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Need to thaw a ham? Learn two methods for How to Thaw a Ham safely.
Defrosting a ham safely
We often buy a couple of hams when they're on sale and throw them in our deep freeze. When we're ready for a ham dinner, we have to plan so the ham is fully thawed before we begin baking it.
The two safe methods for thawing a ham are thawing in the refrigerator or in cold water. Both methods will work for any size ham and either a boneless or bone-in ham.
Plan ahead, thawing a ham takes time and the larger the ham, the more time it will take. If you're short on time, thawing a ham in cold water is quicker, but it does take more attention.
Thawing a ham in the refrigerator
- Remove ham from the freezer
- Place in a large baking dish or container to catch any juices as the ham thaws.
- Place ham in the refrigerator until it is fully thawed.
- Plan on 4-6 hours per pound of ham.
A ham thawed in the refrigerator can remain in the refrigerator for 3-5 days before baking the ham.
Thawing a ham in cold water
The quickest way to thaw a ham is to fill up your sink with cold tap water so that the water covers your ham. Make sure that your ham’s outer packaging is waterproof before submerging in the water.
Do not be tempted to use hot water to speed up the thawing process. This could cause the outside of the ham to heat up and harmful bacteria may develop.
Drain and change the water every 30 minutes. It will take approximately 30 minutes per pound to fully thaw your ham. Thawing your ham with cold water requires immediate cooking once thawed.
A ham thawed in cold water needs to be baked right after thawing!
Ham recipes
This Orange Glazed Ham is my favorite way to cook a whole ham! This is a perfect ham for the holidays, including Christmas and Easter. We always have leftover ham and I make many delicious recipes using leftover ham!
How long to thaw ham
Use the chart below to determine how long to thaw a frozen ham.
Be certain to check out all my kitchen tips!
How to Thaw a Ham
Ingredients
- 1 Frozen Ham (Bone-in or Boneless, any size)
Instructions
Thawing a Ham in the Refrigerator
- Remove ham from the freezer
- Place in a large baking dish or container to catch any juices as the ham thaws.
- Place ham in refrigerator until ham is fully thawed.
- Plan on 4-6 hours per pound of ham.
- The thawed ham can remain in the refrigerator for an additional 3-5 days before baking.
Thawing a Ham in Cold Water
- Fill your sink with cold water.
- Make certain the ham is fully wrapped in water proof wrapping.
- Place ham in the water making certain it is fully submerged.
- Drain and change the water every 30 minutes.
- It will take approximately 30 minutes per pound to fully thaw your ham.
- Once thawed, the ham needs to be baked right away.
Notes
- Actual thawing time will vary depending on the size of your ham and the temperature of your refrigerator or cold water.
- See chart above for approximate thawing times.
- If using the cold water method, do not use warm or hot water to speed up the process. This could cause the outside of the ham to heat up and harmful bacteria may develop.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
Resource: Ask USDA
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