Dearborn Spiral Sliced Glazed Half Ham? The 171 Correct Answer

I was provided with a sample of CUREMASTER RESERVE ham, a small specialty line only available online. Each ham also comes with a complimentary glaze flight!

Handpicked, numbered and given extra care, this line not only comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, but is also beautifully packaged and delivered straight to your door.

Careful handling of your fully cooked, spirally sliced ​​ham seals the moist, juicy, tender goodness in every slice it offers!

No glaze recipe? Click here to see three of our favorite ham glaze recipes.

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Learn how to make a spiral-sliced ​​ham moist and delicious. No more dry spiral ham!

This blog post is sponsored by the Dearborn Sausage Company.

This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a commission at no additional cost to you. These are products and services that I recommend because I use or trust them. Cookies are used to track the affiliate links you click on.

One of the biggest disappointments in the kitchen has to be beef jerky.

You spend a lot of your hard-earned cash on a big hunk of meat, and it comes out with less moisture than the Mojave Desert.

So so so sad 🙁

This has been my previous experience with ham in spiral slices. Every time I’ve had one cooked for me, I’ve never liked it. The spiral hams of my youth were all dry and stringy. That stopped me from buying one myself.

The question that now arises is why is this so? Why is this happening? Can I do something about it? Read on to learn how to prevent a spiral ham, or any ham, from drying out.

🌵 Why is my spiral ham dry?

Dearborn Brand Spiral Hams are very popular here in the state of Michigan. People recognize it as the Blue Box Ham!

The reason someone buys a spiral ham is that it’s easier to carve since it’s pre-cut. The problem with this is that it makes the meat dry out more easily. Juices can easily run from the meat into the pan. This is the price for this comfort.

Another problem that contributes to dry ham is that it is overcooked. Whatever spiral ham you buy will be a pre-cooked ham so it’s really all about reheating and if you’re applying a glaze, cook the glaze so it sticks to the meat. Something labeled as fresh ham that isn’t smoked would be a different topic altogether.

I like to cook my spiral ham in a large roasting pan with a wire rack on the bottom so the ham doesn’t touch the bottom of the pan. Any fat will run down the sides of the ham and collect at the bottom.

🏆 The best way to keep spiral ham from drying out

There are two things you can do to really boost the juiciness of your spiral ham.

The first and most important thing to do is take the temperature of the ham with a probe thermometer that remains in the meat while it’s in the oven and verify it with an instant reading. A probe would be the easiest.

Insert the probe of your thermometer into the deepest part of the meat that can be heated without bone. I like to do it diagonally from the side. Leave the probe in the meat until after the meat is cooked and rested to prevent juice from leaking out of the hole.

If you don’t have a probe thermometer, use the timing guide that came with the ham, but it wouldn’t be nearly as accurate. These guides can’t account for all other variables – like size and shape of the meat, actual temperature of your oven, how clean your oven is (burnt garbage in your oven can affect cooking time).

The second key to a moist spiral ham is to wrap the ham in heavy-duty aluminum foil to keep the moisture inside.

If you plan to apply a frosting — homemade or a frosting packet — do so with the foil removed about the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking.

I wrap the ham tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil. You don’t have to wrap the bottom of the ham. When the bottom is open, the fat has a place to drain.

Bonus tip – cleaning out the oven before cooking a large roast is always a good idea… as the thought “if only I had the time” crosses my mind.

🌡️ What temperature do I cook it at?

If using a probe thermometer, stick it into the deepest part of the ham without touching a bone (the bone will skew your reading). Then set the alarm to ring at 130 degrees when you’re applying a glaze, otherwise let your ham heat up to 140 degrees.

As for the oven temperature, I prefer a low and slow method. At 250 degrees, the ham heats up slowly and more evenly.

Yes, I know that sounds low, but trust me. It took about 4 hours for my 8lb ham to cook. If you just can’t wait that long, you can turn up the temperature, but I highly recommend you don’t go higher than 350 degrees.

If you cook the ham at a higher temperature, the outside cuts of meat will be cooked at a higher temperature than the inside, so your ham may not be evenly juicy.

Glazing is a great way to add flavor to your ham. Add them just before the ham is done cooking – 10 degrees before reaching your target temperature is my recommendation. Earlier they can burn and later the glaze will take too long to set and you could end up with a dry ham.

🍲 What to cook it in

I have often cooked mine in a large roasting pan with a rack. But you can also make it in a shallow skillet or if you just have a baking sheet, that’s fine too.

