How Long to Cook Ham

How Long to Cook Ham How Long to Cook Ham The length of cooking time for ham depends on the size of the ham, as well as whether it is boneless or with bones and whether it is cooked, uncooked or partially cooked. If you want to prepare a ham dish but do not know the exact cooking time, then this article will help you to learn different cooking times for hams in different cases.

Length of time to cook a precooked or smoked ham

SMOKED HAM, cook-before-eating

Whole, bone in of 10 to 14lbs should be cooked for 18 to 20 Minutes/lb
Half, bone in of 5 to 7 lbs should be cooked for 22 to 25 minutes/lb
Shank or Butt Portion, bone in of 3 to 4lbs should be cooked for35 to 40 minutes/lb
Arm Picnic Shoulder, boneless of 5 to 8 lbs should be cooked for 30 to 35 minutes/lb
Shoulder Roll (Butt), boneless of 2 to 4 lbs should be cooked for 35 to 40 minutes/lb

SMOKED HAM, cooked

Whole, bone in of 10 to 14 lbs should be cooked for15 to 18 minutes/lb
Half, bone in of 5 to 7lbs should be cooked for18 to 24 minutes/lb
Arm Picnic Shoulder, boneless of 5 to 8 lbs should be cooked for 25 to 30 minutes/lb
Canned ham, boneless of 3 to 10lbs should be cooked for 5 to 20 minutes/lb
Vacuum packed, boneless of 6 to 12lbs should be cooked for 10 to 15 minutes/lb
Spiral cut, whole or half of 7 to 9 lbs should be cooked for 10 to 18 minutes/lb

Canned Hams

Canned ham must be cooked at 325 degrees F, by weight.
1 1/2 to 2 Lbs should be cooked for 23 to 25 min. per a pound
3 lb should be cooked for 21 to 23 min. per a pound
5 lb should be cooked for 17 to 20 min. per a pound.

Another estimate

You can also cook the ham for approx. 15 minutes per pound at 350 degrees.

Length of time to cook a fresh ham

Cut Weight (lbs) Minutes per lb

Whole leg, bone-in of 12 to 16 lbs. should be cooked for 22 to 26 minutes per lb.
Whole leg, boneless 10 to 14 lbs should be cooked for 24 to 28 minutes per lb.
Half, bone-in of 5 to 8 lbs should be cooked for 35 to 40 minutes per lb. How Long to Cook Ham31 How Long to Cook Ham

Cooking by Temperature

Though the cooking temperature will vary depending upon the recipe, Hams should preferably be cooked at 135 °F or until the thermometer reads 140 °F.

Adjusting the Final Temperature

At the rarest, fresh ham is cooked for approximately 22 to 25 minutes per pound at 140 °F. As you know that your meat will continue to cook even after you remove it from the oven so you can take it out about 5 °F below what you want the internal temp to be.

The best way to determine the meat has been fully cooked is to check for its doneness. Following are the ways that you can use to check the meat for doneness:

Poke a fork into the meat and see if it easily penetrates into it.
The meat will begin to get separated from the bones
When meat thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the cut it should show a temperature of o160°F for uncooked or partially cooked ham and 140°F for a fully cooked ham

It is important to note that an overcooked ham looses its juices that reduces the flavor of the meat, hence over cooking should be avoided. At the same time if the meat is not properly cooked then it should be cooked further to the proper doneness so that it’s safe to eat.