Ham 101

We haven't tried to keep it a secret. I think we might have even flaunted it a time or two. We love cooking anything that has to do with the pig. Our loyal readers will remember a BLT called "Hox Rock" where we described a tour of one of the country's largest artisanal ham producers, Burgers' Smokehouse. That tour really rekindled the old flame we've had for the ham. So about two months out, we started planning for our holiday dinner by doing as much research as possible on every type of ham you can buy and how to cook them. And now...we are passing our hours of research on to you! Here, you will find recipes, buying guidelines and cooking times for the different hams available on the market. If you haven't gotten your ham yet, you can still get just about any variety of ham your heart desires from our friends at Burgers' Smokehouse. You can check their website, Smokehouse.com, for holiday delivery. Oh and, while you're at it, get yourself a couple pounds of their Hickory Smoked Sliced Country Jowl. It sounds unbelievable to say, but it is better than bacon.

Ham Recipes (by method)

The Pressure Cooker Method
Ham with Maple Glaze

The Baked Method
Ham with Honey + Cider Glaze

The Slow Cooker Method
Slow Cooked Ham with Horseradish Glaze

Buying Guidelines

For a full buying guide and ham specific tips for cooking each type, check out our ham chart! Click Here

When you get to the grocery, read carefully! If you have the chance, buy a ham with a bone . No matter what cooking method you choose, the bone will impart more flavor into your ham. Also, you can save the bone to add to soup or beans.

If you are buying a bone-in ham	1/2 pound to 3/4 pound per dinner guest
If you are buying a boneless ham	1/4 pound to 1/2 pound per dinner guest

Cooking Guidelines

Although we have given you several methods for cooking your ham, these cooking guidelines are for an oven baked ham. Your ham is going to taste the very best soon after it comes out of the oven. Of course you'll want to let it rest about 20 minutes, but you'll want to serve it not a minute after it has rested. You can judge how long it will take to cook your ham by using the guidelines below to calculate total cooking time.

Please Note that the cooking times are per pound. These baking times are for a 325 degree oven. When measuring the temperature, make sure that your thermometer probe is not touching the bone of the ham.

Type of Ham	Cook Time Per Pound	Internal Temperature
Fully Cooked Cured/Smoked	15-18 minutes per pound	140 degrees
Partially Cooked Brined	18-20 minutes per pound	155 degrees
Fresh Raw	25-30 minutes per pound	170 degrees