how to cook a ham in a roaster

Whether you get a precooked or fresh ham; you can prepare a delicious roast to your family and loved ones by using an electric roaster oven. Ham is probably one of the easiest meals to cook, and using a roaster oven makes it even easier and faster. Just wrap some foil around and put it in the electric roaster. You better concentrate more on the side dishes as you don't have to do much about the ham. Keep in mind that you can also arrange additional meals with the leftovers afterwards; sandwiches and omelets as being the most popular ones.

No More Dry Ham

One thing that is great about the roaster ovens that you don't have to worry about the ham getting dried out. If you cook it in a regular oven, then you have to pay extra attention to the overall temperature to prevent it from losing all its moisture. However, electric roaster ovens keep all the steam inside, that's why you always get the juiciest meat out of them. I guarantee that you will never have a dry one if you cook it with a roaster oven.

Step by Step Ham Cooking in a Roaster Oven

There are many methods that you can use for cooking a ham, but using a roaster oven is obviously the best one. Roasting is very similar to baking in the sense that they both take advantage of dry heat. The tricky part is the sealed steam inside the roster oven that keeps all the juices and flavors.

Step 1: Get yourself some ham to cook! Before you hit the store, you should learn about all the available ham varieties if you don't already know. They come boneless, bone-in, whole or half, and spiral cut. Plus, you can get them pre-cooked, half-cooked, or fresh. Having said that the most popular one is the wet-cured ham in the US, and bone-in is everyone's favorite because it tends to cook more tender and moister. However, if you go to Italy, then you will notice that the dry-cured ones are more popular. It is just a personal taste.

After you decide on what type of ham you want, you also have to decide how much ham you need. For boneless hams, you will need 1/4 pound per person, and for bone-in hams you would need 1/2 pound per person.

Step 2: Now that you came back from the store, it is time to prepare the ham for cooking. Put multiple layers of foil on the countertop, and then put the ham on it. Season as you like, but don't get overboard as we will also apply glaze. A simple mixture of ground black pepper, salt, and powder garlic is usually enough. Feel free to be creative; it is your ham. Wrap the ham with the foil, but leave the top part open, so that we can apply glaze later on.

Step 3: Preheat the electric roaster oven to 325°F. It usually takes about 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 4: We always cook the ham on the rack that comes with the roaster oven, do not put it directly on the pan inside. Add about 4 cups of water to the roasting pan, then place the rack on top. Next, put the foil wrapped ham on the rack. Water should reach around to 1/3 of meat's height from the sides.

Step 5: Attach the meat thermometer to the center of the ham. You definitely need a quality meat thermometer if you are planning to cook large size meats in your roaster oven. Don't forget to close the lid.

Step 6: If you want to apply glaze, then do so when the meat temperature shows 100°F. Some hams do come glaze applied, and some includes glaze packets inside that you can warm on the stovetop. You can use the glaze packets or prepare one fast yourself; it is up to you.

How Do You Glaze a Cooked Ham?

Mix 2 tablespoons of mustard of your choice (preferably Dijon), one cup of orange juice, and a half cup of maple syrup well in a small pan on medium heat. Use a silicone brush and apply over ham. Apply 20 minutes before you take it out of the oven or when the thermometer shows 100°F, the ham will look and taste amazing.

Step 7: If you are using a precooked ham, as it is usually the case, then the ham will be ready when it reaches to 140°F.

How Long Does It Take to Cook Ham in An Electric Roaster?

Cooking time depends on the size and type of the ham. In general, it takes under 2 hours to cook an 8 pounds of ham in an electric roaster oven. The table below lists ham cooking times in roaster oven for various sizes and types for your reference.

Do You Have to Boil a Ham Before Baking?

If you purchase a fresh ham, then you definitely need to boil it prior to cooking. This helps to prevent it from getting dried while cooking. However, this step is not necessary if you bake it in a roaster oven. We fill the roaster pan with water up to the point that 1/3 of the ham is covered with it. In addition, the roaster oven can circulate the moisture inside, keeping the ham juicy at all times.

How Can You Tell If the Ham is Cooked?

Best way to check the doneness of the ham is to use a meat thermometer. Internal temperature should reach to 160°F for a well-done ham. Make sure to check the temperature level from the center of the meat, otherwise you might get a wrong measurement. It makes a big difference if the ham is precooked or not. Since you are only reheating, 140°F is enough for a precooked ham.

In Conclusion

An electric roaster oven provides the perfect environment for cooking ham, much like the Thanksgiving turkey , which is another delicacy to enjoy over big family dinners. In the end, cooking tasty ham in the electric roaster oven is a great way to enjoy holidays or a Sunday evening. It is a fast-forward delicious meal, meaning that you don't have to do much to prepare it. Actually, the hardest part is to stop eating the juicy ham that comes out of the roaster oven.