How Can You Heat Precooked Ham Without It Drying Out?

Ham is the meat’s little black dress. Not only can it be served with a variety of sides, but it can also be simply reheated and restored to its former beauty. So, how do you reheat precooked ham without it drying out?

Precooked ham may be reheated in the oven, on the grill, in the microwave, in a slow cooker, or in an air fryer. You should slice your ham if you use the gill. You may cook the ham whole or cut if you choose another technique.

You don’t have to reheat ham since it’s wonderful cold. Therefore, it would be useful to understand the various reheating procedures. In the following sections, I’ll show you how to reheat your ham without drying it out and how to keep it wet and juicy.

How to Heat Up Precooked Ham?

Heating precooked ham isn’t difficult, but knowing a few tips may make it a breeze. Many techniques of reheating work well for this purpose. Each of them, however, demands some extra understanding.

Oven

The oven is always the first choice. Wrap it in aluminum foil to enable the heat to flow and the ham to be evenly heated.

Place the wrapped ham on a baking sheet with the sliced side down. Preheat the oven to 325 F for approximately 10 minutes, then set the tray on the center rack. Let the ham to bake for around 15-20 minutes before removing it; this completes the warming process.

Now comes the bit about moisture. After removing the ham from the oven, unwrap it and pour two cups of water onto the baking dish to keep it wet. Replace the ham, this time with the sliced side down.

Bake at the same temperature for another 15-20 minutes. Since the ham absorbs the water from the tray, it will be moist and delicious.

Another thing you may do is glaze. Brown sugar and orange juice may be combined and smeared over the top of the ham five minutes before serving.

If you want to reheat sliced ham in the oven, follow the same steps but shorten the baking time.

Wrap the slices together, set them in the tray, bake for ten minutes, remove them, unwrap them, fill the pan with water, and bake for another ten minutes. You don’t need to glaze the slices since they’ll be juicy enough.

Microwave

Precooked ham is ideal for microwave reheating, but you must know the precise weight of the ham you are going to reheat. If your ham weighs more than three pounds, split it in half or divide it into sections before microwaving it; otherwise, the exterior will be rigid and heated, with a chilly core.

To microwave your ham, use parchment paper and a microwave paper bag. You will need aluminum foil.

The microwave method is the same whether you are reheating sliced or entire ham. The first step is to completely wrap the ham’s exterior edges with aluminum foil. Use parchment paper instead of aluminum foil if your microwave isn’t safe for it.

Place the ham in the microwave paper bag once you’ve covered the edges, but make sure the bag has holes. If not, make a few holes in it. Set your microwave to 50% power and a five-minute timer.

After five minutes, remove the ham from the oven and flip it over. Then put it back in the microwave.

The normal cooking time for a pound of ham is 10-15 minutes, but I suggest setting the timer to five minutes and flipping the ham over at the conclusion of each cycle.

Slow Cooker

While the slow cooker may take the longest time, your ham will be as good as new. The technique is the same whether you reheat your ham whole or cut up.

Fill the slow cooker with one cup of liquid and place the ham inside. You may use water, chicken broth, apple juice, or a seasoned beverage of your own creation. If you are reheating your ham entire, lay it on a flat side.

Set the slow cooker to low heat and cover the ham. The time required for cooking each pound is 30 minutes.

Basting and glazing are usually nice options. You may baste the ham with its juices about half an hour before it’s done. To glaze it, combine brown sugar and orange juice and spread it over the top.

Glazing sliced ham while reheating it is not a good idea. It is preferable to bast it.

Air Fryer

The air fryer is a wonderful way to cook sliced or entire ham. All you’ll need is aluminum foil.

Wrap the ham in aluminum foil and set it in the air fryer that has been warmed. Preheat your air fryer at 325°F for 10 minutes before adding the ham.

The typical time provided every pound is ten minutes, however I recommend reducing the duration to three minutes per pound. Thus, if you have a three-pound ham, cook it for 25 minutes rather than 30.

The foil will allow the heat to flow evenly throughout the ham. Nevertheless, if you leave the ham in the air fryer for too long, it will get overcooked. Therefore be cautious and check it more regularly.

Unwarp your ham after removing it from the air fryer to allow the extra steam to escape.

Grill

This approach is incredibly effective, but you must cook your ham chopped rather than whole. The grilling will scorch the ham’s exterior while leaving the interior chilly. As a result, sliced ham is ideal for this procedure.

To keep your ham juicy, wrap the slices in aluminum foil individually or wrap a maximum of three slices in one wrap, or cover them while grilling.

Since you apply the heat directly, you won’t need much time with this approach, so I recommend grilling for five minutes on each side. Next, untie the pieces, inspect them, then wrap and grill them again if necessary.

Skillet

A skillet is also a great way to cook sliced ham. You don’t need to wrap the ham in anything; just oil the pan and cook it over medium heat for 10 minutes each side, rotating it every five minutes.

You may also add some liquid to the skillet and baste the ham with it, but you are not required to do so.

How to Keep Ham Moist When Reheating?

While reheating your ham, keep it covered at all times. To keep it from drying out, wrap it in aluminum foil or cover it with a lid. Using a slow cooker or an air fryer can also keep your ham moist without the need for a cover.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you can always add liquid while your ham is cooking to enhance flavor and juiciness.

How to Keep Ham Moist?

The key to keeping your ham wet is to keep it covered and sheltered from outside influences like as light, heat, and air. Make sure your ham is always securely covered and protected, whether you store it on the counter or in the fridge.

Airtight containers are usually a good idea, but they perform much better when wrapped with plastic wrap foil. Wrap the ham in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container. The foil prevents the ham from drying out, and the containers restrict it from coming into touch with air.

Your ham will be supple and juicy whether stored in the fridge or on the counter if packed this way.

How to Keep Ham Moist After Slicing?

To keep the ham moist after you’ve sliced it, return it to the baking dish where it was cooked and cover it with aluminum foil.

The fluids on the dish will enter the ham, compensating for the moisture that has already evaporated. Likewise, cover the sliced area with extra aluminum foil since it is the most exposed and hence prone to drying out.

After your ham is ready for storing, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container to keep it moist.

What Is the Best Way to Heat Up Sliced Ham?

You can reheat sliced ham in the same manner you can reheat whole ham; however, a skillet and grill are the ideal alternatives, which aren’t available for whole ham.

Skillet and grill heating methods are almost identical. Place the slices on a grill or in a pan over medium heat, turning them over every few minutes. You can cover them with a lid or wrap them in aluminum foil, however if you use the skillet, you can skip the wrapping step.

Of these two alternatives, I’d go with the skillet since I like my ham on the juicier side. If using a pan, add some broth or other seasoned liquid and allow the ham to sear in it.