Wondering how to bake a spiral ham? This simple orange glazed ham uses a spiral ham from Costco and transforms it into a gorgeous holiday ham. How to cook a Costco ham is simple and just a few extra ingredients are needed to create this showstopper!
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Have you ever picked up a store-bought spiral ham and thought,”What can I do with this?” In the time it takes to preheat your oven, you can transform this plain spiral ham into a showstopper holiday delight.
Using the seasoning packet that comes with the ham, you’ll just need a few other ingredients to glaze the ham. The orange glaze comes together easily to create an amazing topping that is roasted with the ham and served on the side.
Transforming this simple Costco ham is a perfect way to create a special holiday dinner!
What do I need to cook a Costco ham?
- Store-Bought, fully cooked spiral ham – I purchased this one at Costco, but most retailers like Target, Walmart and other supermarkets carry spiral hams during the holidays. This ham is fully cooked, pre-sliced and includes a glaze packet.
- Glaze seasoning packet that comes with the ham – this ham comes with a gold-foil seasoning packet. We will use this seasoning in the orange glaze.
- Sweet orange marmalade – this store-bought jam is a great base for this glaze. It includes orage zest which gives the ham a wonderful flavor.
- Orange juice – the juice adds additional citrus flavor to the glaze.
- Honey – the honey comes together with the marmalade to help sweeten the glaze.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe. Thanks!
How do I make the orange glaze for the ham?
This orange glaze comes together quickly and easily. To make, add the seasoning packet from the spiral ham, orange marmalade, juice and honey to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat and whisk together for all ingredients to come together.
Once the glaze begins to bubble, continue to heat for a couple more minutes, then remove from heat. This glaze takes maybe 5 minutes total to make.
Reserve half of the glaze in a seperate container to serve alongside the ham.
Unwrap your spiral ham and place into a baking dish or pan. Spoon the remaining glaze over the over the ham until its well coat on all sides of the ham.
Baking a Spiral Ham
Once you’ve added the orange glaze to the ham, it can go right into the oven. Here are some tips I recommend for heating a pre-cooked spiral ham from Costco:
- Place the baking dish or pan on the second-lowest rack in the oven. This allows the ham to evenly heat on all sides, without the top portion becoming overbrowed.
- Place the ham wide-side or cut-side down. This will help the main portion of the ham to hold in moisture and juiciness without drying out.
- Monitor the teperature with an instant-read digital meat thermometer. Because this meat is already fully cooked, you just need to reheat the meat. The ideal internal temperature is 145 degrees.
- Baking the ham uncovered, without foil, will help the glaze caramlize and stick well to the ham. However, if the ham is looking brown, but not yet fully heated through, cover with foil until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
Cooking time and temperature for a pre-cooked spiral ham:
- 325 degrees (recommended): Heat the ham at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes per pound. For example, this ham was 14 lbs. I heated the ham for 2.5 hours at 325 degrees for it to reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees.
- 350 degrees (use if time is tight): Heat the ham at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes per pound. To prevent the ham from drying out, add about 1/2 of water to the bottom of the pan and cover with foil for the majority of the cook time. Remove the foil and add the glaze during the last 15 minutes of cook time.
Frequently asked questions about cooking a spiral ham:
Typically yes, store-bought spiral hams are already pre-cooked. Check the label to be sure.
Because a spiral ham is already cooked, you can serve a spiral ham either hot or cold. Serving it cold is ideal for sandwiches, while serving it hot is best for a holiday dinner when served as a main dish with sides.
The convenience of a spiral ham is that it is already pre-cut. To slice off a piece, simply use a sharp knife to cut of a piece from the end or the side.
A spiral ham needs to fully reheat to 140 degrees. Reheat at 325 degrees for 10-14 minutes per pound until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees. You will need a meat thermometer or instant-read digital meat thermometer.
Ideally, reheat a spiral ham at 325 degrees to prevent the ham from drying out. If time is tight, you can heat it at 350 degrees, just be sure to cover the ham with foil and add water to the bottom of the pan to create extra steam and moisture for the ham. The ham is done heating when the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees.
Serving A Spiral Ham with Orange Glaze
Once the ham comes out of the oven, let it sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the juices to settle into the meat. Becuase a spiral ham is already pre-slices, serving it is very easy. It makes for a great buffet-style meat to have your guests serve themselves.
Serve the ham with the reserved orange glaze that you saved after cooking. This can top the sliced ham, if you or your guests perfer.
What can I serve with ham?
Ham is great for a holiday dinner, so all of your favorite holiday sides are idea. Potatoes, salads, vegetables and dinner rolls are all great with ham. Here are some of our favorite holiday side dishes:
- Sauteed Green Beans with Mushrooms
- Boursin Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Ruth’s Chris Sweet Potato Casserole
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole
- Roasted Carrot Salad with Apples and Cranberries
- Harvest Salad with Pears and Pomegranates
- Paula Deen’s Creamed Corn Casserole
- Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan
- Cranberry Fluff Salad
What can I do with leftover ham?
There are many things you can do with leftover ham, varying from breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner ideas. Here are some of our favorite ham recipes:
- Ham and Veggie Baked Egg Cups
- Hawaiian Ham and Pineapple Kebabs
- Ham and Broccoli Mac and Cheese
- Meat and Cheese Kabobs with Fruit
- Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Ham and Cheese Tortellini by Wondermom Wannabe
If you loved this holiday main dish recipe, check out some of our other holiday recipes:
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Easy Orange Glazed Spiral Ham from Costco
Equipment
- 9 x 13" Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 1 14 -16 lb. Pre-cooked Spiral Ham, from Costco or any other retailer, weight will vary
- 1 Kirkland seasoning packet comes with the ham
- ½ cup Orange marmalade or orange jam
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Unwrap the spiral ham and remove any plastic that is covering the ham and ham bone. Place the ham wide-side or cut-side down into a 9 x 13" baking dish or pan.
- In a medium saucepan, add the seasonning packet (this comes with the Kirkland ham), marmalade, juice and honey. Heat over medium heat. Use a whisk to combine the ingredients, whisking often. Bring to a low simmer, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sugar is fully dissoved into the rest of the ingredients.
- Reserve half of the orange glaze into a separate container and set aside for serving. With the remaining half of glaze, spoon over all sides of the ham
- Place glazed ham into oven at 325 degrees for 2-2.5 hours OR until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees. Cook your ham by weight. Estimate 10-15 minutes per pound at 325 degrees. (My ham was 14 lbs, and took approximately 2 hours 15 minutes to become fully heated through to 140 degrees.
- Once done cooking, remove from oven and let ham sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the juices to settle into the meat. Slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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