High heat is the enemy of moist ham. If you blast it at 350°F with no protection, your ham will weep all its juices into the pan and turn into a leather shoe. We’ve all been there. It’s sad.
Ham Cooking Temperature Chart | Free Download
Instead, cook it low and slow, covered in foil for most of the time. I’m talking 275°F to 325°F. Let it take its sweet, sodium-rich time.
For a 10-pound ham, give yourself about 15 to 18 minutes per pound. That’s roughly two and a half hours. Enough time to drink a bottle of wine and forget you’re cooking. Perfect.
The Glaze: A Sugary Temptress
Everyone wants a shiny, Instagram-worthy ham. But here’s the shocking truth: glazes—brown sugar, honey, pineapple—can burn before the ham is heated through. They’re full of sugar, and sugar turns into charcoal at high temps.
My advice? Apply the glaze only in the last 30 minutes of cooking. Crank the heat up to 400°F for the final stretch, and baste every 10 minutes like you’re worshiping a sticky deity.
This gives you a caramelized crust without turning your ham into a carbonized relic. Your guests will weep with joy. Or they’ll be drunk. Same thing.
