Learn how to cook a precooked ham (also called heating or reheating, since it's already fully cooked) with this simple recipe! Whether you are looking for a quick weeknight dinner or an impressive holiday ham, this recipe will turn a boring pre-cooked ham into a tender and juicy centerpiece topped with a delicious pineapple glaze!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
Most hams at the grocery store are already cooked or smoked, so you just have to heat them up. One of my favorite ways to heat a ham is to roast it in the oven.
This flavorful ham is perfect for special occasions, particularly a holiday meal. I often make it for Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, or Easter dinner and serve it with Cheesy Air Fryer Scalloped Potatoes, Slow Cooker Red Cabbage, and Green Pea Salad.
If you have a smoker, another great way to heat a ham is by using this Double Smoked Ham Recipe or my Smoked Pulled Ham Recipe.
Jump to:
Ingredients To Make A Baked Ham
For more detailed instructions with measurements, jump to the recipe card.
- Ham. I used a bone-in pre-cooked ham that was about 9.5 pounds. This recipe will work with any kind of ham, including whole ham, boneless ham, country ham, spiral-sliced ham, half ham, or fresh ham. If using a spiral-cut ham, you can skip the scoring step since it's already pre-sliced - just be extra careful not to overcook it, since the exposed cut surfaces dry out faster than a whole ham.
- Pineapple chunks. You can also use crushed pineapple, pineapple slices, or fresh pineapple.
- Dijon mustard. You can also use yellow mustard.
How To Heat A Fully Cooked Ham
- Step 1. Remove the ham from the refrigerator about an hour before baking so it can come up to room temperature.
- Step 2: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Step 3: Remove the packaging from the ham, along with the plastic circle that covers the bone.
- Step 4: If your ham is not spiral-cut, score the entire surface of the ham with a sharp knife, which helps the glaze sink into the meat. Cut long cuts from the top of the ham down to the bottom. Then, make a second set of perpendicular cuts to form a diamond pattern all over the outside, about ½-inch deep and 1-½-inches apart.
- Step 5: Place the ham cut side down in a large roasting pan or sturdy baking dish. Add 1 cup of cold water to the bottom of the pan. Cover with a lid or with aluminum foil to prevent the ham from drying out.
- Step 6: Put the ham in the oven and bake for one hour at 325 degrees F.
Prepare The Pineapple Glaze
- Step 7. Add the entire can of pineapple tidbits, including the juice, to a medium saucepan, along with brown sugar, orange juice, Dijon mustard, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until the glaze has thickened.
- Step 8. After the ham has been in the oven for one hour, remove the lid and pour a few spoonfuls of glaze over the top of the ham. Add all of the pineapple chunks to the roaster beside the ham. Reserve the remaining glaze for later.
- Step 9. Cover again and bake for another hour. Pour the remaining glaze over the ham and cover it again. Bake in the oven for one more hour, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the ham reaches 140 degrees F with a meat thermometer.
- Step 10. Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest, tented in foil, for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Serve this baked ham with Green Bean Casserole, Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes, and Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole.
Leftover ham is perfect for this old-fashioned Ham Salad or for making homemade breakfast sandwiches with a ham slice and fried eggs on my Fluffy Air Buns or No Knead Sourdough Bread.
For more ideas, check out this list of easy side dishes for baked ham.
Jeri's Top Tips
- Ensure you cover the ham with a lid or aluminum foil for most of the baking time; this will keep moisture locked in and give you juicier meat.
- Use an internal thermometer for accuracy. You want to make sure that your ham reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Most hams sold in the grocery store are city hams (pre-cooked). However, if you are cooking a fresh ham, it is always sold uncooked, and it needs to be cooked until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
Related Recipe: Smoked Whole Duck with Orange Maple Glaze.
How To Heat A Fully Cooked Ham FAQs
A pre-cooked ham needs to be heated to an internal temperature of 140 degrees F. A fresh ham (uncooked) needs to be heated to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
For a pre-cooked ham, you need to heat it to an internal temperature of 140 degrees F. This will take approximately 18 to 20 minutes per pound. My ham was almost 10 pounds, and it took 3 hours to heat. The size of the ham will determine the length of the cooking time; a smaller ham will cook much quicker than a larger one.
If you figure about ½ pound per person with a bone-in ham and ⅓ pound per person if it is a boneless ham, you will have enough to feed everyone and have some leftovers if you are lucky.
Leftover ham should be stored in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to two months.
Yes! To heat your ham in the slow cooker, place ham in the slow cooker with 1 cup of water, and heat on low for 4-5 hours. Then remove the lid and pour the glaze over top of the ham. Cover and cook on low for 30-60 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F.
Keep it covered with foil for most of the cooking time to lock in moisture - you only uncover it briefly to add the glaze in the last two hours.
Yes - a cup of water (or the pineapple juice from the can, as in this recipe) keeps the oven environment moist and helps prevent the ham from drying out.
What to do with leftover ham?
Use leftover ham in a Western Oven-Baked Omelet Casserole, Instant Pot Ham and Potato Soup, Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, or Split Pea Soup With Leftover Ham.
More Delicious Dinner Recipes
Did you make this recipe? If you did, can you do me a big favor and leave a rating and review letting me know how you liked it? This helps my website grow so I can continue to publish free recipes. Thank you! 😊
Printable Recipe
How to Heat a Fully Cooked Ham
Equipment
- Digital meat thermometer
- Roasting pan
Ingredients
- 1 pre-cooked ham 5-10 pounds
- 1 cup water
Pineapple Glaze
- 20 ounce can (540 mL) pineapple chunks or crushed pineapple
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons prepared orange juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉.
- If your ham is not spiral-cut, score the entire surface of the ham with a sharp knife. Cut long cuts from the top of the ham down to the bottom. Then, make a second set of perpendicular cuts to form a diamond pattern all over the outside, about ½-inch deep and 1-½-inches apart.
- Place the ham cut side down in a large roasting pan. Add 1 cup of cold water to the bottom of the pan, and cover it with a lid or aluminum foil.
- Place the ham in the oven and bake for one hour at 325℉
Prepare The Pineapple Glaze
- Add the entire can of pineapple chunks, including the juice, to a medium saucepan, along with ¾ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves. Stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until the glaze has thickened.
- After the ham has been baking in the oven for one hour, remove the lid and spoon a few spoonfuls of glaze over the top of the ham. Add all of the pineapple chunks beside the ham to the roaster. Reserve the remaining glaze for later.
- Cover the ham again and bake for one more hour. Pour the remaining glaze over the ham and cover it again. Bake for one more hour, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the ham reaches 140℉ with a meat thermometer.
- Remove the ham from the oven, tent it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
- Slice and serve with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!
Save This Recipe 💌
Enter your email below and I'll send the recipe straight to your inbox! Plus, you'll get new recipes from me each week!
Notes
- Cover the ham with a lid or aluminum foil for most of the baking time; this will keep moisture locked in and give you juicier meat.
- Use an internal thermometer for accuracy. You want to make sure that your ham reaches an internal temperature of 140°F.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Did you love this recipe?
Then please leave a 5-star rating and/or review below! You can also save it! Just tap the heart symbol ❤️ in the lower right corner of your screen, and the recipe will be stored in your own recipe box!📥
Comments
No Comments