I have been making this Easy Boil Ham recipe for over 25 years! Simple and delicious, this boiled ham is the best for a crowd and tastes so good as it is the most suitable for special occasions.
This recipe makes an excellent choice for Easter and Christmas meals or when you need to feed an entire crowd. It’s easy, doesn’t require extra ingredients and can be cooked up a day or two ahead of time!
You will not bake this ham in the oven or make a maple syrup glaze!! Learn my easy step by step instructions to make a delish, yummy, flavorful, meal that your whole family will love.
Pair with some hard rolls and it makes the best sandwiches. After everyone has had their fill of ham, shred what is left and use the leftover ham water to make the best split pea soup that you have ever had!!
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What is Gammon?
Ham vs Gammon? What is the difference? Ham and gammon are essentially the same piece of meat but depending on where you live in the world it’s called something different.
According to Wikipedia, the hind leg of a pig that has been cured from brining or dry salting is what Gammon is. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, gammon is used to describe what the United States refers to as ham.
Except gammon might be smoked but it doesn’t have to be. Like smoked ham and bacon, gammon should be cooked or warmed up in some fashion before eating.
Why boil ham?
Boiling the ham makes it easy to prepare and eat. It retains water while cooking and thus the ham is tender and juicy.
No need to add any spices or other ingredients because the smoked ham flavor will come out as you cook it. Almost all hams are already smoked so you know that the meat is cooked.
You must warm it first and boiling would be an easy way to do so. There is no need to use a meat thermometer when making this fresh ham to check an internal temperature.
What Kind of Ham Do I Buy for Boiled Ham?
Over the years, my family has tried several different brands of ham when we make this boiled ham recipe. You want the bone-in smoked whole hams.
We like to use Cooks Fully Cooked Bone- In Butt Portion Ham that I buy at my local Meijer grocery store. Learn more at Cook’s Hams. Do not use spiral ham, deli ham, lunchmeat ham, or boneless ham.
How to Boil a Ham
After you have purchased your fully cooked bone-in ham, make sure you have a pot big enough so that you can cover the whole piece of ham with water. In a 16-quart sized stock pot, place the un-wrapped ham so that the large piece of ham is facing toward the bottom.
Do not remove any of the skin or fat from the ham. This will add flavor to the water and ham as it is cooking. Poke holes in the ham with a sharp knife all the way to the bone.
About 10 to 15 holes will work. Cover the ham with cold water but make sure to leave room for the boiling process. Place the stockpot on the stove over medium heat and bring to a boil.
How Long Do You Cook a Ham?
This will take about one hour to bring up to a low boil. After the water starts to boil, continue boiling for half an hour and flip the ham so the small end is down, and the large end is up.
Continue boiling for another half hour. Make sure you are boiling the smoked ham for an hour. You should have about two hours of total cooking time (one hour to get the pot to boiling and one hour of boiling time).
Allow for several hours when making this boiled ham recipe. Remove from the heat and leave the ham in the water. You need to get the ham water cooled down within two hours.
To cool down the water quickly, place the stockpot into an empty sink that has a plug in the drain. Add cold water around the pot as well as surrounding the pot with ice cubes.
Once the pot of ham and water has completely cooled down, store ham in the cold ham water until ready to cut and serve. I like to store the ham in this cold water at least over night or for 24 hours.
How to Serve Boil Ham
When ready to serve remove the ham from the cold water to a cutting board. This ham is best served cold but if you want to serve it warm then leave the ham in the water.
Place on the stove and bring to a boil. Be careful cutting hot ham! With a carving knife, remove as much of the skin and fat from the ham as you can.
Leave the meat on the bone because it will be easier to cut. Carefully, making sure not to cut yourself, slice off pieces of the ham in the desired thickness and place on a serving tray.
Any leftover ham pieces can be shredded and made into soup or another favorite dish. You can also cut the ham into thicker pieces and make this sheet pan ham dinner for a complete meal!
How to Store a Boiled Ham
If you have only taken a few slices off the ham, then place the whole ham piece back into the cold ham water. After the ham has been boiled, you can store it in the water for two to three days.
When two or three days have gone by, make sure to remove the ham from the water and slice or shred any meat and store in an airtight container. Keep any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
What to Serve with Boiled Dinner Ham?