🖌️ What can I put on the ham so it doesn’t dry out?

I’ve gotten this question before, people who want to put something on top of the ham to keep it from drying out. It’s really about not overcooking the ham.

Aside from my recommendation of covering it with foil in the oven, anything else you put on top is for flavor. A glaze will not keep the meat moist if you overheat it.

❓ Can you cook it in a slow cooker?

As I said before, you want to go slow and slow when heating your spiral ham. So sure you could do that in a slow cooker with your ham sitting in it with the lid closed.

Here are a few things to keep in mind

Some slow cookers only have a low, medium, or high setting. The high setting is probably around 300 degrees. While the slow setting is probably around 190 degrees. It depends on the model. If you can set your exact temperature, do as we did with the oven temperature and dial in 250 degrees.

You can also use a probe thermometer in a slow cooker, as long as you can get it in with the lid closed and the probe isn’t touching a bone.

For better glaze hardness, I would remove the ham from the slow cooker when it reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees, then apply the glaze and place in a 400 degree oven so the glaze sets quickly.

My favorite spiral ham is Dearborn. It’s a super flavorful ham that, when reheated properly, is tender, moist, and delicious. The ham comes with a strip of icing to which you just need to add a little water.

🔪 Dearborn spiral ham

If you are in the market for a spiral ham, may I suggest Dearborn’s famous spiral ham. Everyone I’ve spoken to about them in Michigan knows who they are, and their eyes light up and their appetites increase at the mention of them. Fear not, thanks to the internet you can order one of these delicious hams.

Dearborn has been around for over 70 years – three generations of experience in producing quality meat. They know how to make a good ham. The last time we made one, my wife and kids started devouring slices as soon as I finished taking pictures.

All Dearborn Brand hams are gluten free.

Another way to quickly reheat your ham is to reheat it in a pressure cooker or pressure cooker. Learn more about this process by clicking here or tapping the photo above.

Below I have written the complete instructions for cooking a juicy spiral ham.

I’d love to hear from you if you’ve tried my tips and gotten better results. Leave a comment below.

description

Pre-cooked, ready to heat and serve.

For up to 10 people.

*All Dearborn Brand hams are gluten free.

Heating/Cooking Recommendations: For best results: Preheat oven, remove outer covers and place in covered pan. Bake at 325˚ for 12-14 minutes per pound.

Label instructions included.

Article no. 3512M

SPIRAL-CUT HAM

These hams are delicious cold, but if you want to reheat them, instructions can often be found on the packaging. Place the ham, cut side down, on a piece of sturdy aluminum foil and wrap the ham tightly. Or use an oven roasting bag; Follow the directions on the bag to prepare. Bake in a preheated 325F oven for 10-14 minutes per pound or until a meat thermometer reads 135F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. If the ham came with extra glaze, follow package directions to add it and cook the glaze. To glaze this style of ham, turn the oven to 400F, brush the ham with the glaze and bake for 10-15 minutes until the glaze is browned and bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. Place the ham in a shallow skillet.

3. In a large saucepan, stir together the contents of the icing packet, 2 cups water, and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until the brown sugar has dissolved.

4. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch. Add to the brown sugar mixture. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

5. Bake the ham according to the package instructions, brushing with glaze every 15 minutes.

6. Serve with the remaining glaze.

A glazed spiral ham is one of the most impressive dishes to serve up at a Christmas party, and it’s a lot easier to nail than you think. The keys to success? Keep moist while baking and coat with a tangy sweet glaze.

Read on for more tips on mastering this classic holiday dish. And if you’re looking for something to serve with your ham, why not check out our favorite holiday side dishes?

Make your own glaze

Some hams come with a glaze packet. That’s enough, right? think again Making your own icing is super easy and so much tastier than a store-bought pack. Our recipe below uses just a handful of pantry ingredients and a mixing bowl. We think it’s a bomb, but if you’re not a bourbon fan, try this classic brown icing instead.

Keep it covered

Because spiral hams are already cooked, you’re really just heating them through, adding flavor and crispy edges. To avoid drying out, pour water on the bottom of your roasting pan, place the ham on a wire rack above the water and cover with foil. Bake just until it’s 140° on the center (this should take 10 to 12 minutes per pound). Cover for the last 30 minutes when frosting so those edges caramelize. Another way to ensure your ham stays moist is to cook it in a slow cooker. Simply cook 4 to 5 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high, basting with the marinade every 45 minutes.

How do I cut it?

