Cook's hint: To speed things up, you can score and stud the flesh 24 hours ahead of time then cover with the removed skin. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to glaze and cook.
Cooking: As the ham is already cooked, the purpose of glazing is to add your own flavour notes and to caramelise the fat. If your ham is larger or smaller than ours, reduce or increase the cooking time until you are happy with the level of caramelisation.
Buying ham: Many small butchers cure their own hams, which are worth seeking out for their extra flavour. Butchers typically use spiced brines and rely on the nuances of special woods to smoke their hams, thus producing more complex flavours than mass-produced hams, which often have smoke flavour added and can be overly salty. If you intend to purchase your ham from a butcher, make sure to pre-order it. Full legs of ham range in weight from 7.5-9kg. If this is too big for your needs, opt for a half leg - 4.5-6.5kg. With a half leg you can choose either the shank end, which looks attractive, or the shoulder end, which typically has more tender meat. Picnic hams, so named because of their convenient size (4.5-7kg), are derived from shoulder meat. This cut has received bad press because of its association with ultra-processed small goods, however in the right hands it can be turned into a superb ham. Bangalow Sweet Pork picnic hams are particularly good, and have been partially boned for easy carving. A 5kg ham will serve 12 people, a 7kg ham 16, and a 9kg ham about 24.
Storing ham: Rinse a tea towel, piece of calico or old pillowcase in a solution of 2 cups white vinegar and 2 litres water. Wring out then wrap around ham on the bone and refridgerate for up to 2 weeks. Purpose-made calico ham bags are available from kitchen shops. If fridge space is a problem, remove the meat from the bone in large chunks and refrigerate, wrapped in plastic wrap then foil, or freeze for up to 1 month.
FAQs
The glaze should not be applied until the final hour to 30 minutes, in order to avoid burning the sugars. What you're going to do with the glaze ingredients is just combine most of them into a paste, and then apply it to the ham. After that, the heat in your oven will take care of everything.
How do you use the powder glaze packet that comes with the ham? ›
In shallow roasting pan, place ham. In large saucepan, stir together glaze packet contents, 2 cups water and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes or until brown sugar is dissolved.
Do you cover glazed ham with foil? ›
If you don't cover your ham while cooking it will quickly dry out. Instead: Put some aluminum foil over your ham while it's cooking. It is recommended that the ham is covered for at least half of the cooking process and only removed during the last half when you glaze it.
How long to cook a 10 lb fully cooked ham? ›
Plan on baking your pre-cooked ham at an oven temperature of 325 degrees Fahrenheit, covered with foil, until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit, as recommended by the USDA. A pre-cooked 10-pound ham, bone-in will need about 2 1/2 hours.
What is the best way to cook a precooked 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.
What is ham called before it's cooked? ›
Gammons were traditionally cured before being cut from a side of pork along with bacon. When cooked, gammon is ham.
Should I score a ham before cooking? ›
Before cooking, score the skin in a diamond-shaped pattern, but be careful not to cut down into the meat. Scoring helps the fat baste the ham as it cooks, and if a glaze is applied, those cuts allow it to seep into the meat.
Should I remove ham rind before cooking? ›
When it's roasted, you carve off that skin and fat layer and then slice the meat. You can also remove the rind before cooking with a sharp boning knife, or briefly steam it first, as we have in our Root Beer Glazed Ham—it makes the job easier.
How do you get glaze to stick to ham? ›
Basting – As the brown sugar ham glaze cools, it thickens so it sticks better to the ham as you baste during the cook time. Be generous and slather it on thickly – aim to use it all by the end of the cook time.
Do you put glaze on ham before or after cooking? ›
About 20 minutes prior to the end of cooking time, begin glazing the ham but applying it with a silicon brush. Continue to glaze every 5 minutes until the ham is done. The ham is ready when a thermometer reads an internal temperature of 135-140f.
First add water to the container. This may be different from what a lot of people do, but adding water first helps keep you from getting all of those dry clumps stuck in the corners - and will end up with a smoother glaze. You will want to start with a ratio around 9:10 water to glaze.
Can you add glaze to an already cooked ham? ›
Popular glaze ingredients for smoked ham include brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, pineapple juice, Dijon mustard, and cloves, among others. Glazing can be done during the final stages of cooking or reheating the ham, allowing the sugars in the glaze to caramelize and create a tasty, flavorful crust.
How long to heat and glaze a fully cooked ham? ›
Place in a 325-to-350-degree oven, brush with some glaze if desired and bake until heated through and the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees. Again, figure no more than 10 minutes per pound. An 8-pounder will take 1 hour and 20 minutes.
