How to Cook a Ham

5 to 7-lb. bone-in ham equals 10 to 14 servings

5 to 7-lb. boneless ham equals 15 to 21 servings

10 to 15-lb. bone-in ham equals 20 to 30 servings

10 to 15-lb. boneless ham equals 30 to 45 servings

subheading: How long to cook a ham:

The cooking time depends on the size of your ham and whether it’s bone-in or boneless. The ham cooking instructions below cover all bases, but generally, a half ham will cook in 1½–2¼ hours, while a whole ham could need anywhere from 2½–4½ hours. Allow around 20 minutes per pound for an uncooked half ham; and 18–20 minutes per pound for an uncooked full ham. In both of those cases, roast until the interior temperature reaches 160°F. For a precooked ham, reheat for about 18 minutes per pound to hit 140°F. In general, we prefer bone-in ham, which is more flavorful and less expensive per pound than boneless ham. Plus, you can freeze the ham bone to make stock or toss it into a pot of beans or braised greens. The cooking time depends on the size of your ham and whether it’s bone-in or boneless. The ham cooking instructions below cover all bases, but generally, a half ham will cook in 1½ to 2¼ hours, while a whole ham could need anywhere from 2½ to 4½ hours. Allow around 20 minutes per pound for an uncooked half ham; and 18 to 20 minutes per pound for an uncooked full ham. In both of those cases, roast until the interior temperature reaches 160°F. For a precooked ham, reheat for about 18 minutes per pound to hit 140°F. In general, we prefer bone-in ham, which is more flavorful and less expensive per pound than boneless ham. Plus, you can freeze the ham bone to make stock or toss it into a pot of beans or braised greens.

subheading: Approximate cooking time for fresh ham, depending on size:

5-lb. fresh ham: about 1 hour 40 minutes

7-lb. fresh ham: about 2 hours 20 minutes

10-lb. fresh ham: 3 hours-3 hours 20 minutes

15-lb. fresh ham: 4 hours 30 minutes-5 hours

subheading: Approximate cooking time for precooked ham, depending on size:

5-lb. precooked ham: 1 hour 30 minutes-2 hours

7-lb. precooked ham: 2 hours-2 hours 45 minutes

10-lb. precooked ham: 2 hours 30 minutes-3 hours

15-lb. precooked ham: 3 hours 45 minutes-4 hours 30 minutes

Directions at epicurious.com

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