Bone in a ham is a wonderfully delicious meat that is a far better texture than ham that is boneless. This type of meat is one of America’s most popular and with little wonder.

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This delicious cut of meat is the perfect choice for elaborate dinners and goes exceptionally well on sandwiches for your or your kid’s lunches. In fact, ham sandwiches are one of the top five sandwiches in America.

But how do you cook bone in a ham? It can be quite a long and tedious process to get the perfect melt-in-your-mouth ham. This is why we have written this article. It is our way of showing you exactly how to make the perfect bone in a ham.

So, if you are interested in learning more about how to make this delicious meat dish then make sure to read further where we tell you exactly how to make the perfect bone in a ham.

Quick Answer

If you want a quick answer on how to cook bone in a ham then there are just a few things to keep in mind.

The first thing to remember is that you will usually cook your ham for between eighteen and twenty-five minutes per pound which means that if your ham weighed seven pounds and you cooked it for twenty minutes per pound you would need to have it in the oven for about two and a half hours.

Before you take your ham out though you will need to use a temperature probe and make sure that the center of the ham is 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures that it has been cooked all the way through and is safe to eat.

So, to cook a bone in a ham you will need to:

Preheat Oven to 325 Degrees Fahrenheit
Season the Ham
Cook the Ham for Between Eighteen to Twenty-Five Minutes Per Pound
Use a Temperature Probe to Check the Center of the Ham is 140 Degrees Fahrenheit

If you remember these basics you will be able to cook your bone in a ham with ease.

Ten Ways To Cook Or Use Bone In A Ham

In this section, we are going to take a closer look at how you can make bone in a ham. There are several ways that you can go about cooking bone in a ham, in this section we are going to go over ten of the main methods you can use to cook this delicious meat.

So, without further ado, let us dive right in!

Method 1 – Cooking Bone In A Ham Pre-Cooked

If you are planning on cooking a bone in a ham that has already been precooked then there are several things you will need to keep in mind.

If the ham you are cooking weighs between five and seven pounds you will need to make sure that it is cooking at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for at least eighteen to twenty-four minutes per pound. The ham needs to reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit for it to be cooked and safe to eat.

But what if your ham weighs between ten and fourteen pounds? If this is the case you will need to cook your ham for between fifteen and eighteen minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once again at the end of this time, you will need to make sure that the internal temperature has reached 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Method 2 – Cooking Bone In A Ham Raw

If the ham that you are cooking is raw to begin with, you will need to take care to make sure that the internal temperature is at 145 degrees Fahrenheit so that it is properly cooked and safe to eat.

You might be cooking a half bone in a ham which will need to make sure that it is cooked for between twenty-two and twenty-five minutes per pound at a temperature of 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

If your bone in a ham is whole and weighs between ten and fourteen pounds you will need to cook it for between eighteen and twenty minutes at about 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Method 3 – Bone In A Ham That Is Glazed

Glazed bone in a ham is one of the most popular ways that this meat is cooked. This method is slightly more complicated than the first two that we have mentioned. But it is a super easy method that anyone will be able to do with ease.

The first thing you will need to do is preheat your oven to about 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your ham on a chopping board and score it so that you have the diamond pattern.

The incisions will need to be a quarter of an inch deep so you will need a sharp knife for this part. Now that the ham has been scored you will need to line the pan with foil and then place your ham inside the dish before you cover it and put it in the oven.

While your ham is cooking you should start making your glaze. Below is a list of ingredients that we recommend you use for your glaze:

Half a Cup of Honey
A Quarter of a Cup of Dijon Mustard
One Tablespoon of Unsalted Butter

When you have the above ingredients on hand you will need to put all of the ingredients into a saucepan that is over a medium or high heat.

When the mixture has started to boil you can lower the heat but continue to stir the mixture so that it does not burn.

Continue stirring for about twenty minutes or until the quantity of the mixture has reduced to about a third and the glaze is dark and looks nice and thick.

When you have just thirty minutes left for your ham to cook you will need to remove it from the oven and brush the glaze onto the meat.

It is important that you cover the whole ham including inside the cuts and in every crevice before you put them back in the oven for the last thirty minutes.

Method 4 – Slow Cooking Your Bone In A Ham

If you are planning to cook your bone in a ham for a large group of people you might find that cooking it in a slow cooker will be the easiest way to provide a delicious meal for everyone.

Best of all, by using a slow cooker to cook your bone in a ham you will have a delicious, juicy, and soft meal that is simply to die for.

