How Long Does It Take To Cook a Ham? Everything You Need to Know
A perfectly cooked ham.
As you prepare for the holidays, there's no doubt that some delicious cooking is on your menu! It's sometimes tough to choose cooking a turkey or a holiday ham, but if you're going for the latter, you're wondering: Just how long does it take to cook a ham?
We broke it all down for you to ensure that your ham is absolutely delicious for any upcoming holiday dinner you have planned. Whether you're reheating a pre-cooked spiral ham or cooking a raw and fresh ham in the oven, we have all the answers you need. And since your ham will be served and ready, don't forget all the fixings!
Get the recipe: Maple-Bourbon Glazed Ham
How Long to Cook a Ham
According to the USDA, both half- or whole-cooked hams—canned and vacuum-packaged in an FDA-inspected facility—can be eaten chilled, straight from the packaging. If you do wish to reheat a cooked ham, bake at 325°F until a food thermometer inserted into the ham reads an internal temperature of 140°F.
For raw and fresh ham, bake at 325°F until a food thermometer inserted into the meat reads 145°F to indicate it's done.
Related: Do you have enough ham to feed your guests? Find out here.
It's important to remember that how long you'll need to bake your ham depends largely on its weight, cut and whether it's cooked or uncooked. For your reference, use the USDA's chart below to determine how long to cook a ham:
Cut | Weight/lbs | Minutes/lb | Minimum Internal Temperature & Rest Time |
|---|---|---|---|
HOW LONG TO COOK SMOKED HAM, cook-before-eating | |||
Whole, bone in | 10 to 14 | 18 to 20 | 145° and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes |
Half, bone in | 5 to 7 | 22 to 25 | |
Shank or Butt Portion, bone in | 3 to 4 | 35 to 40 | |
Arm Picnic Shoulder, boneless | 5 to 8 | 30 to 35 | |
Shoulder Roll (Butt), boneless | 2 to 4 | 35 to 40 | |
HOW LONG TO COOK PRE-COOKED SMOKED HAM, cooked | |||
Whole, bone in | 10 to 14 | 15 to 18 | Reheat cooked hams packaged in USDA-inspected plants to 140 °F and all others to 165 °F. |
Half, bone in | 5 to 7 | 18 to 24 | |
Arm Picnic Shoulder, boneless | 5 to 8 | 25 to 30 | |
Canned ham, boneless | 3 to 10 | 15 to 20 | |
Vacuum packed, boneless | 6 to 12 | 10 to 15 | |
Spiral cut, whole or half | 7 to 9 | 10 to 18 | |
HOW LONG TO COOK FRESH HAM, uncooked | |||
Whole leg, bone in | 12 to 16 | 22 to 26 | 145° and allow to rest for at least 3 minutes |
Whole leg, boneless | 10 to 14 | 24 to 28 | |
Half, bone in | 5 to 8 | 35 to 40 | |
HOW LONG TO COOK COUNTRY HAM | |||
Whole or Half. (Soak 4 to 12 hours in refrigerator. Cover with water and boil 20 to 25 minutes per pound. Drain, glaze, and brown at 400 °F for 15 minutes.) |
Not into ham? Try these leg of lamb recipes for the holidays instead. Plus, here's the lowdown on what to make with ham leftovers.
