A beautifully glazed spiral ham is a must-have centerpiece for many holiday tables. If you’re a big fan of ham, you can cook one up any time of year and slice the meat off to freeze in portions for later. Cooking a spiral ham is a little tricky due to its size. You want an even level of cooking inside near the bone while creating a glazed surface that isn’t too dark or dry.
These tips will help you achieve great results even if you’re cooking a whole ham for the first time. There are a few tools and techniques you’ll want to use for this particular type of ham no matter the cooking method. Start planning now for the next holiday dinner you want to wow your guests by preparing to cook spiral ham.
What Is a Spiral Ham?
Whether you call it a spiral ham or a spiral cut ham, it’s a full-sized and bone-in ham that’s already cooked and smoked. A special slicing machine traces a spiral pattern over the whole ham. This creates an array of thin slices that are easily detached from the bone, making serving much easier.
However, the slices need to stay tightly packed together while cooking so the meat doesn’t dry out. That means you need to take a little extra care when planning your cooking method. Spiral hams are pre-cooked in almost all cases because the uncooked meat doesn’t slice as cleanly. You still need to get the entire ham up to a safe internal temperature before eating, not to mention adding a little color to the surface and setting the glaze if you choose to use one.
Spiral hams tend to cook a little quicker and more evenly than whole cooked hams because of the slicing. Many people find it tricky to get smooth and thin slices off of a whole ham due to the connective tissue and fat marbled in with the meat.
Keep in mind that most spiral cut hams are city hams, or those treated to a quick brine and then smoked. It’s harder to find classic country hams that are cut this way. Country hams are aged much like fine beef, giving them a drier texture and more complex flavor. If you really love country ham, you can find it in a spiral cut with a little searching.
Tips for the Perfect Dish
- Most guests will eat between ½ and 3/4ths of a pound of ham as part of their meal. Use that number to help you choose the right amount of ham. Always go over your guest numbers by around 2 lbs to compensate for the bone weight and any moisture that cooks out.
- Watch out for spiral cut hams with water added. Hams packed in their natural juices or with no added liquid tend to offer the best flavor and texture.
- If you have a choice, choose a ham cut from the shank end of the pig’s leg. This end has more fat and therefore more flavor. Whole hams often weigh more than 15 lbs, making them unwieldy to cook at home. Butt or sirloin end hams are leaner but are a little trickier to carve due to the presence of multiple bones.
- Avoid boneless hams unless you need a quick cooking time. Not only are boneless hams rarely spiral sliced because they’d fall apart, but they tend to include more added water and sodium than their bone-in counterparts.
Glaze Options
Make your own glaze rather than using the one that comes included with most spiral cut hams. Fresh glaze always tastes better and won’t rely on corn syrup or other less-than-healthy ingredients. A basic ham glaze requires nothing more than ¾ cup of dark brown sugar, ¼ cup of honey or maple syrup, ¼ cup of Dijon mustard, ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, and plenty of cracked black pepper to taste. Simmer this glaze for about 10 minutes in a small sauce pot to dissolve the sugar, then baste it on as you cook spiral ham. Tasty variations on this classic spiral ham glaze include:
- An Asian-inspired twist with soy sauce, pineapple juice, and Chinese Five Spice
- Spicy brown mustard, hot sauce, and some crushed red pepper for a spicy take
- Cherry juice and pineapple juice combined with a little brown sugar
- Apricot preserves mixed with Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, and plenty of chili powder.
Methods of Cooking Spiral Ham
Your spiral ham may arrive already fully cooked, but it’s not necessarily safe to eat without thorough heating. It’s also not going to taste very good until you’ve cooked it a little more. If you’re planning to cook some of the ham another way, you can trim off slices before cooking and set that meat aside. However, most people prefer reusing the cooked ham for dishes like ham and cheese sliders or ham casserole.
In the Oven
The oven is the easiest and most reliable way to cook a spiral cut ham. However, it can still dry out your ham if you’re not careful. Use a large roasting pan and place the cut side down on the bottom of the pan. Covering the ham in foil will keep it from drying out or getting too brown, but it also slows down the heating process.
Consider using a 300 degree F oven and leaving the ham uncovered so you can glaze it every 20 minutes. It takes about 12 to 15 minutes per pound to heat the ham to 140 degrees F near the bone. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to ensure you don’t overcook it.
In the Crockpot
The Crockpot keeps the meat juicy and prevents drying while increasing the intensity of the ham flavor. However, you won’t get the crispy edges or thickened glaze you’ll get with oven baking or roasting. It’s best to add the unthickened glaze as the cooking liquid to the Crockpot and rotate the ham as it cooks so all sides get exposed to it
Cook it on low for about 3 to 4 hours, adding another hour for hams over 8 lbs. Keep the Crockpot tightly covered so the moisture isn’t lost over the cooking period.
In the Roaster
If you have a freestanding electric roaster for turkeys and other large cuts of meat, it’s the perfect tool for cooking your spiral cut ham. Add a little chicken broth or other flavorful liquids to the bottom of the roasting pan and use the rack so the ham stays suspended above it. Roast the meat at 325 degrees or a medium heat setting for about 15 minutes per pound.
Keep the roaster covered except when you’re applying layers of glaze. There’s no need to turn or rotate the ham if you start out with it cut side down.
On the Grill
Much like with a roaster, you want your grill around 325 degrees F for a spiral cut ham. You need around 10 to 12 minutes per pound of meat to heat it evenly. The ham should reach at least 140 degrees F with this cooking method before you remove it. Place the ham cut side down directly on the oiled grate, aiming for a position that provides indirect heat.
The ham can get a little tricky to pick up once it is warmed up fully and started to curl. Having a large casserole dish or aluminum pan on hand for the cooked ham helps a lot. Use two sets of meat forks or tongs to lift the ham without dropping it. You can also smoke a spiral ham with our help.
How to Cut a Spiral Ham
Spiral hams are very easy to cut once they’re finished. Simply hold the ham with your hand or a heavy meat fork to secure it. Use a sharp chef’s knife and slice in towards the bone, separating the thin slices of pre-cut meat away from it. Trim a few layers of slices away at a time and then cut deeper. Any meat left around the bone can be trimmed off or saved for making broth.
What to Serve with Spiral Ham
If you’re whipping up a glazed ham for Easter or Thanksgiving, don’t forget the classic side dishes like green bean casserole, stuffing or dressing, and mashed potatoes. If it’s summer instead and you’re grilling up the ham, try mixing it up with corn on the cob, yeast rolls, potato salad, and mac and cheese. Fancy side options include ginger-roasted carrots, creamy cauliflower casserole, and sauteed spinach.
Conclusion
Spiral ham is one of those special meaty treats that you shouldn’t save only for the holidays. It takes a time commitment, but these hams are easy enough to make at home without spending a lot of time in the kitchen or in front of the grill.
Experiment with different glazes to go with the wood used for smoking the ham to make the most of its flavor. You’ll soon become known for your skill at turning out a perfect spiral cut ham that isn’t dry or overcooked.