How to Cook a Delicious Ham

3. Score the Ham

The diamond-like design that often appears in recipe illustrations for hams appears through a process called scoring. This technique opens up the fatty, outer layer of the ham, and allows the glaze to soak into the meat. Using a sharp knife, cut shallow, diagonal cuts about ⅓ to ¼ inch deep from the top to the bottom in one direction, leaving about 1 inch between each cut. Then, repeat the process in the opposite direction to create the diamond-shaped pattern.