It may sound difficult to cut a ham on the bone, but it’s actually very easy. Simply turn the ham on its bottom and slice around the bone. The ham on the outside will fall off in slices.

Do you have leftovers?

Leftover ham is basically fridge gold. Try making an actual croque madame for your next brunch, use it to boost a batch of crescent rolls, or chop it up and toss it in your next batch of scalloped potatoes. And save this bone! It’s great for flavoring broths or soups (like peas) or a large pot of cooked vegetables.

Here are 24+ great ideas to use up leftover ham.

Have you done that already? Let us know how it went in the comments below!

SPIRAL-CUT HAM

These hams are delicious cold, but if you want to reheat them, instructions can often be found on the packaging. Place the ham, cut side down, on a piece of sturdy aluminum foil and wrap the ham tightly. Or use an oven roasting bag; Follow the directions on the bag to prepare. Bake in a preheated 325F oven for 10-14 minutes per pound or until a meat thermometer reads 135F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. If the ham came with extra glaze, follow package directions to add it and cook the glaze. To glaze this style of ham, turn the oven to 400F, brush the ham with the glaze and bake for 10-15 minutes until the glaze is browned and bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

preparation

Soak real Smithfield hams for 36 hours or more. Soak country ham for 24 hours or more. Changing the water every few hours during the soak will help draw salt out of the ham.

Wash the ham thoroughly in warm water after soaking. Use a stiff brush to thoroughly scrub the ham, removing pepper and surface mold, if present. Mold is very common in these uncooked hams and is by no means harmful (like cured cheeses mold in the aging process).

how to cook

Wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil and form a jar with the bottom layer. Add 4 to 5 cups of water to the foil and place in the oven with a tray or pan underneath. Carefully join the edges of the aluminum foil, making sure the edges are closed.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Once the oven temperature reaches 300 degrees, bake about 3 hours or 20 minutes per pound.

Use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 163 degrees at the thickest part of the ham.

When the ham has reached the correct internal temperature, remove the ham from the oven and let it cool to room temperature for an hour. Remove skin and fat as desired.

If a sweet coating is desired, sprinkle the fatty side with brown sugar and breadcrumbs and bake in a 400 degree oven until browned (about 15 minutes).

Place skin-side down in a large roasting pan and cover with cold water.

Bring the water to 190 degrees (do not let it simmer). Cook to 163 degrees internal temperature (or about 25 minutes per pound). Add water to keep the ham covered.

Remove the ham from the pan and remove the skin and fat while it is still warm.

If a sweet coating is desired, sprinkle the fatty side with brown sugar and breadcrumbs and bake in a 400 degree oven until browned (about 15 minutes).

A Smithfield or Country ham tastes best when served at room temperature. These hams can be served in different ways. Sliced ​​ham is delicious on biscuits or pan fried and served with red eye sauce. Use chunks of ham or a piece of bone in soup or to flavor beans or vegetables.

Red-Eye Sauce – Add 1/2 cup of water or black coffee to the pan that was used to cook the ham slices. Simmer for a few minutes. Serve on fried ham slices with biscuits.

Start with ham on a flat surface, side up, about two inches from the hock (or small end), making the first cut right down to the bone.

Tilt the knife slightly for each subsequent cut. Cut to and partially around the bone.

Decrease the incline as the slices get bigger. Eventually, bone formation will cause you to cut smaller slices at different angles.

Start by slicing off the large (back) end of the ham. After a few slices, you’ll come across the first of the spiral cuts. Then cut along the natural seams of the ham’s surface, parallel to the bone. There are three simple steps left:

Cut along the natural seam on the top (as it faces you), extend the knife point back into the ham as far as you want to remove the slices, then down and to the left, parallel to the bone, and kick at the natural seam.

Then make a second cut along the top (where the first section was removed) parallel to the bone, right around and exiting at the natural seam.

To remove the last section, cut to the right and parallel to the bone until the section is free.

store ham

Spiral Cut and Hardwood Smoked Hams are shipped frozen and should be refrigerated or refrozen upon receipt.

Spiral-cut bone-in hams can be kept refrigerated for seven to 10 days. Genuine Virginia Boneless Spiral Ham and Hardwood Smoked Ham can be refrigerated for up to two weeks.

Spiral cut hams and hardwood cured hams can be kept frozen for three months and retain maximum flavor.

Dry cured bacon can be refrigerated for up to two months and frozen for up to six months to preserve maximum flavor.