The first thing you will need to do is put about a cup and a half of brown sugar in the slow cooker so that the bottom is covered. Next, put your cured bone in a ham in the slow cooker.

Make sure that the flat end of the ham is facing down and start to rub a half cup of sugar on the ham. Finally, you will need to cover the cooker and put the heat on low so that your ham can cook.

Slow cooking bone in a ham will take about eight hours so make sure that you leave plenty of time for it to cook.

Method 5 – Let’s Make A Bone In A Ham Sandwich

Ham in a sandwich is an absolute delight and super popular among Americans. Best of all it is super simple to make! All you will need is some shredded bone in a ham, four slices of bread, sour cream, mayonnaise, and garlic powder.

With all your ingredients you will just need to layer the ingredients over two slices of bread and you like, add some cheese or tomato before you close the sandwich and enjoy a fantastic ham sandwich.

Method 6 – Let’s Cook Your Bone In A Ham In Beer

Beer makes everything better. To some people at least… So, if you love beer and bone in a ham then this is the perfect recipe for you. It merges two worlds and creates a symphony of perfection.

By cooking your ham with beer you are making it so that your meat is more flavorful and more tender than usual. Best of all you will only need three ingredients to make this delectable meal:

One Bone in a Ham
Half of a Can of Sliced Pineapple
One Can of Beer

With your three ingredients on hand, you can now start the cooking process. Preheat your oven to about 325 degrees Fahrenheit before you start doing anything else. Next, grab a deep pan and using butter, oil, or lard grease it.

Before you put your ham in the pan you will need to secure the pineapple to the ham. You can use toothpicks to do this. Once you are done, place the ham in the baking tin.

Next, pour the beer on the ham and into the baking tray, and then cover it with a pan or lid. Place the bone in a ham in the oven for between eight and ten hours until it is completely cooked.

Once the ham is cooked you can remove the toothpicks and pineapple so that you can slice the ham more easily. With that out of the way., all that is left is to serve your delicious beer ham and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Method 7 – Let’s Sugar Glaze Your Bone In A Ham

As with all of our other methods you should start the process by preheating the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grab your pre-cooked bone in ham, place it in a pan, put it in a rack you have placed inside a pan, and score the ham so that you have diamond patterns all over the top.

Make sure that your cut is about a quarter of an inch deep before you put the ham into the oven to bake for about two hours.

While your ham is cooking you will have plenty of time to prepare the glaze. For your sugar glaze you will need the following ingredients:

One Cup of Brown Sugar
Two Teaspoons of Mustard
Two Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar

Once you have all your ingredients in a single mixing bowl you will need to use a whisk and stir until the mixture has turned into a paste. Once you have achieved a paste-like consistency you can put the glaze aside until your ham has cooked for two hours.

When two hours have elapsed, take the ham out of the oven and spread your glaze all over the ham. Make sure that you evenly coat it before you put the bone in a ham back in the oven for about thirty minutes or until the internal temperature is about 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Method 8 – It Is Time To Smoke Your Bone In A Ham

Smoking is not as time-consuming as you might think. It is in fact quite a simple process that does not require a ton of work, as long as you adhere to the instructions that come with your smoker.

For the sake of this method, we are going to talk about smoking a half bone in a ham that will weigh about eight pounds. Before you do anything with the ham you will need to get your smoker ready.

We recommend that you use the instructions that have come with your grill. When the smoker has been preheated to about 250 degrees Fahrenheit you may put the ham inside.

The general rule is that bone in a ham will cook/smoke for twenty minutes per pound. So if your ham weighs eight pounds you would need to allow your ham to smoke for about four and a half hours. Give or take.

When your ham is done, the internal temperature should be about 140 degrees Fahrenheit. While the ham is smoking you will need to continue to pour chips and wood into the smoker as the instructions have indicated so that your meat continues to smoke evenly with the flavor you have chosen.

Method 9 – Baked Bone In A Ham

If you are looking for a great baked bone in a ham recipe then this is the ideal recipe for you. It is super easy and your ham will only need to be cooked for half an hour per pound of ham.

So if your ham was seven pounds you would cook it for about three and a half hours. The key to success with this recipe is to do it slowly at a low temperature.

You will need the following ingredients for this recipe:

Bone in a Ham
Egg
Water
Vinegar
Sugar
Flour
Celery Seed
Dry Mustard
Salt
Pepper
Whipping Cream

This recipe should be super easy to make and best of all you will not need any special tools. You are very likely to have everything you need at home! The first, you will need to mix egg, water vinegar, sugar, flour, and celery seeds in a roaster pan.

