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Ham Recipes

Ham is such a convenient food and our love for this type of meat goes back a long way! The Chinese actually take credit for the “invention” of ham after curing the first leg of pork in 4900 B.C. According to history, this led to the popularity of ham in ancient Europe after the Romans learned the practice during their time trading with the Chinese.

The word “ham” itself is derived from an Old English term: “hamm” which refers to the meat cut from the hind legs of a hog. Although why they took off that extra “m” we’ll never know!

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How to Cook a Ham

It’s super easy to cook a ham! Just cover it with cold water in a saucepan and bring it to boil over high heat. Then discard the water and cover the ham with more cold water, bring it back to boil again, and skim any froth that you see rise to the surface. Use the following guide for current safe cooking temperatures.

Lower the heat so that the water is just lightly bubbling and simmer for about 20 minutes per pound plus an additional 20 minutes. It’s best to check that the ham is safely cooked all the way through by slicing into the middle of the joint to make sure it isn’t raw on the inside (or use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature reaches 160F). Once that’s done, leave your ham to cool in the water until you’re going to use it (this keeps it moist).

slicing a glazed precooked ham using a knife and fork

What to do with Leftover Ham?

You’ll never run out of things to do with leftover ham! It’s super useful for making sandwiches for kids lunchboxes for the week and there are lots of delicious recipes you can pull together too!

Casseroles, soups, salads, omelettes, and meat pies are some of my favorite ways to make sure any leftover ham doesn’t go to waste.

Cooked ham will last for 3-4 days in the fridge at the most, but if you stick it in the freezer it will keep for 3-4 months. If the ham goes bad, you’ll likely noticed a sour smell and the flesh will appear quite dull/slimy. The pink color of the meat will also begin to turn grey.

Featured Ham Recipe Video

Pineapple RUM HAM! While it may not be as rummy as the one Danny Devito eats in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, this is my version of the hilarious ham from that show. I actually made one that you can EAT! If you don’t want the rum, simply use more pineapple or apple juice to get that amazing pineapple sauce you see in the video!

Get the recipe here

Learn to cook like the Kitchen Magpie

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Cookies, Candies, Cakes & More: Vintage Baking to Celebrate the Festive Season!

Learn More

a copy of Flapper Pie cook book

Flapper Pie and a Blue Prairie Sky

A Modern Baker’s Guide to Old-Fashioned Desserts

Learn More

The Prairie Table

Suppers, Potlucks & Socials: Crowd-Pleasing Recipes to Bring People Together

Learn More

How Many Calories in Ham?

There are about 46 calories in 1 slice/ounce of sliced ham, and 11% of those calories come from fat. As there are zero carbs in ham, it’s an ideal option for anyone on a keto diet. Just make sure you don’t add a bread roll to the equation! 

All Ham Recipes