Exact Answer: 18-20 Minutes
A ham is a traditional non-vegetarian dish popular for its use on festive occasions. The meat from the top of the back leg of the pig helps to make ham. The meat is then specially curated to last longer than usual.
Ham being a pork product, is popularly called red meat. It is preserved using salt or smoke, although its process may differ. The meat is high in protein but has low amounts of carbs, fats,
and fiber.
Ham is also rich in phosphorous, zinc, copper, and iron. Although cured ham does not need to be cooked much, fresh ham has to be properly cooked.
How Long To Cook A Ham Per Pound?
| Type of Ham | Time Taken |
| Pre-cooked and Bone-in Ham | 15-18 minutes per pound |
| Pre-cooked and Boneless Ham | 10-18 minutes per pound |
| Uncooked and Bone-in-Ham | 18-20 minutes per pound |
| Uncooked and Boneless Ham | 30-35 minutes per pound |
There are various types of ham available in that market. A consumer has the option to buy either cooked ham or pre-cooked ham from the market. There are also options to select from boneless ham or bone-in ham.
If a pre-cooked bone-in half ham is purchased from the market weighing between 5-7 pounds, it would take 18-24 minutes per pound. Conversely, if it is whole ham weighing between 10-14 pounds, it needs to be cooked for 15-18 minutes per pound.
If a consumer buys boneless ham which is pre-cooked and weighs between 6-12 pounds, it would take 10-18 minutes per pound to cook properly.
Uncooked ham takes more time than the cooked ham for very obvious reasons. Uncooked half bone-in ham which weighs between 5-7 pounds, requires roasting for 22-25 minutes. Although, if it is a full ham weighing between 10-14 pounds, it would require 18-20 minutes for preparation.
There is also uncooked ham which is also boneless. The boneless ham shall weigh between 5-8 pounds and require roasting for about 30-35 minutes per pound.
There also might be some time required for glazing the ham. Such glazing would help add flavor to the dish. The ham needs to be glazed with a brush along its surface for at least 10 minutes before the ham is roasted in the oven.
Why Does It Take So Long To Cook A Ham?
A good meal requires perfection. Perfection comes from selecting proper ingredients, the correct mix of ingredients, and cooking it for an appropriate period. Cooking or hating your dish is a very crucial stage. Both undercooked and over-cooked food can be harmful to the body.
A ham feels heavenly if cooked properly. It has to be cooked with perfect attention so that it does get cooked properly inside out. Ham is a thick piece of meat and for the inside to be cooked properly, that has to be cooked for longer.
The weight of the pound is an important determinant of the time for which the ham shall be cooked. Similarly, the fact whether the ham is pre-cooked or not also has a say in determining the time. The presence of bones in the ham also affects the cooking of the meat.
While cooking the ham, it has to reach a certain temperature in the interior of the meat. A food temperature can be used to check whether the ham has reached that temperature in its insides.
If the ham is pre-cooked, it has to attain an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Though if the ham is uncooked, it would have to be cooked further and reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Conclusion
Cooking a ham would require roasting it for at least 18-20 minutes per pound. Overall, preparation of ham would require nearly two to three hours assuming a ham ould be between 7 to 8 pounds. This includes the time for preparation for cooking the ham such as glazing it before roasting and garnishing it after cooking it.
Cooking ham requires it to be heated appropriately for the heat to reach its interiors. Unless the internal part of the ham has attained the desired temperature, it will not be fit to eat. It tastes great when it is cooked for an exact period.
