5 Ways to Reheat Ham Without Drying It Out (2024)

Have a lot of ham leftovers from a holiday feast? To avoid any dry meat, our Test Kitchen likes to reheat precooked ham on the stove top.

By

Katlyn Moncada

5 Ways to Reheat Ham Without Drying It Out (1)

Katlyn Moncada is the associate food editor at BHG.com, sharing food news and tutorials on becoming better home cooks. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience in digital media, photography, and video production.

Updated on February 8, 2024

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5 Ways to Reheat Ham Without Drying It Out (2)

So you just finished eating a holiday feast complete with a juicy oven-roasted ham as the main course but ended up with a few extra pounds of ham leftover. Since it lasts up to a week in the fridge, you can easily makeover the juicy ham by adding it to a pot of soup or pasta, but sometimes you want another plain slice the next day that isn't dry or tough. Not to worry, reheating ham that's just as tasty as it was right out of the oven is possible. Use one of our Test Kitchen's methods to reheat cooked ham on the stove, oven, microwave, air fryer, or slow cooker that's still super juicy and flavorful.

How to Reheat Ham in the Oven

Preheat oven to 325°F. Arrange slices in a single layer on a greased baking pan. Add a couple of tablespoons of broth or water and cover with foil. Bake for about 10 minutes or until heated through, turning slices once.

How to Reheat Ham in the Microwave

Arrange slices in a single layer on a plate. If the dish is deep enough, add 1 tablespoon of broth or water. Cover slices with a damp paper towel and microwave 30 to 60 seconds or until heated through.

How to Reheat Ham on the Stove Top

Reheating ham via skillet is an easy way to get a few slices nice and hot in a flash. To reheat ham slices on the stove, add a few slices at a time to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add up to ½ cup of chicken broth to keep the meat moist or opt for a couple of tablespoons of butter or oil to give the ham a nice sear.

How to Reheat Ham in a Slow Cooker

The USDA doesn't recommend reheating leftovers in a slow cooker. Though if you're warming up pre-cooked ham, you can put it in your slow cooker to heat through with just enough water or broth to cover the bottom of the liner. Make sure the ham is kept at a minimum temperature of 140°F for safe consumption. You can also check the package for specific directions on timing and liquid amounts.

How to Reheat Ham in an Air Fryer

Our Test Kitchen recommends the following method for reheating ham in the air fryer. Wrap 6 to 8 ouncesof sliced leftover ham in aluminum foil.Preheat the air fryer to 325°F. Place the wrapped ham in the air fryer basket and heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until heated through. ( Wrapping in foil helps prevent the ham from drying out.)If you prefer crispy ham, preheat air fryer to 350/360°F.Arrange ham slices in a single layer in your air fryer basket (or tray).Air fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning after 2 minutes.

Enjoy those juicy reheated ham slices with your other leftover sides, with veggies, or fried eggs for a quick meal. Leftover ham is also delicious in sandwiches, casseroles, and pasta dishes.

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5 Ways to Reheat Ham Without Drying It Out (2024)

FAQs

5 Ways to Reheat Ham Without Drying It Out? ›

Reheating ham via skillet is an easy way to get a few slices nice and hot in a flash. To reheat ham slices on the stove, add a few slices at a time to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add up to ½ cup of chicken broth to keep the meat moist or opt for a couple of tablespoons of butter or oil to give the ham a nice sear.

How to reheat a ham without drying it out? ›

Place in an oven-safe baking dish. Cover top of ham with loosely wrapped aluminum foil to keep moisture in. Bake at 275 degrees F at 10 minutes per pound–or until meat thermometer reads 135 – 140 degrees.

How do I make sure my ham doesn't dry out? ›

How do you bake a ham without drying it out? Spiral cut hams should be covered with aluminum foil to help retain moisture when re heating. You could also place a foil pan with water underneath the ham to create some steam inside the oven to keep everything moist.

How do you keep ham warm and moist? ›

First, before placing the ham in the oven, wrap the top of the pan with aluminum foil. This helps to retain the moisture that you added as well because the juices won't escape while baking, keeping the area where your ham is cooking moist.

How do you make leftover ham moist? ›

How to Reheat Ham in the Microwave. Arrange slices in a single layer on a plate. If the dish is deep enough, add 1 tablespoon of broth or water. Cover slices with a damp paper towel and microwave 30 to 60 seconds or until heated through.

How do you heat a spiral ham without drying it out? ›

Oven-Baked Spiral Ham

Since the ham is already cooked, your goal is to thoroughly heat it without drying it out. That means you'll want to opt for low and slow cooking rather than high and fast heat. That said, there isn't one perfect temperature to set your oven at – anywhere in the range of 250ºF to 350ºF will work.

What liquid keeps ham moist? ›

You can use water, but if you want to add more flavor, you should use wine or beef, chicken, or vegetable stock. Most of this liquid will cook off, but your tinfoil cover will help your meat absorb those juices.

Why is my ham slimy but no smell? ›

An “off” texture: One of the first signs of spoilage is best described as a texture that just looks weird. If your ham appears dully or somewhat slimy, it's likely that the early stages of spoilage have kicked in.

How do you moisten dry Christmas ham? ›

Soak a Ham Bag, pillowcase or tea towel in 4 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Wring out excess water and place ham in the Ham Bag, pillowcase or wrap in tea towel. Store in coolest part of fridge. Re-soak bag in solution every few days or when Ham Bag dries out.

Should ham be room temp before heating? ›

While baking a show-stopping ham is simple and easy, be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to bring the ham to room temperature for an hour (for even heat distribution) as well as up to 2 1/2 hours to bake it long, low and slow, depending on your ham's size.

Why is my ham so wet? ›

Slimy ham is a sign of bacterial growth, so don't consume it if it's wet or oily. Some bacteria may cause ham to become sticky, too. In any case, avoid ham that doesn't feel right in your hand.

How do you keep a smoked ham moist? ›

To keep the ham moist, cover it in foil for part of the reheating and/or add some liquid, such as broth apple cider, or a mix, to the pan and baste the ham while it cooks.

How to reheat ham without drying it out? ›

The goal is to reheat the ham without drying it out. The best way to do this is to place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan. Add water to the bottom of the pan and cover the whole thing tightly with foil. Bake at 325F for 16-20 minutes per pound, until a meat thermometer registers 135F.

How do I make sure my ham is not dry? ›

Instead: Cook your ham in chicken broth, orange juice, or cider vinegar to avoid your ham coming out dry. You can also add some herbs such as sage to the liquid to add even more flavor to the ham.

Should I warm up a Honey Baked Ham? ›

HoneyBaked Ham® and Turkey Breasts are best served directly from the refrigerator – simply thaw and they're ready for the table. If you prefer your meat warmed, gently heat on low heat, only by the slice, not heating the entire ham or turkey breast. Heating may cause the meat to dry out and lose flavor.

What is the best way to cook a precooked ham? ›

If the ham is labeled "fully cooked" (does not require heating), heat it in the oven for about 10 minutes per pound, or to an internal temperature of 140 F. If the ham is labeled "cook before eating," heat in an oven set no lower than 325 F to an internal temperature of at least 145 F.

How long to cook precooked ham at 400 degrees? ›

OVEN METHOD FOR HEATING HAM

BAKE AT 325 DEGREES F FOR 16-20 MINUTES PER POUND, UNTIL A MEAT THERMOMETER REGISTERS 135 DEGREES F. UNWRAP THE HAM AND APPLY THE GLAZE; INCREASE THE HEAT TO 400 DEGREES F AND BAKE FOR 15-20 MINUTES LONGER UNTIL THE GLAZE IS BURNISHED.

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