Yummly
At Thanksgiving and Christmas, millions of families around the world gather around baked ham. But you don't have to wait for a special occasion. Baked ham is ideal, anytime you need to feed a crowd. And, if you're looking to impress, our baked ham with mojo sauce recipe won't let you down. _What is a baked ham?_ Ham refers to any slice of pork from a pig's back leg. A whole ham is the entire limb – from the hip to the knee. Most supermarket hams have been preserved and cooked. So, in preparing a baked ham, you're not cooking it, but infusing it with all-important flavor and heat. _What kind of baked ham should you buy?_ There's more than one kind of baked ham. For maximum flavor, go for a bone-in whole ham. If you're nervous about the complications of carving, choose a spiral-cut ham, which comes pre-sliced. Even easier to carve than a spiral ham is a boneless ham, but it's significantly less flavorful. Plus, once you've eaten a bone-in whole ham, you can use the bone for soup! Whole hams are preserved in one of two ways: wet-curing or dry-curing. The typical commercial ham – known as “city ham” – is wet-cured, which means it's been injected with brine. Less common is “country ham”, which is dry-cured. This process, which originated in France over 2,000 years ago, involves salting the ham, before hanging it to dry – for months or even years! Country hams are tastier than city hams, but they're also more expensive. _How big should your baked ham be?_ Too much baked ham is better than not enough. After all, you can easily add the leftover ham to sandwiches, pastas, pizzas and breakfasts. As a rule of thumb, for each guest, buy 3/4 to one pound of bone-in ham or 1/2 pound of boneless ham. In other words, to feed twenty people, you need 15-20 pounds of bone-in baked ham or 10 pounds of boneless baked ham. Just be sure that whatever you buy can fit in your roasting pan or baking dish. _How do you prepare baked ham?_ There's a cornucopia of baked ham recipes to try, including our mouthwatering baked ham with mojo sauce. Whichever you decide upon, preparation begins with scoring. Using a sharp knife, make diagonal cuts across the baked ham, creating a diamond pattern. The cuts should be an inch apart and 1/8 inch deep. Scoring a baked ham not only looks good, it also intensifies flavor, by allowing the glaze to seep into the meat. _How long does it take to cook baked ham?_ Cooking time varies, depending on size. Generally, for each pound of weight, the ham should spend 10 minutes in the oven. For a 15-pound baked ham, that's 150 minutes – or 2 ½ hours. But don't leave it to guesswork. After two hours, place a thermometer into the thickest section: If it reads 140º F internal temperature, your baked ham is ready; if not, it needs more time. Be sure to pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. _How do you keep a baked ham from becoming dry?_ Most baked ham recipes involve two elements: liquid (usually wine, stock or sauce) and glaze. To prevent dryness and keep the ham juicy, baste every 15-20 minutes, and, to prevent burning, don't glaze until 15-30 minutes before the baked ham is due to come out of the oven. _More baked ham recipes_ Most baked ham glazes include a sweet liquid, such as honey or maple syrup, and spices. Two of our most popular are here: [Honey Glazed Ham](https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Honey-Glazed-Ham-513530) [Glazed Easter Ham](https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Glazed-easter-ham-352702) This second one features a creative brown sugar glaze made up of not just brown sugar, but also mustard, Dr Pepper and apple cider vinegar, among other ingredients. Looking for side dishes? Try these: [Perfect Potatoes Au Gratin](https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Perfect-Potatoes-au-Gratin-The-Pioneer-Woman-Cooks-_-Ree-Drummond-41289) [Cheesy Baked Asparagus](https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Cheesy-Baked-Asparagus-1441599) [Deviled Egg Salad](https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Deviled-egg-salad-302525).
