How To Cook A Spiral Ham

Glazed spiral ham with fresh herb and orange slice garnish.

5 from 1 vote

Spiral-slice holiday ham is the easiest main course for Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Ham generally comes pre-cooked and pre-cut, we just need to warm it up in the oven and add a simple homemade glaze.

Prep Time15

Cook Time3

Total Time3 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Spiral Ham

Servings: (See notes about ham per person below)!

Calories: 585kcal

Author: Stacey Adams

Equipment

Roasting pan with rack *or baking dish *see note below
Silicone pastry brush
Meat thermometer
Aluminum foil

Ingredients

1 8-12 pound spiral-sliced ham *See note below

Glaze Ingredients

⅔ cup brown sugar *dark or light
⅓ cup honey dijon mustard *or regular dijon mixed with honey
¼ cup orange juice *or pineapple juice

Optional spices:

Add a tiny sprinkle of cinnamon or ground cloves to your glaze if desired!

Slurry ingredients (for optional gravy):

2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

Recipe notes:

Roasting pan vs. baking dish: A roasting pan with rack will decrease bake time by keeping ham elevated and creating better heat circulation. A regular baking dish takes longer but works fine.

Ham per person? I recommend ¾ pound per person when buying a bone-in ham. 12 people x ¾ pound = 9lb bone-in ham.

Ham: Ham will show up in stores about a month before the holiday. Purchase a bone-in, spiral sliced, fully cooked ham. Packaging will generally specify pre-cooked, but you can ask at the meat counter if unsure!

Oven temp & cook time: Ham packaging will often suggest a temp of 275℉ but I like my oven hotter because the ham cooks faster. Also note: a round shaped ham will take longer than a taller, slim ham.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325℉. (Some ham packaging materials will suggests an oven temp of 275℉, but I've found that 325℉ works better).
Remove packaging from ham and double check the flat side for a bone protector (small plastic disc). If present, remove and discard.
1 8-12 pound spiral-sliced ham
Whisk glaze ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.
⅔ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup honey dijon mustard, ¼ cup orange juice
Place ham in your roasting pan or baking dish. Brush with half of the brown sugar glaze. I like to temporarily lay ham on its side to work glaze between slices!
Arrange ham flat side down, cover tightly with foil and bake 10-20 minutes per pound. I start at 10 minutes per pound, then add more time as needed. Bake time varies greatly depending on ham size and shape (also a roasting pan will cook ham faster than a regular baking dish)!
When a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 130℉, remove from the oven and brush ham with remaining glaze.
Increase oven temp to 400℉. Bake ham an additional 10-15 minutes until it reaches an internal temp of 140℉ and glaze is sticky and caramelized. Watch closing to avoid burning.
Let your ham rest 15-20 minutes then serve! Thankfully a spiral ham is pre-sliced so you don't have to worry about carving or cutting it. Just tear slices away from the bone and enjoy.

Optional Gravy:

If you want to make a simple gravy, pour 2 cups of pan drippings into a small saucepan over medium heat (you can bulk drippings with water or broth if you're short). Whisk corn starch and cold water together and stir cold mixture into the hot drippings. Simmer until thickened!
2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons cold water

Storing leftovers:

Place leftovers in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Refrigerate 3-5 days or freeze 1-2 months. Reheat in the microwave.
I like using my leftovers for ham and bean soup, ham and cheese egg bites or ham fried rice! I also wrap my ham bone in plastic wrap and freeze it for split pea soup.

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