How do they cook it before you buy it? It’s not magic. It’s smoke, steam, or a giant oven.
Many hams are pump-injected with a brine solution. That’s why they’re so juicy. And also why you don’t need to cook them.
Fun fact: some “ham” is actually just reformed pork pieces glued together with transglutaminase (meat glue). Yeah. Read that label.
The Temperature Trap
If you decide to cook it, the USDA says heat to 140°F for a fully cooked ham. That’s it. Not 165°F like chicken.
Oven Baked Ham Recipe Baked Virginia Ham | Recipes
Overcook it? You get dry, sad ham. Undercook it? It’s already safe, so it’s fine.
You can literally warm it to “just above room temperature” and call it a day. You’re the boss.
