Stop poking it with a fork. Stop guessing by color. You need a trusty meat thermometer. Not your fancy thermometer for fever, the one that goes “beeep.” That’s for you when you realize you forgot the glaze.
Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the ham, making sure you’re not touching the bone. The bone conducts heat differently and will lie to you. Don’t let the bone gaslight you.
Pull the ham out of the oven when it hits 135°F. Why? Because it will keep cooking as it rests, climbing those final five degrees to perfect 140°F. It’s called “carryover cooking,” and it sounds a lot fancier than it is.
Ham Temperature Chart | Free Tools by Xenia
The Glaze Trap (Don’t Fall In)
We all love a sticky, sweet glaze. But here’s the secret: glaze late. If you slather it on at the start, the sugar burns into a bitter crust while the inside is still cold. That’s a tragedy.
Bake your ham uncovered (or loosely tented) for the first hour or so. Then, for the last 20-30 minutes, brush on the glaze. Bake it at a slightly higher temp—like 400°F—to get that caramelized crust. It’s like a tan for meat.
And for heaven’s sake, baste every 10 minutes with the pan drippings. That sticky stuff is liquid gold. Don’t waste it on your shirt, though. I’ve done that. No regerts.
