Spiral Ham suggestions

[maslex]

Usually for Christmas dinner we head over to my SIL's house. Her mom will buy a turkey and a spiral ham and SIL cooks it. The spiral ham usually has this clove glaze on it that I find . It's a really strong taste. Actually last year, SIL decided she was going to make her "own gravy" for the ham. She basically dumped a can of fruit cocktail in a pan to warm up. Nobody ate it. Not even her.

Usually when I cook a ham I get a shank or butt portion. I just find they taste better. But since the ham is already bought and it's spiral, I'm kind of stuck. I want to make a pineapple/brown sugar glaze like I do for a regular ham. But I want to cook it so it's not dry. I know not to over cook it, since it's really cooked already. But I'm wondering if I should cut off all the slices and put them in a crock pot with the pineapple/brown sugar glaze? Or should I cook it whole in the oven?

No matter which way I cook it, I'm going to slice it all up BEFORE going to SIL's house and just have it ready to go. Usually when we get there, SIL is running all around trying to get last minute things done for dinner and I just don't want to be in the way trying to cut the ham up. Plus it's a small kitchen. So if I end up cutting it up and cooking it the crock pot, that would work great. I would just bring the crock pot over to her house and set it to warm. But if I cook it whole in the oven, I'll slice it up before going to her house and keep it in her "warming oven" until ready to eat.

So has anyone ever sliced up the spiral ham before hand and cooked in the crock pot? How did it come out? And how long did you cook it for? I'm assuming on low?

 

[Gigi22]

Haven't done this myself, but my slow cooker cookbook suggests to put a whole boneless 3-4 lb. ham in the cooker with 1/4 c. water, cover and cook on low until thermometer inserted in the center registers 140 degrees F., about 2-3 hrs. They also suggest serving the ham with a fruit salsa or mustard, instead of trying to glaze the ham. Since you are cutting up the ham, how about heating it up whole, then cutting the meat off the bone? I'd be afraid of it either drying up or falling apart if I heated it in pieces.

 

[Christine]

No, don't put the ham, sliced, in a crockpot and then attempt to heat and glaze. The ham will dry out pretty quickly.

I am not sure I understand with what is wrong with warming the spiral ham up as is. Why does something need to be put on it. Most spiral hams come with a glazed/sugared "crust" by the manufacturer. Some do a better job of it than others.

I understand what you mean about the cloves. It is a bit much for me too.

 

[anniemae]

I also don't think I would slice then put in crock pot, I would use her warming oven.

when I buy ham, it always comes with a brown sugar glaze packet that is good. You just add some water heat it and brush on the ham. I suppose you could place some sliced pineapple on there too. If you did it all at home in the morning then sliced and brought it over, I think that would be fine.

 

[ronandannette]

OP, you are cooking the ham this year and taking it to you SIL's for dinner? Sorry, I am a little confused by your first post.

If it's just a matter of transporting your ham and keeping it warm - try this:

Bake and glaze it as normal in a roasting pan with a tight lid. Take it out of the oven just before you are ready to leave the house and wrap the entire roaster in an old comforter. It will stay hot (and juicy) for an hour this way and warm enough to serve for probably 3 hours if you don't disturb it. I used to cater small events often where there were no cooking facilities and the meal had to be transported in from off-site. This trick never failed for ham!

 

[TheIncredibles!]

I hate spiral hams because I think they are always so dry. . I bake my hams for Christmas in a big Reynolds turkey bag with a mixture in the bag to baste it. You can try that and see if it helps. I used one last year that had brown sugar, crushed pineapple and bourbon that was great.....but now I cant find the recipe. Grrrr

 

[maleficent32]

This is how I do my spiral ham, it comes out moist and delicious every time.

Follow the time on the directions but cook it in an oven bag.
Take the glaze, the Smithfield ones have the glaze already made, but if yours just has the spice packet cook it following the directions.
To the glaze add orange juice and mustard and pour it on the ham. Cut a few small holes in bag and pop in the oven.

You can use whatever glaze ingredients you want, but cooking it in the bag will keep it very moist.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

I buy SAMs spiral ham with the packet of glaze. The instructions are to bake face down wrap in foil on 250*, so many minutes per pound. I would keep it wrapped in the foil travel to her home and put the glaze on there. It's 15 min on 400* or so. Take it over to a counter or table to cut. It is three "C" sections into the ham and they lay right out. The slicing shouldn't take but a few minutes. Put wrap over to keep warm.

We like horse radish on the side. I keep some dripping of the ham honey topping for those that want the Au juice on the top.