If you have chosen a ready-cooked ham, no further preparation is necessary. Simply slice and serve. If you prefer, heat in aluminum foil over low heat (275 degrees) until slightly warm. Uncooked hams must be soaked before cooking as these hams are dry cured. The length of soaking time should be influenced by your taste for salt (longer soaking results in a milder ham) and the type of ham (real Smithfield ham is cured longer than country ham and is inherently saltier and drier) and the ham is fully cooked. These hams are shipped frozen and arrive frozen or partially thawed. If you want to reheat your spiral ham, it should be completely defrosted. We recommend thawing your spiral ham in the refrigerator for about 5 hours per pound. It takes about two days to thaw half a ham in the fridge and about 4 days to thaw a whole ham in the fridge. Our hardwood smoked hams should also be completely thawed before cooking. These hams are shipped frozen and arrive frozen or partially thawed. We recommend thawing your hardwood smoked ham in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.* Important: Do not open the oven door until the cooking cycle is complete. Your spiral-cut ham is fully cooked and ready to be served slightly reheated or chilled. To heat this ham, heat the oven to 275 degrees. Remove packaging, collect liquid. Place the ham, cut-side down, on a large sheet of foil in a roasting pan. Pour the collected liquid over the ham and wrap completely with foil. Reheat the ham in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes per pound. Do not overheat.1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove all packaging materials and place ham, fat-side up, on rack in shallow skillet; Cover loosely with aluminum foil.2. Heat through, about 15 to 20 minutes per pound.3. Remove the ham from the oven and let stand, covered, 20 minutes before serving for whole hams or 10-15 minutes before serving for half hams. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Cover ham, brush or spoon on your glaze over ham surface. Return to the oven, uncovered, and heat for 10 minutes. To bring out the delicate flavor of your Smithfield or Country ham, you need to use a very sharp knife (preferably long and narrow) to slice it very thinly. If you’ve selected a boneless ham, simply start slicing at the narrow end of the ham and serve. Cured ham is cut in a similar manner, but can be cut a little thicker if desired. There are three simple steps to elegantly carving your ham on the bone: Uncooked country ham can be safely stored hanging in a cool, dry place at room temperature. True Smithfield hams can be kept for up to two years and country hams up to six months without deteriorating. Uncooked country hams can be safely stored hanging in a cool, dry place. Smithfield Hams can be kept for up to one year and Country Hams up to six months from the date of manufacture without deteriorating. Cooked country ham, real Smithfield ham and unopened slices will keep in the fridge for at least 6 weeks. Cooked hams can be frozen; However, we recommend removing the bone before freezing. Gourmet slices should be consumed within a few days of opening. For more great ways to enjoy your ham, check out our recipes online here. Not sure which of our distinctively flavored gourmet hams would your taste buds prefer? Follow this simple guide to buy a ham

Suzanne Selasky

Detroit Free Press Food Writer

QUESTION: My daughter received a HoneyBaked ham as a present. They recommend not reheating in the oven. Why not? What is the best way to warm up the ham? — Jo Churan, Warren.

ANSWER: There is no doubt that hams will be served on many dining tables this holiday season. The key is to keep the ham nice and moist and not dry out.

Honey baked hams and other hams sold at the grocery store are fully cooked and should state this on the label. Technically, you reheat them and don’t continue cooking them. It’s best to gently reheat them in a 325-350 degree oven until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees.

According to Wendy Becker, vice president of marketing for the local ham maker, unlike some grocery store hams, HoneyBaked hams are dry cured and no water is added to the product.

“Our hams were slowly smoked and roasted for more than 24 hours,” said Becker. “It’s very, very moist and tender just the way it is. Overheating would affect its natural state.”

Becker said you can reheat her hams, but it’s best to do it in slices. Cover the slices with foil and heat in the oven. Or cover and reheat in the microwave.

“It’s okay to reheat it, but don’t overheat it,” Becker said.

According to www.honeybaked.com, their hams should be reheated in a 275 degree oven, covered with foil for 10 minutes per pound.

There are many brands of ready-cooked ham in grocery stores. Check pack instructions for warming up; But in general, here’s how to reheat a fully cooked ham.

Place the ham in a frying pan. Put some water on the bottom of the pan. Many recipes call for the use of a Coke or, my favorite, Vernors, on the bottom of the pan.

When the ham is spirally sliced, place it cut-side down in a casserole dish. Cover tightly with foil. Heat it in a 325 degree oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees. You can also put the ham in an oven bag. Aim for no more than 10 minutes per pound to warm up.

