How to Cook a Delicious Ham

5. Baking the Ham

The most important step in cooking a ham is to preserve the moist texture of the meat. Place the clove-covered ham cut-side down on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Cover it with aluminum foil to prevent the moisture from evaporating. For an unsliced, bone-in ham, cook at 325 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes per pound or until the meat thermometer indicates a temperature of about 145 degrees, according to USDA guidelines. A pre-sliced or spiral-sliced ham should be cooked for about the same amount of time, but at a lower temperature of 275 degrees due to the slices allowing more moisture to escape during the cooking process. A 10-pound ham will usually take between 2 and 3 hours to reach that temperature.