If you are preparing for Christmas, a huge gathering, or a holiday dinner night, serving a delicious ham can make your day. You can either bake your ham in the oven or you can cook it in the slow cooker. The main thing about cooking a ham is its cooking timing. People often make mistakes of not knowing the exact cooking.
If you are one of them and want to know how long to cook a ham in the oven or in the crockpot, we are here to explain our traditional method of cooking a ham.
Table of Contents
How Long to Cook/Bake Ham in Oven?
If you are cooking a ham in the oven, you have to preheat the oven to 325°F. Remove the plastic disc from the bone. Place the ham in a roasting pan flat side down, and cover tightly with foil. Roast for about 12-15 mins. per pound or according to the direction of the package.
Combine glaze ingredients in a saucepan and bring it to boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 2-3 mins. Turn up the heat for 15 mins. before ham is done and increase the temperature to 425°F. Brush with glaze and return to oven until glaze is caramelized. Make sure to check the internal temperature of the ham using an instant meat thermometer which should read 140°F.
How Long to Cook 3 lb Ham in the Oven?
If you are cooking a 3lb ham in the oven, it will take about 35-45 mins. to cook properly.
How Long to Cook Ham in Crock Pot/Slow Cooker?
Take a large bowl and mix maple syrup, pineapple juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, mustard, cloves, and brown sugar. Pour the half mixture into a slow cooker along with the ham cut-side down. Pour the remaining sauce over the ham. Cover and cook the ham for about 3-4 hours on a low heat setting or until the internal temperature of the ham reaches between 135ºF to 140ºF. The cooking time may vary due to the size of the ham.
When it’s done, transfer it to the cutting board and cover it with foil. Let it rest for about 15 mins. Now, take a saute pan and add the liquid of the slow cooker into it. Cover over medium-high heat until the sauce bubbles. Stir occasionally until it reduces to 1 cup and make sure the liquid doesn’t stick to the surface of the pan.
Brush the glaze all around the ham and let it sit for about 5 min. then brush the 2nd layer. Slice the ham into 1/4 inch thick slices and serve.
Tips to Cook Ham in Crock Pot:
- Make sure you have tightly closed the lid of your slow cooker.
- When it’s done cooking in the crock pot and you want some oven-baked effect, brush the entire ham with thickened glaze. After that pop, it under the broiler for about 5 mins. before serving.
- You can carve your ham easily by putting it on a cutting board, flat side down. Then slice against the grain for the most tender slices.
- We know that maple syrup is costly enough to buy, you can use maple-flavored corn syrup that delivers the exact same taste.
FAQ:
How do you keep ham from drying out in Crock-Pot?
You can add some pineapple juice, broth to create a steamy surrounding in the slow cooker so that the ham remains moist and tender.
How can I reheat precooked ham slices in crock pot?
You can add some liquid to create steam to quickly warm the carved slices of ham. You can add either water or more flavorful liquid like broth, pineapple juice. Let it cook for about 1-2 hours on low heat setting.
How long can you freeze cooked ham?
You can freeze cooked ham for about 2 months if you wrapped it properly.
Should you cover the ham when you bake it?
Yes, it's good to cover the ham with foil to keep it moist. When bake the ham uncovered, water evaporates and ham becomes dry.
How to store cooked ham in the refrigerator?
Cooked ham can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Don't store warm ham in the refrigerator, first allow it to cool then wrap with plastic and place in the refrigerator.
