Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: Make Chopped Spiral Ham
• Part 2 of 2: Cut the spiral cut ham into slices
• Tips
• What do you need

Ham is often sold with a spiral cut almost all the way to the center, making it easy to chop and serve. Ham can be pre-cooked, partially cooked or raw, so it is important to read the label carefully.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Make Chopped Spiral Ham

1. 1 Defrost the ham if necessary. If you bought frozen ham, leave it in an airtight container and thaw for about two or three days in the refrigerator. A small piece of ham can be dipped in cold water and thawed in two to three hours, replacing the water with fresh water every half hour.
   • You can also cook frozen ham, but this will take about one and a half times longer than for already thawed meat.
2. 2 Examine the label. Check the information on the label. In most cases, the spiral sliced ​​ham is ready to eat, but you still need to follow the instructions below to reheat it properly. If it says that it is prepared for cooking, then it must be prepared before eating it.
3. 3 Wrap the ham and baking sheet in aluminum foil. Remove all store packaging from the meat and wrap it in foil to preserve the juice during cooking. The baking sheet should also be wrapped in foil.
   • If you don't like dry ham, place a second baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and pour water into it.
4. 4 Prepare the ham. Place the ham on a baking sheet, cut side down. Preheat the oven and watch the time by checking the edges of the ham every 20 minutes:
   • If the ham is already ready to eat, then you just need to warm it up. To keep the meat juicy, it will take 20 minutes to heat every 500 grams of food at a temperature of about 120 ° C. Heat the meat for about 10 minutes for every 500 grams of food at a temperature of about 175 ° C if you want to speed up the process, and do not worry about losing some juice. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer. It should reach around 50 ºC.
   • If the meat prepared for cookingmeans the ham is partially raw and the internal temperature of the finished product must be brought to at least 60 ° C.After that, the meat must be removed from the oven and left for about three minutes so that the ham reaches and is completely ready for use. Typically for every 500 grams of ham you need about 20 minutes at 160ºC.
   • Fresh (raw) ham is rarely sold spirally cut, but if you encounter this exception, cook it for about 25 minutes for every 500 grams of product at 160 ° C. The internal temperature of the cooked meat should be around 60 ° C. After that, you need to let the dish rest for a few minutes before slicing.
5. 5 Cover the ham with icing. This is best done about 30 minutes before the meat is completely cooked or when the raw ham reaches an internal temperature of about 60 ° C. Spread the glaze over the ham with a special brush or knife, and then put the meat in the oven for another thirty minutes.
   • In most cases, a special powder glaze comes with the ham bought in the store, which you just need to dilute with water.
   • To make a simple frosting recipe yourself, mix equal parts brown sugar and frosting. For a sweet glaze, use honey mustard, or Dijon mustard for a sour taste.

Part 2 of 2: Cut the spiral cut ham into slices

1. 1 Slice the ham along the natural seam. Place the ham, cut side up, on a cutting board and carefully examine the pink surface. The meat has three visible “seams” of connective tissue between the muscles, pink in color. She is usually white or reddish pink in color. Slice the ham along one of these seams from the outside edge to the center.
   • For best results, use a flexible meat cleaver with cut ovals or scallops near the edge of the blade.
   • Some boneless ham, which is made up of minced meat, may not have visible seams. In this case, you need to cut from any point on the edge to the center, and then repeat the process twice to cut the piece into three pieces.
2. 2 Slice the ham along the second muscle seam. If there is a bone inside the meat, then cut it in a circle until you reach the second muscle suture. Cut along this seam towards the edge to make the first portion of the slices.
3. 3 Cut the third seam. The last seam divides the remaining ham into two portions of slices. Trim the bone in a circle to separate them. Place slices of ham on a platter or serve on a serving platter to guests.
   • If the ham slices are large, cut the stack of slices in half before serving.

Tips

• If you are not going to use the spiral ham immediately after slicing, store the meat in the freezer to avoid degrading the quality of the product.
• The most delicious ham is usually cooked on the bone and contains almost no excess water, although it costs more. You can check the water content as a percentage on the label, or study the labeling system for ham in Russia:
  • Ham: does not contain water
  • Ham with natural juices: less than 8% water
  • Ham with water: less than 10% water
  • Ham and aquatic product: more than 10% water

What do you need

• Whole or half ham
• Sharp carving knife
• Cutting board
• Oven
• Meat thermometer
• Baking tray
• Glaze