If you’re making a ham this Easter, there’s a good chance you have no idea what to do with it.
The good news is that most hams that Americans buy at the supermarket for Easter Sunday are known as city hams, which are precooked. They’re wet-cured hams that are technically safe to eat as-is, without even heating them up. All you have to do is:
Cut the ham free from the package, cover it in foil and reheat it to a good serving temperature.
To heat, slide it in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes per pound, depending on the type of ham (whole or half, bone-in or no bone; these specifics are outlined here).
Make sure the internal temperature has reached 145 degrees, the proper temperature for serving ham without leaving cold spots or drying out the meat.
But how do you know the ham has reached 145 degrees? Are you some sort of wizard?
All you need on hand is a meat thermometer. Our favorite is a digital instant-read thermometer, because it’s fast, sleek and relatively affordable. Your next option is a traditional instant-read thermometer, which is usually a little more affordable but takes longer to measure temperature than the digital version. The third type is a probe-style digital thermometer, which can be inserted into your ham with a wire leading out of the oven door to a digital display that monitors the temperature. It’s a little clunkier, but it gets the job done.
A few of our favorites are below. Order one now and you’ll be happy you have it on Easter! (And Thanksgiving, and literally every other time you cook meat.)
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