How to Cook a Spiral Ham

This type of ham is guaranteed to amaze at any special event. These succulent hams are made to be juicy and so easy to slice up and serve. Although they do have a tendency to dry out as you cook them unless you learn how to cook a spiral ham properly.

What Is Spiral Ham?

Spiral hams are the staple of any holiday and are made from the leg of a pig. Usually a spiral ham will be brined and will have already been cooked. A brine, which consists of salted water along with other seasonings, is put into the pig meat giving it its typical flavor which also helps to preserve the ham. They can look daunting because they are so large weighing in at as much as 10 pounds and they can look fairly cumbersome. However, spiral ham is deceivingly easy to make. What you may not already know about this kind of ham is that you in fact do not have to cook it, but you are simply warming it through.

These hams are totally ready to eat straight from the pack, so you can just open the ham up if you want to and serve it cold without cooking. Cold ham is great in sandwiches however it is unlikely that you will be wanting to be serving it to your holiday guests like this. Spiral ham is a precook ham that you can warm up and make it your own by coating it in a moist and tasty glaze.

How To Make Glazed Ham

Besides being a superb option for a holiday meal, spiral ham is likewise one of the simplest dishes you can make for a large family group. As it comes fully cooked all you have to do is add a glaze. You will probably have got a packet of glaze which came with the ham when you bought it. But it takes very little time to prepare a glaze of your own and this can be well worth it to make the best spiral ham. One bowl and a few tasty cupboard staples is all that you will need to make an easy glaze for ham.

Glazed Ham Recipe

Ingredients

• 7-pound spiral-cut ham
• 1 cup water
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

• Preheat your oven. Into a large pan, slice up your lemons and lay them to cover the bottom and pour water over the entire base of the pan. Put your unpackaged spiral ham into the pan cut-side down and cover with foil.
• Bake in the oven on a low slow heat for around 10 minutes per pound of ham to warm it through. You want to go slow so that the outside of the ham does not dry out earlier than the inside of the ham.
• In the meantime, mix the rest of the glaze ingredients together in a pan on the stove and heat through until you have achieved a glossy texture and the sugar has fully melted. Allow the glaze to simmer for up to 10 minutes and the glaze should begin to start to thicken.
• You can allow your glaze to cool until your ham is warmed through. When the ham is almost ready, take it out of the oven and drizzle the glaze over the entire ham and allow to heat for a further 5 minutes. The glaze needs to only be added near the end of the cooking time so that it does not go on to burn. If your ham finishes cooking earlier than you anticipate, take it out of the oven and allow it cool down a little stopping it from continuing to cook.
• Turn the ham over so that the bone is sticking up if it has one so that you can carve around it. Its then ready to serve so eat your ham slices warm.
• Once marginally cooled, cover the spiral ham up with foil and remember not to cut it up until you are ready to serve it.

Cook Spiral Ham In A Crock Pot

Slow cooking is the key to making an easy, tasty and succulent spiral ham.  For a perfectly tender ham that is low maintenance you can use a crock pot and spend very little time worrying about the cooking process. Simple brush the spiral ham with a glaze and add a cup of water and cook for a few hours on a low setting. As the spiral ham is cooked before you start, you are simply reheating the ham and so cooking time takes less as you infuse it with your glaze.

Spiral Ham Side Dishes

Ham is a simple and appetizing main meal, and it is exciting to serve it with complementary side dishes that work great with its strong flavor. Potatoes are an obvious choice and you can have them anyway that you like from mashed to baked they all work with a spiral ham. Or if you are trying to offer a balanced meal then you can eat lighter with some lovely vegetables like asparagus or beans. And obviously you will not want your guests missing out on the biscuits and rolls. Classic sides such as pastas or rice also work as scrumptious sides and will be a family treat. Leftover ham is a great ingredient to use the next day as it is perfect for making delicious sandwiches or if you are feeling inventive you can serve spiral ham up for a hearty breakfast with eggs and grilled tomatoes.

Storing Spiral Ham

The length of time you have to safely store your leftover ham will vary depending on the type you bought. Whole hams will be fine stored in your refrigerator for about a week uncooked. Leftover spiral ham must be stored in your refrigerator in an airtight container and eaten in a couple of days. It is possible to freeze ham in airtight containers and kept in the freezer for about two months.

Sources:

1. How to Cook Spiral Ham – HowStuffWorks
2. Honey Glazed Ham Recipe – Allrecipes