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Bone in roast ham on a white serving plate with fresh thyme.

How to Bake Ham Perfectly

  • Author: Christine Pittman
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 12-16 servings 1x
  • Category: Entrée
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

DESCRIPTION

A perfectly baked ham is simpler than you might think—here’s everything you need to know to make it like a pro!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 (7- to 8-lb.) ham (see note)
  • 3/4 cup orange marmalade
  • 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven.
  2. Line a large shallow roasting pan with foil. Put the ham flat side down in the pan and trim any fat to a thin layer. Loosely cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the marmalade, butter, thyme, coriander, and cinnamon, stirring occasionally until the marmalade and butter melt together and the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Set aside 1/2 cup of the marmalade mixture and leave the rest in the saucepan.
  4. Baste the ham with the glaze mixture in the saucepan. Continue to bake, loosely covered with foil and basting with the saucepan mixture or pan juices every 15 or 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 130°F, 15 to 18 minutes per pound total cooking time.
  5. Remove the ham from the oven, cover tightly with foil, and set aside for 30 minutes (the temperature will increase to about 140°F).
  6. Meanwhile, increase the oven to 475°F.
  7. Pour off any liquid in the baking pan and brush the ham with the reserved 1/2 cup of glaze. Roast until the glaze gets nicely caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes.
  8. Carve and serve immediately.

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Notes

  •  I prefer bone-in and spiral-sliced, but this recipe will work for boneless or bone-in and for spiral-sliced or not.