Let’s start with the non-negotiable: a meat thermometer is your best friend. Forget the pop-up plastic timer that came with the ham—it’s about as reliable as a weather forecast for next week. You want an instant-read thermometer, the kind that gives you a digital answer in seconds.
For a fully cooked ham (which most store-bought hams are), you’re just reheating it to a safe, delicious temperature. The USDA says 140°F is the magic number for a pre-cooked ham. For a raw or fresh ham, you need to cook it to an internal temperature of 145°F, then let it rest for three minutes.
Always insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the ham, avoiding the bone. The bone conducts heat differently, so you’ll get a false reading. This is where amateur hams go wrong—they check the edge and declare victory too early.
