Pick the perfect ham

Follow these guidelines to pick the perfect ham for your family’s holiday dinner.

A luscious baked ham is the centerpiece for Easter dinner (and often for Christmas feasts), but combing through the varieties in your grocery store can be a little confusing. Welcome to my class, Ham 101 where you will learn how to pick the perfect ham. And I have a delicious recipe at the end for Apricot Bourbon Glazed Ham, so "stick" around!

What type of ham should you buy?

The most common variety is a fully cooked ham. Cured and smoked, you can buy this ham bone-in or boneless. In my opinion, bone-in has the best flavor and value because after you’ve enjoyed most of the meat, you have an amazing bone with which you can make a bean soup!

Of course, a boneless ham is super easy to carve and has almost no waste. If you don't plan on using a ham bone for anything, maybe this is the right ham for your dinner.

A spiral-cut bone-in ham is easier to carve, but this cut can dry out quicker in the oven, so follow the directions on the packaging. Here’s a good video for carving a spiral-cut bone-in ham.

Try and avoid products labeled “ham and water product” because it’s a lower grade ham. Water (in any amount) plus other ingredients are added during processing. Look instead for labels that simply say “ham” or “ham with natural juices.”

How big of ham should you buy?

For your holiday dinner, plan for ¾ pound per person with a bone-in ham or ½ pound with boneless. After that, the size depends on how much you’ll want for leftovers or to send home with guests!

Now that you’ve selected the right ham, here’s a recipe for it.

You will need the following ingredients to make my Apricot Bourbon Glazed Ham, which yields 12 servings.

• One 8-pound bone-in spiral-cut ham

• 1 cup apricot jam

• ½ cup bourbon

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• Nonstick cooking spray

• Water

Follow these directions to make Apricot Bourbon Glazed Ham 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the ham in a roasting pan with rack fat side up. Using a small paring knife, cut crosshatch marks to score the fat. Do not cut into the meat.

Add about a cup of water to bottom of pan and bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

While ham is baking, make the glaze. Combine jam, bourbon, sugar, butter and spices in a small saucepan. Cook over medium or medium-low heat (don’t let sugars burn) for about 20 minutes or until glaze gets thick (syrup consistency).

Brush the ham with glaze about every 15 minutes and continue baking for another 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 130 degrees. The ham will get brown, but you may need to tent with foil sprayed with nonstick to prevent it from burning.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Leftover lovin’

Leftover ham can be enjoyed in sandwiches, fried for breakfast, and so on, and it’s delicious! The USDA recommends storing leftover baked ham for up to five days. (Honestly, I’ve gone seven days without a problem.) But if the ham starts to get stick or slimy, don’t eat it.

Freezing leftover ham is fine. Be sure to wrap it in plastic wrap then foil before putting it in a zipper-top freezer bag and store for two months.

You also can make something like my tasty Ham Loaf and then freeze it to enjoy later. Or dice ham and swap out for the Italian sausage in my recipe for Comforting Vegetable Soup. I love ham in casserole dishes and it’s a natural protein for Mom’s Hot Dish (substitute hamburger with the leftover ham).

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About the blog

Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.