Trying to figure out how long to bake your ham in the oven? You don’t have to do anything other than enter the weight of your ham below. Our calculator will provide a breakdown of the types of hams as well as their cooking times. It will even give you an idea of how many servings per person based on the weight of your ham.
The calculator will provide the different cooking times for each variety of ham, this includes smoked ham that is already fully cooked or should be cooked before eating, spiral hams, and fresh uncooked uncured hams.
Basic Guidelines For Cooking Ham
Recipes varying regarding the correct temperature at which to cook a ham. The US Department of Agriculture recommends that ham be cooked in an oven at 325 degrees until its internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. The minutes to cook per pound depends on the type of ham being cooked. Our calculator will offer cooking times for each variety of ham.
Varieties of Ham
The primary difference is the type of curing process and whether the ham is either ready to eat or not. Your product label should tell you what type of ham you have purchased.
SMOKED HAM, cook-before-eating
A cook-before-eating ham has been smoked and wet brine cured but has not yet been cooked. It has been injected with a brine solution to kill some foodborne pathogens, but must be fully cooked until it reaches the optimal temperature.
SMOKED HAM, cooked
A cooked ham has been smoked, wet brine cured as well as fully cooked. These types of hams are considered “ready to eat”, and include spiral hams. These types of hams are generally just reheated until they reach 145 degrees internal temperature.
FRESH HAM, uncooked
A fresh ham has not been cured nor cooked and must be thoroughly cooked in order to kill foodborne pathogens commonly found in pork products.
COUNTRY HAM, uncooked
A country ham is a ham that has been smoked and dry-rub salt cured for 3 to 12 months, possibly even longer. The curing process draws out moisture, as much as 20%, and reduces (but does not eliminate) pathogens. It is safe to store at room temperature. They are typically soaked for 4-12 hours in the refrigerator prior to cooking and are generally boiled or baked in a dutch oven to prevent further moisture loss.
Tips For Baking Ham
We’ve also included some useful tips for baking your ham.
- Keep the top and sides of your ham fully covered (with a lid, aluminum foil, etc) to prevent moisture from escaping.
- Bake a ham fat-side up. The fat will act like a barrier, preventing moisture from escaping.
- Skip the basting. Add one cup of water (or wine or stock) to the bottom of your pan so that your covered ham will get a “steam bath” during the cooking process. Replenish the water as needed.
- If you love the look of a scored ham, wait until near the end of the cooking process to score it. All those cuts will speed up moisture loss.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Knowing when the temperature is perfect also prevents you from overcooking (and drying out) your ham.
If you are looking for how many pounds of ham you will need for your gathering, check out our Meat Per Person Calculator