For ham that is fully cooked (check the label again) and not spirally sliced, trim the skin first. Score through the layer of fat and make crosshatch marks. Place in a 325-350 degree oven, brush with some frosting if desired, and bake until heated through and internal temperature reaches 135 degrees. Again, don’t count on more than 10 minutes per pound. An 8 pounder takes 1 hour and 20 minutes. If you like, you can baste the ham with the gravy or a glaze while it is roasting.

Have a question? Contact Susan M. Selasky between 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Thursdays at 313-222-6432 or email [email protected]. Follow her @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.

Don’t just think of ham as a holiday meal! Stock them up when they’re on sale and keep them in your freezer. Read on for some tips on defrosting a ham.

How to defrost a ham

{Reference links are used in this post.}

Most hams you buy at the grocery store are not frozen. They are chilled and ready to cook. (Or fully cooked and ready to reheat, depending on the type of ham. But ham freezes really well! Here we think of ham mainly as a holiday dish, which means we eat a lot of it in November and December and again at Easter. But you can buy a ham or two to freeze when they’re on sale and have a ham whenever you want!The only trick is to make sure you thaw the ham safely.

Hams are like turkeys—they’re large cuts of meat, and they can take a long time to thaw. Your average ham weighs about 9 to 12 pounds, so it takes up less space in your refrigerator than a 12 to 18 pound turkey. But you still need to plan ahead to defrost the ham in time to cook it.

There are three safe ways to defrost ham.

Thaw ham in the refrigerator

This is the safest way to defrost ham, but it takes the longest. The temperature in your refrigerator (between 34-38 degrees F or 1-3 degrees C) is warm enough to thaw your ham, but still cold enough that any bacteria on your ham hasn’t woken up to start a party just yet to celebrate .

The ham should be on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Place it in a pan with a lip to catch any drips that may appear as it thaws. (A baking sheet like this works well. Or if your ham fits in a smaller pan, try a 9×13 baking pan.) Storing your ham in a container and on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator will minimize the chance Cross contamination of other foods in your fridge.

Thaw ham in a cooler

If you don’t have space in your fridge, you can defrost your ham in a cooler! Place the ham in a cooler and place the cooler somewhere away (ideally somewhere cool). Monitor the temperature in the radiator; If it starts to rise to 40 degrees F or more, add ice packs to keep the temperature between 35-40 degrees F (1-4 degrees C). I love these beverage coolers (this is how I defrost our turkeys). Styrofoam coolers work well too. You can stick the end of a probe thermometer right through the side of the radiator to monitor the temperature. Then set the alarm to notify you when the temperature hits 40 degrees F so you know to add some ice packs!

Ham thawed in the refrigerator can stay chilled for 3-5 days before cooking. It can be refrozen if you choose not to cook it within that time.

Defrost ham in cold water

If you forgot to take your ham out of the freezer in time, you can also defrost it in cold water. The water must be cold. If you use warm or hot water, the temperature of the outside of the ham will reach 4°C and above long before the inside of the ham has thawed. Temperatures above 4°C encourage bacterial growth and could expose your family to food poisoning.

To defrost a ham in cold water, make sure the ham is securely wrapped in an airtight bag. If the meat is exposed to the thawed water, it may absorb some of that water. This changes the flavor and texture of your ham. Bacteria present in the water or in the kitchen could also contaminate the ham.

Once your ham is securely wrapped, seal the sink, place the ham in the sink, and fill the sink with cold water. Empty the sink and change the water every 30 minutes.

Ham should be cooked in cold water immediately after defrosting. Ham that has been thawed in cold water should not be refrozen.

Thaw ham in the microwave

In a pinch, you can also defrost a ham in the microwave. This method is not usually recommended, especially for larger cuts of meat such as ham, turkey, and roasts. The outside of the meat will start cooking before the inside has thawed, leaving you with an unevenly cooked cut of meat. Parts may be over cooked and dry while other parts may be cooked just right.

If you plan to use your microwave to defrost a ham, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for your model and use the defrost settings. Ham should be cooked in the microwave immediately after defrosting. Ham that has been thawed in the microwave should not be refrozen.

How long to defrost ham

You should allow 4-5 hours of defrosting time for each pound of ham (and up to 7 hours per pound if you have a ham larger than 10-11 pounds). Defrosting a 10-pound ham takes 50-70 hours or 2-3 days in the refrigerator or in a cooler.

Allow about 30 minutes per pound of ham using the cold water method. (So ​​a 10-pound ham would take about 5 hours to defrost.)

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