Make sure that the lid is on. Next, put the ham in the roaster pan with the fat side facing up. Spoon the mixture you have made all over the ham before you put it in the oven to bake at about three hundred degrees for half an hour per pound.

Mix the other sauce ingredients together, aside from the whipping cream, and put them in a pan on a low heat until the mixture has thickened up. After that, allow the mixture to cool down at room temperature with a lid on the saucepan.

Next, whip up about half a cup of whipping cream and allow it to cool before you serve it with your ham which should be done once the core temperature is at 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Method 10 – Bean And Bone In A Ham Soup

Sometimes we have leftover ham that we are loath to waste. But what can you do with it? Well, this recipe details a fun yet delicious way that you can do that.

This recipe has about ten minutes of prep time, and everything will cook for about an hour and ten minutes. So make sure that you have enough time to make this super easy recipe.

Below is a list of ingredients you will need for this recipe:

Dried Navy Beans
Ham Bone
Olive Oil
Large Onion
Garlic Cloves
Fresh Thyme Leaves
Ground Cumin
Crushed Red Pepper
Water
Salt

This recipe is super easy to follow and best of all you will not need any specialist equipment. Just the stuff you have at home will do. The first thing you need to do is soak your beans in three inches of water overnight.

Next, add oil, onions, ham, and garlic to a six-quart pot to sauté until the onions soften. After you have done that, you will need to add the other ingredients to the pot and allow it to boil before you lower the heat to a simmer for about ninety minutes.

Use a fork to pull the pork off the ham bone and stir it all into the soup. Add salt to taste and enjoy your delicious ham bone soup.

Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, we are going to answer some of the most frequently asked questions concerning how you cook bone in a ham. So, without further ado, let us get started!

Do You Have To Boil Bone In A Ham Before You Bake It?

This step is not necessary but it will entirely depend on the recipe you are following. But you may need to soak a salt-cured ham without soaking it in water before you bake it.

Do You Cook Ham At 325 Or 350 Degrees Fahrenheit?

The ideal temperature for cooking bone in a ham is about 325 degrees Fahrenheit as this allows the ham a longer time to cook which can make the end product better in our opinion.

Why Is Your Ham Mushy?

This may be a result of using too much tenderizer on your ham. It is recommended that you marinate your ham with pineapple and you can rest assured that your ham will be super tender.

How To Cook A Bone In A Ham

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Active Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

Cooking bone in ham in the oven is one of the easiest way to cook this meat. Simply sore your ham, cover with foil and put it into the preheated oven. In the meantime, you can prepare the delicious mustard and honey glaze. Add the glaze after a couple of hours and allow the ham to cook for another hour. Then remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for a little while, so the meat can soak up all the tasty juices. Serve with your favorite side.

Materials

7 pounds of ham
Dijon mustard
Unsalted butter
Honey

Tools

Oven
Baking tray
Meat thermometer
Meat prong
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Aluminum foil

Instructions

Preheat your oven: You will need to preheat your oven to at least 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Score the ham: Place your ham on a chopping board and score the ham on top with a sharp knife. The incisions should be at least 1/4 inch deep to allow the heat to penetrate the meat.
Prepare your oven tray: Make sure that you use a large enough oven tray that is raised on the sides, so none of the meat juices can flow over the edges. Then, place the bone in ham onto the tray, cover everything with aluminum foil and put it into the oven for at least two hours.
Prepare the glaze: While your ham is cooking in the oven, you can prepare the glaze. Mix 1/2 cup of honey, 1/4 cup of Dijon mustard and a tablespoon of unsalted butter. Put the mix into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and keep stirring the mixture for around 20 minutes. The glaze should look thick and dark.
Glaze your ham: After your ham has been in the oven for two hours, take it out and remove the aluminum foil. Then use a small brush to put the glaze all over the ham. Once done, cover the ham again and put it back into the oven for another 30 minutes.
Check your ham's temperature: Before you take the ham out of the oven, check the ham's internal temperature with a meat thermostat. The center of the ham should be 140 degrees Fahrenheit when it is fully cooked.
Remove the ham from the oven and serve: When the ham is thoroughly cooked, then remove the dish from the oven. Take the aluminum foil off and let the ham sit for 20 minutes. Slice the ham and serve.

Author
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Jess Smith

Hi, my name is Jess Smith, and I love cooking in my spare time. Around three years ago, I decided to give up my day job as a teacher to pursue my passion for food. While I have enjoyed sharing tips and tricks on Social Media, I have decided to expand my horizons through this blog.

Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.

I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!