Reheating Spiral Ham

You can reheat spiral tam using an air fryer, microwave, or stove. To keep the spiral sliced ham moist during the heating process, you need a meat thermometer and a kitchen timer. Only heat ham, not cook it all over again. 

Overheating ham compromises its natural state and taste. Choose any method below that leaves your ham moist and tender. There are different cuts and types of ham to choose and store your leftover ham properly so you can enjoy it.

Grocery stores supply multiple brands of fully cooked ham with package instructions for reheating. If the instructions are not user-friendly, you can still use any of the methods below. When heating spiral-sliced ham, place it cut side down in a baking dish. Cover tightly with foil to preserve moisture. Place the ham in an oven bag as an alternative. 

Slow Cooker

Using a slow cooker to heat a pre-cooked ham maintains its moisture. It also gives you better results when making a casserole. If the ham is uncooked, put the ham in a large slow cooker, and add 1 cup of cola, stock, or water. Heat the ham on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until it hits 140 degrees Fahrenheit for a “fully cooked” ham or 145 degrees Fahrenheit for a “cook before eating” ham.

Steps

1. Place the ham in your slow cooker, splash some chicken broth, water, or any form of a liquid of your choice. 
2. Heat on low for 5–8 hours, depending on the size of your ham. A big piece of ham takes more time. 
3. Leave extra time between cooking and serving time to glaze the ham.
4. To glaze, switch to the oven. Turn your oven to broil, cover the ham with the glaze, and broil for 10 minutes or until the glaze starts to bubble. Do not overdo it, or you will lose the moisture.

Cooking Bag

Cooking bags are a better method to maintain moisture when cooking ham. Splash some flour around the inside of the bag before placing the ham in it. Cut some small openings to release excess steam in the bag before putting it into the oven.

Steps

1. Roast, face-down, at 250F for 10 minutes per pound, or until a thermometer is at 100F. 
2. Remove it from the oven, turn the bag halfway, and apply half of your glaze. 
3. Switch the temperature up to 350F and heat for about 10 minutes. 
4. Swab the ham in the leftover glaze before serving.

Frying pan

A frying pan is one of the most effective methods for reheating your ham slices. The process is simple but be careful not to overcook the ham.

Steps

1. Preheat a frying pan greased with cooking oil over medium heat.
2. Place the ham slices in the pan. Lower the ham slices into the pan to avoid oil splatters. If you have many ham slices of ham, distribute them evenly to avoid overcrowding. 
3. Heat the ham slices for 3-4 minutes, on each side or until they reach your desired temperature. 
4. Once the ham slices are warm, remove them from the frying pan.
5. Serve and enjoy.

Microwave

A microwave is another way to reheat your ham. It makes your ham slices warm again in a few minutes. It dries out your food.

Steps

1. Put the ham slices on a microwaveable tray. Arrange them in a single layer, so they do not overlap. Give enough space between the ham slices so that each ham slice heats.
2. Cover the ham slices with a damp paper towel to keep the moisture. If your microwave-safe dish has sides, add a tablespoon of water or broth to add more moisture. Never use aluminium foil in the microwave (reuters.com).
3. Microwave for 30 seconds.
4. Flip the ham slices over to heat all sides.
5. Heat for another 30 seconds. 
6. Check the ham’s temperature, touch a piece of ham and taste it to see if it is warm. Be careful so that you do not burn your tongue. Repeat until the ham is hot.
7. Remove the ham from the microwave and uncover it.
8. Serve and enjoy.

Air fryer

Leave the ham slices to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes for better results. That helps protein in the meat relax, making it easier to warm through (teka.com). If your air fryer basket is larger, you can reheat more ham at once, but you may have to add a few minutes to the cooking time or reheat in batches. If your ham is extra dry, seal the dish with foil on top after adding water to trap in all of the moisture.

1. Turn the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the ham slices on a baking sheet-sized dish with water or broth.
3. Cook for about 2.5 minutes
4. Turn them over, and cook for another 2.5 minutes.
5. Repeat the process until desired results.
6. Let it cool for a minute.
7. Serve.

Best method of reheating spiral ham

The oven is the best way to reheat spiral ham. If the ham is labelled cooked, you are only heating, not cooking again. It takes 10mins to heat precooked ham at 140 degrees F. If the ham is labelled “cook before eating,” heat it to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit in an oven, set no lower than 325 degrees Fahrenheit. It takes more minutes or even an hour, depending on the gadget.

1. Remove all the packaging, and set it aside. Let the ham come up to room temperature before putting it into the oven.
2. Place the ham, face-side down, in a roasting pan, and cover tightly with heavy-duty foil.
3. Slide a second pan filled with water or stock into the oven underneath the rack where the ham is.
4. Set the temperature at 275 degrees Fahrenheite and heat for 10 minutes per pound. 
5. Be sure your meat thermometer reads 140F before removing the ham from the oven.
6. Serve.

Storage

If you have spiral ham leftovers, refrigerate and eat within five days. If you still want to have your ham after five days, put it in the freezer, and stay for up to six weeks. To serve after freezing, thaw in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours and consume within the next two days. A big chunk of ham lasts 1 to 2 months if wrapped properly.

If you are reheating frozen ham, defrost it before reheating. To defrost your frozen ham faster, place it in a basin filled with cold water and submerge it thoroughly. Every 30 minutes, change the water.

Safe Temperatures

Reheat spiral ham in a 325-to-350 degree oven until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees.

FAQs

How do you maintain moisture?

As you unwrap your pre-cooked ham, the ham loses moisture as the juices flow out. To avoid that, use it on the bottom of your roasting pan or add some chicken stock to the pan to create a shallow pool. Rewrap the ham with heavy-duty aluminium foil, making sure the foil is tight around the ham. No heat escapes from the ham. If the ham comes wrapped in foil, do not unwrap it.

How do you keep a spiral ham from drying out while reheating It?

Wrap it in aluminium foil and bake it for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove the aluminium foil and cover with plastic wrap if you prefer to reheat it in the microwave. 

When cooking a spiral ham, should you cover it?

Yes, cover it to keep it moist. Cover with foil and place spiral ham cut-side down on the tray. Bake the ham until it is just warmed through, about 10 minutes per pound. 

Is it possible to eat uncooked ham?

If you eat uncooked ham, you can develop trichinosis (trichinellosis). The undercooked meat might be infected with Trichinella roundworms (cleverlandclinic.org). Ham sold to consumers is cured, smoked, or baked, meaning you can eat it right out of the refrigerator. 

Other hams are for improved flavour and texture. Ham that is not ready to eat should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F and rested for at least three minutes before chopping and serving.