This post will teach you How To Cook a Spiral Ham and share practical tips to prevent it from drying out. Because spiral ham is pre-cooked, you only need to warm it and add a glaze (homemade or store-bought). It’s simple and reliable.
Spiral-sliced ham is a favorite for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, but it’s delicious any time of year and pairs well with classic sides.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How Much Ham per Person?
- How to Cook a Spiral Ham in the Oven
- How To Cut
- Recipe Serving Suggestions
- Expert Tips & Variations
- How To Cook in the Crock Pot
- How To Cook in the Roaster
- Recipe FAQs
- More Main Dish Recipes
- How To Cook a Spiral Ham Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy: The ham is already sliced and cooked—just heat and glaze.
- Glaze options: Use a simple homemade honey or brown sugar glaze, or the packet that may come with the ham. You can also serve it without glaze.
- Great for feeding a crowd: Spiral hams are an effortless main that work well for holidays and gatherings.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ham: Most spiral-sliced hams are bone-in and pre-cooked. Confirm the ham is fully cooked. Bone-in hams generally retain more moisture, but boneless will work if preferred.
Complete ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card below.
How Much Ham per Person?
Plan about 1/2 to 2/3 pound per person for a bone-in ham. For boneless ham, aim for 1/3 to 1/2 pound per person. Choose the lower end for smaller appetites or more kids, and the higher end for hearty eaters.
How to Cook a Spiral Ham in the Oven
Quick Overview
- Remove packaging and any netting.
- Place ham in a pan with a bit of liquid.
- Bake covered at low temperature to retain moisture.
- Increase heat, remove foil, glaze and baste to finish.
- Rest before serving and garnish as desired.
Step by Step Instructions
Be sure to remove the plastic disk over the bone.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Remove the ham from the refrigerator and cut off any netting.
Step 2: Unwrap the outer plastic wrap layer and set it aside.
Step 3: Pour 1/2 cup chicken broth or water into a large baking dish or roasting pan. Use a rack if you have one.
Step 4: Remove the final vacuum-sealed plastic layer and discard it.
Step 5: Remove any plastic disk that may be covering the bone on the cut side.
Step 6: Place the ham cut side down in the prepared pan.
Baste 3–4 times during the finishing bake for the best flavor.
Step 7: Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
Step 8: Bake at 300°F for 10 minutes per pound to gently heat the ham through.
Step 9: Remove the ham from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C), and take off the foil.
Step 10: Brush glaze over the top of the ham, working between slices if possible.
Step 11: Return the ham to the oven and bake uncovered for 30–45 minutes, basting with glaze 3–4 times so the sugars caramelize.
Step 12: Remove from the oven and let the ham rest for 10–15 minutes. Garnish with rosemary, orange slices, or cranberries if desired, then serve.
How To Cut
Cutting a spiral-sliced ham is simple: use a sharp knife to cut around the bone and serve the pre-sliced pieces with tongs. The slices should pull away easily.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
This ham pairs well with a variety of classic sides such as scalloped potatoes, green beans, mac and cheese, roasted Brussels sprouts, and stuffing. Leftovers are excellent for sandwiches or sliders.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Start covered: Baking covered traps moisture so the ham stays juicy.
- Use a thermometer: Heat the ham to about 140°F (60°C). Since it’s already cooked, overheating leads to dryness.
- Glaze and baste: A glaze (homemade or packet) caramelizes and enhances flavor. Baste several times during the final bake for the best coating.
- Finish uncovered: Removing the foil and increasing the heat allows the glaze to brown and develop a nice crust.
- Storing leftovers: Refrigerate sliced ham in an airtight container for 2–3 days.
How To Cook in the Crock Pot
If oven space is limited, heat the ham in a slow cooker. Place 1/2 cup broth or water in the cooker, set the ham cut side down in the liquid, and cook on low for 4–5 hours. If using a glaze, begin basting around the 2–2.5 hour mark and finish under a higher heat or briefly in the oven to caramelize the glaze.
How To Cook in the Roaster
Wrap the ham in foil and place it on the roaster rack with about 1/2 cup of water in the bottom to create steam. Follow the same temperatures and times as the oven method. Remove the foil before glazing and use the roaster’s higher heat setting to finish and caramelize the glaze.
Recipe FAQs
Don’t overheat it. Since most spiral hams are pre-cooked, warm them to about 140°F and start baking covered to retain moisture. Bone-in hams usually stay juicier than boneless.
Bake covered at 300°F for about 10 minutes per pound, then finish uncovered at 425°F for 30–45 minutes while basting with glaze.
Yes. Covering at the start helps prevent drying and keeps the ham moist.
Add a small amount of water or broth to the bottom of the pan so the ham doesn’t stick and so extra moisture helps keep it tender.
More Main Dish Recipes
Main
Best Grilled Hamburger Recipe
Fish
Asian Salmon Burger Recipe with Spicy Mayo
Chicken
Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs (Baked & Crispy)
Pasta
Baked Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce
If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or comment — feedback is appreciated.
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How To Cook a Spiral Ham
Equipment
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Meat Thermometer
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9 x 13 Baking Dish or Large Roasting Pan
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Basting Brush
Ingredients
- 1 (8–10 pound) pre-cooked spiral-sliced ham*
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or water
- 1 recipe Homemade Honey Glaze or store-bought packet (optional)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 300°F. Remove netting from the ham.
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Unwrap the outer plastic and set it aside.
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Pour broth or water into a large baking dish or roasting pan and place a rack inside if available.
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Remove the vacuum-sealed plastic layer and any plastic disk over the bone.
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Place the ham cut side down in the pan, cover tightly with foil, and bake 10 minutes per pound at 300°F.
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Remove the ham, increase the oven to 425°F, remove the foil, and brush the glaze over the top and between slices.
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Bake uncovered for 30–45 minutes, basting 3–4 times, until the glaze is caramelized. Rest 10–15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Ham: Most spiral-sliced hams are bone-in and pre-cooked. Bone-in tends to stay more moist, though boneless is fine.
- Start covered: Baking covered helps retain moisture.
- Use a thermometer: Aim for an internal temperature of about 140°F to avoid overcooking.
- Glaze and baste: Whether store-bought or homemade, glaze adds flavor and caramelizes on the surface. Baste 3–4 times during finishing for the best results.
- Finish uncovered: Remove foil and increase heat so the glaze can brown and develop a crust.
- Store leftovers: Keep sliced ham in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.