Some of my family favorites are beans, Red Hot applesauce, cabbage, vegetables, greens, and scalloped potatoes. Are you making this ham for an Easter meal? Learn how to cook beans in a slow cooker. Then make these Easter bunny treats to surprise your little guests.
Boil Ham Recipes
- Slice Ham Sandwiches
- Split Pea Soup with Ham
- Potato Soup with Ham
- Ham Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches
- Mushroom, Ham, and Cheese Omelets
Frequently Asked Questions – Boiled Ham
Yes, you can boil a fully cooked ham. That is what I recommend using for this boiled ham recipe. I like to use a Cooks Fully Cooked Bone- In Butt Portion Ham and it tastes amazing.
Boiling a fully cooked smoked whole ham will remove some of the salt but the ham will have a great tasting flavor when done properly. I like to use the leftover ham water to make homemade split pea soup because the water has the perfect balance of flavor. Not too salty but just enough to let you know that it’s there.
I suggest boiling your ham the day before. That way you can let it sit in the cold ham water to help create nice moist and flavorful ham.
Yes, you can overcook boiled ham. If you boil it too long the ham will dry out and loose it’s flavor.
Boiled Ham Recipe
For the recipe and nutrition facts, click below.
Boiled Ham Recipe
I have been making this Easy Boil Ham recipe for over 25 years! Simple and delicious, this boiled ham is the best for a crowd and tastes so good as it is the most suitable for special occasions. This recipe makes an excellent choice for Easter and Christmas meals or when you need to feed an entire crowd.
Ingredients
- Ham, Whole, Smoked 7 pounds
Instructions
- In a 16-quart stockpot, place the un-wrapped ham so that the large piece of ham is facing toward the bottom. Make sure not remove any of the skin or fat from the ham because it will add flavor to the water and ham as it is cooking.
- With a sharp knife, poke holes in the ham all the way to the bone. About 10 to 15 holes. Cover the whole ham with cold water but make sure to leave room for the cooking process. Place the stockpot on the stove over medium heat and bring to a boil.
- This will take about 1 hour to bring up to a boil. After the water starts to boil, continue boiling for 1/2 an hour and flip the ham so the small end is down, and the large end of the ham is up. Continue boiling for another 1/2 hour. Make sure you are boiling the smoked whole ham for an hour. You should have about 2 hours of total cooking time (1 hour to get the stockpot to boiling and 1 hour of boiling time). Allow for several hours when making this boiled ham.
- Remove from the burner and leave the ham in the water. You need to get the boil ham water cooled down within 2 hours. Place the pot into an empty sink that has a plug in the drain to cool down the water. Add cold water around the stockpot as well as surrounding with ice cubes. Once the stockpot of ham and water has completely cooled down, store ham in the refrigerator until ready to cut and serve. I like to store the ham in this cold water at least over night or for 24 hours.
- When ready to serve the boil ham, remove from the cold water to a cutting board. This ham is best served cold. With a sharp knife, remove as much of the skin and fat from the cooked ham as you can. Leave the meat on the ham bone because it will be easier to cut. Making sure not to cut yourself, slice off pieces of the ham in the desired thickness and place on a tray.
- Any leftover ham can be shredded and made into soup or another favorite meals of your choice.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information
Yield
20Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 221Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 102mgSodium 1551mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 2gProtein 35g
Note: For exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information is simply a guideline.
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Boiled ham is my favorite! (or gammon as we used to call it when I was a kid…actually I used to call it pink meat…my step mum was so confused the first time I asked for pink meat for Sunday dinner)
We have it with mashed potato and onion sauce…it is still one of my favorite meals!
Great recipe with so much detail 🙂
I’d never tried to boil ham before but I’ll be making it this way again – I had it in a roll and it was delicious!
Great way to prep ham for sandwich’s and soups! So delicious! Thanks!
Perfect for my kid’s sandwiches!
Oh wait…this is the easiest way to cook ham and I’m totally sold!
In Ireland ham and Gammon are not the same. Gammon tends to be more fatty, you wouldn’t have it in a sandwich for example. We’d also call it bacon also and have it with cabbage and mash potatoes. Ham is dryer and would be for sandwichs,.hot or cold or with Turkey at Christmas.
Thank you for the helpful information. My readers really appreciate it.