quickly it heats. Follow the package directions when they differ and check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer.
| Ham Weight | Approximate Oven Time |
|---|---|
| 5 pounds | 50 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes |
| 6 pounds | 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes |
| 7 pounds | 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes |
| 8 pounds | 1 hour 20 minutes to 2 hours |
| 9 pounds | 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes |
| 10 pounds | 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes |
| 12 pounds | 2 to 3 hours |
Times are estimates for reheating a fully cooked spiral ham at 325°F, using a planning range of 10–15 minutes per pound. Some hams need longer. Always follow the package instructions and check the internal temperature.
Ingredients for Oven Baked Ham
You only need a fully cooked ham and a handful of ingredients for the sweet maple glaze.
- Fully cooked spiral sliced ham: I use a bone-in ham that’s approximately 10 pounds. The spiral slices make serving easy, and the bone adds flavor.
- Orange juice: Adds a little citrus flavor to balance the sweetness of the glaze.
- Ginger ale: Goes into the roasting pan with the orange juice, adding liquid and a light ginger flavor.
- Pure maple syrup: Gives the glaze its rich maple flavor.
- Honey and brown sugar: Add sweetness and help the glaze develop a glossy finish.
- Dijon mustard: Balances the sweetness with a little tang.
- Black pepper: Adds a subtle savory flavor.
✨ See the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredients. ✨
What Kind of Ham Is Best for Baking?
For most holiday meals, the easiest and most reliable option is a fully cooked, bone-in spiral ham. It’s already sliced, heats evenly, and stays juicy when baked.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what you’ll see at the store:
- Spiral cut ham (best choice): Pre-sliced and ready to serve. This is the most common option for Easter or Christmas and works perfectly with a glaze.
- Bone-in ham (unsliced): More control over slice thickness and often a little more flavor, but takes more work to carve.
- Boneless ham: Easy to slice, but slightly softer texture since it’s been reshaped during processing.
Shank or butt portion? The shank end is generally easier to carve, while the butt end has more marbling and can be a little harder to slice around the bone.
How Much Ham Do You Need Per Person?
For a bone-in spiral ham, I like to plan on about ¾–1 pound of purchased ham per person, especially for holiday dinners when we want leftovers.
- For 6 people: 5 1/2-6 pound ham.
- For 8 people: 6-8 pounds
- For 10 people: 8-10 pounds
- For 12 people: 10-12 pounds ham.
- For 16 people: 14-16 pound ham.
How Do You Cook a Ham Without Drying It Out?
The secret to juicy oven baked ham is gentle heat, a little liquid in the roasting pan and keeping the ham covered while it warms. Since a fully cooked spiral ham is already cooked, you’re simply reheating it.
Prepare the ham. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Remove the packaging and place the ham cut-side down in a large roasting pan. Pour the orange juice and ginger ale into the pan.
Cover and bake. Cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake according to the ham’s weight, allowing approximately 10–15 minutes per pound as a starting estimate.
Make the glaze. While the ham heats, stir together the maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard and black pepper until combined.
Glaze the ham. During the last 20–30 minutes of baking, remove the foil and brush the glaze over the ham. Return it to the oven uncovered to let the glaze develop a glossy finish. Watch closely so the sugar doesn’t burn.
Check the temperature. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the ham without touching the bone. A fully cooked ham packaged at a USDA-inspected plant should reach 140°F.
Rest and serve. Remove the ham from the oven, loosely cover it with foil and let it rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
How to Cook a Ham in the Oven
Everything you need to know about how to cook a ham for your holiday dinner. Start with a spiralized ham and make a homemade honey ham glaze for a deliciously flavorful tender & juicy ham.
Servings 30
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 10 pound fully cooked spiral sliced bone-in ham (weight is approximate)
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup ginger ale
Ham Glaze
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Remove the fully cooked ham from the refrigerator about 1 hour before baking. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 10 pound fully cooked spiral sliced bone-in ham
- Place the ham cut-side up in a large roasting pan. Pour the orange juice and ginger ale over the ham. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil to hold in moisture. 1 cup orange juice, 1 cup ginger ale
- Bake the ham covered for approximately 10–15 minutes per pound or until it is about 30 minutes away from reaching the recommended internal temperature. For a 10-pound ham, begin checking the temperature after about 1½ hours.
- While the ham bakes, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard and black pepper. Stir until well mixed. ½ cup maple syrup, ½ cup honey, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- During the last 30 minutes of baking, remove the foil and brush the glaze generously over the ham. Return the ham to the oven, uncovered, and baste once more after 15 minutes. If the glaze begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover the ham with foil.
- Continue baking until the thickest part of the ham reaches 140°F on a meat thermometer, without touching the bone. Follow the package directions if they specify otherwise.
- Remove the ham from the oven and loosely cover with foil. Let it rest for 10–15 minutes before serving. Spoon some of the warm pan juices over the slices, if desired.
Video
Notes
If you’d like you can add ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves (1 teaspoon whole cloves) or ginger. I’ve done this occasionally to give the ham a “Christmas” flavor, but most of the time I leave out those two spices.
Nutrition
Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 1808mg | Potassium: 471mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 17IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
How Do You Carve a Spiral Ham?
Spiral ham is already sliced, so most of the work is done for you. Place the ham on a cutting board with the flat side down. Run a sharp knife along the bone to release the slices, then transfer them to a serving platter.
If you’re using an unsliced bone-in ham, cut thin slices across the grain, working around the bone.
What to Serve with Ham
Oven baked ham pairs best with classic, comforting sides. Try one of these: Italian green beans, Mashed potatoes, Dinner rolls and our best carrot cake recipe or Pineapple casserole for dessert.
How to Use the Ham Bone
Once you’re done serving the ham, you can use the leftover bone to make one of these two delicious soups: Ham Bone Soup and Ham and Bean Soup.
Leftover Ham Recipes
Store leftover ham in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–5 days. You can also freeze it in meal-sized portions for 1–2 months for best quality. Try it on one of these recipes:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a ham that isn’t spiral sliced?
Yes! A fully cooked, unsliced bone-in ham works with the same glaze. You’ll need to carve it yourself, and the heating time may differ depending on the size and cut. Follow the package instructions and use a meat thermometer.
Can I cook this ham in a slow cooker?
Yes, if the ham fits comfortably in your slow cooker. You’ll need to adjust the cooking method and timing. See my Crockpot ham recipe for an easy alternative when you need the oven for side dishes.
Absolutely the best ham ever! Have made it a few times and it’s always a hit! Thank you for this recipe!
Best ham recipe! The mixture of the ginger ale and OJ is delish! It gives the ham a fresh taste! Do not skip this step! I didn’t use a spiral ham. I did use a bone in ham and scored it! Basted it as directed and it was sooooo good! Thank you for sharing!
Best Ham EVER! I didn’t make the glaze, but I did put my 11 lb. Ham in my roaster and poured one cup of orange juice and one cup of ginger ale on it and baked at 350 for 3 or 4 hours covered in foil. It was delicious. More/most importantly it was delicious 2 days afterward ad you can microwave to reheat, skillet reheat, however you want to reheat it is great! It’s moist and tasty – I mean delicious. I’m going to do this from now on!
I’ve made this recipe before and it was delicious. My boyfriends mom bought the butt of the ham and I am supposed to cook it. Will this work with the butt of the ham as well?
Omg this looks so DELICIOUS 😋 I’m gonna try it, can this be cooked In the crockpot 🤔 I love cooking in my Crock-Pot it makes meat turn out so tender…..