The Pros And Cons Of Buying Boneless Spiral Ham

With the holidays right around the corner, most home chefs around the country are planning their slab of spiral-sliced ham right about now. This hearty and succulent dish has been the centerpiece of festive dinner tables for as long as people can remember. At the store, however, you'll have to face a common dilemma — bone-in or boneless ham?

Traditional bone-in hams are made from a leg of pork that's been cured and spiral-sliced, with the meat still loosely attached to the center bone. In contrast, boneless hams are created by removing all of the meat from the bone and carefully pressing it together. Through the curing process, salt helps the protein strands connect, creating what looks like a solid piece of meat. So a slab of boneless ham looks nearly identical to its bone-in counterparts, there's just no bone running through the middle!

While bone-in hams require more attention during cooking and you need good technique to cut them properly, many cooks prefer them for their rich flavor — the bone adds depth to the meat as it heats and helps the meat to stay moist in the oven. However, boneless hams have earned themselves a fan club, too, especially among busy party hosts — they can go straight from the packaging into the oven to be heated through.

As great as it is, boneless spiral ham does have a couple of downsides. Without the bone to help maintain the meat's natural structure and moisture, these hams can become a bit dry during reheating. You might notice the texture isn't quite as tender as a freshly carved bone-in ham, and the flavor, while delicious, may not have quite the same richness that you get from the marrow and connective tissue present in bone-in varieties.

Luckily, there are a couple of simple tricks that you can use to help make your boneless spiral ham taste like a million bucks. First, to keep the ham moist, put it into a roasting bag before you throw it into the oven. You can also place the ham cut-side down in a baking dish with a little water on the bottom to get some steamy, moisturizing heat. Tune the oven low and slow at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for the juiciest texture, and while you're at it, keep a thermometer handy to make sure the internal temperature never goes beyond 140 degrees Fahrenheit, or else it'll overheat and dry out. That's all you have to do for a simple but tasty ham.

An alternative is to use a sweet glaze to keep the ham moist. Try this orange marmalade glaze favored by Ina Garten. The savory ham, combined with the sweet and tangy glaze can make one heck of a porky belle for your holiday ball!