Name: How To Reheat Smoked Ham
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb smoked ham

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Don't let your delicious smoked ham go to waste! Use this guide to find out the best way to reheat smoked ham leftovers or how to reheat a whole ham while keeping optimal moisture and flavor. Read on to find out how to reheat ham in the smoker, oven, and microwave.

Reheating leftover ham is a budget friendly way to have a delicious meal the next day in minutes! Pile slices of tasty ham on top of this Whole Grain Sourdough or Sourdough Sandwich Loaf for the ultimate sandwich.

Don’t forget to tell me your favorite method to reheat smoked ham in the comments section at the bottom of this post!

Tips + Tricks

For best results, bring ham to room temperature for 15 minutes or so before reheating it to avoid over cooking.
Add a little bit of sweet glaze to freshen up the ham and seal in the moisture during the reheating process. For glaze ingredients, check out this Brown Sugar and Mustard Glazed Ham Recipe.
If reheating spiral-sliced ham or individual ham slices, sprits with water at the beginning and halfway through the reheating process.
Adjust reheat time depending on the size of your leftover ham or ham slices.

Different Types of Ham

Country Ham vs. City Ham: Country hams are less popular than city hams and are less likely to be found at a regular grocery store. A country ham is dry brined, making it more dry and tough. Country hams take a lot more prep work (soaking) and are often boiled to bring up to temperature. City ham is the most popular type of ham to buy, is easily found for sale, and is wet brined. Because it is wet brined, it is a more soft and juicy ham. City hams are easier to reheat with good results.

Shank End Ham vs. Butt End Ham: Both cuts are part of a “whole ham” and are considered bone-in hams. The shank portion is the half of the ham that includes the lower leg. It is beautiful when displayed on your holiday table. It contains more fat than the butt end and tends to be a little bit less tender. The butt end portion is lean, easier to carve, and tends to be more tender. Either portion can be reheated easily.

Bone-In vs. Boneless Ham: Bone-in hams are left in their most natural state but can be a bit tricky to carve. Boneless hams are most often processed, losing some of the signature flavor and texture that a bone-in ham will have. Boneless hams are the easiest to carve because there is no need to navigate around an unpredictable ham bone.

Reheating Methods:

Smoker (pellet grill, charcoal smoker, offset smoker)

Reheating ham in the smoker at a low heat (275 degrees f) is a sure way to capture a little bit of that coveted extra smokey flavor on the surface of the ham and is a great excuse to get outside! This is my preferred method for reheating smoked ham.

Pros to reheating ham in the smoker: Reheating leftover ham or a whole, fully cooked ham in the smoker means more of that delicious smoked flavor gets infused into the ham. The indirect heat of a pellet grill is predictable and steady and won’t singe the ham. Using your smoker frees up oven space… especially important close to the holiday season!

Cons to reheating ham in the smoker: Reheating precooked ham in the smoker can be inconvenient when it is cold outside and can use up precious pellets if your stock is low.

Steps for reheating ham on a smoker or other grill:

Preheat the smoker to 275°F.
Place a baking sheet under the ham and add up to 1/4 cup water or chicken broth. Reglaze with 1:1 ratio of maple syrup and water if desired to help prevent it from drying out. Cover the top of your bone in ham with a small amount of aluminum foil if it is getting too crispy. If reheating sliced ham on the smoker, instead of placing it in a pan with water, spritz with water every ten minutes to prevent it from drying out. Alternately, you can place the ham directly on the grill grates, cut side down.
Smoke for 10-15 minutes per pound of ham or until an inserted meat probe reads 140°F. Most of the time you will have a pre-cooked ham and so the internal temperature depends on preference.
Drain any excess water and serve.

Sous Vide

Reheating ham in the sous vide is the most reliable way to maintain the level of doneness in your ham while preheating it. It is similar to a slow cooker but maintains a steady temperature to heat your ham to the perfect point.

Pros to reheating smoked ham using the sous vide method: Reheat your ham without overcooking it, maintaining both flavor and texture. The sous vide method of reheating is reliable and you can “set it and forget it” for several hours. It takes a little bit of pre-planning but the end result is a perfectly reheated ham.

Cons to reheating ham in the sous vide: Reheating ham using the sous vide method takes considerably longer than other methods.

Steps for reheating ham using the sous vide

Attach the sous vide to your large pot or heat safe container.
Add the smoked ham in a sealed bag.
Set the sous vide to 140°F. Allow your ham to heat for 3-8 hours.

Oven (conventional oven or toaster oven)

Oven with the door open and the light on.

Reheating ham in the oven is simple and practical- no fancy gear needed here which makes heating it up at a at your own house or another location a breeze.

Pros to reheating smoked ham in the oven: Ovens are relatively fast and require little cleanup when reheating ham. Oven temperatures are predictable and steady- making them a great tool for reheating.

Cons to reheating ham in the oven: If you have a small amount of ham, reheating it in the oven will use a lot of power. Opt for a small toaster oven instead if possible!

Steps for reheating ham in a regular oven, convection oven, or toaster oven

Preheat the oven to 275°F.
Place the ham in an oven-safe baking dish with a small amount of water or chicken broth at the bottom (1/2 cup for a full ham or large piece, and 1/4 cup for smaller amounts). I like to use a shallow roasting pan for larger hams and a 9×9 baking pan for smaller hams. If desired, you can add a light glaze overtop (2 tablespoons water to 2 tablespoons maple syrup). Alternately you can opt for a more savory glaze and make the brown sugar and mustard glaze in this Smoked Ham Recipe.
Loosely wrap the baking dish in aluminum foil or place the lid on if possible.
Warm for 10-20 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 140°F (budget about 10 minutes per pound).
Drain any excess water and serve.

Microwave

Sometimes when you are in a pickle, reheating smoked ham in the microwave is the best option- it is my last choice but there is still hope for your ham! Ensure that you are using a microwave-safe plate and opt to reheat the ham at a lower power level to make sure that it doesn’t over-cook.

Pros to reheating leftover ham in the microwave: Microwaves are FAST! Heating ham up in a matter of seconds is SO convenient. Less time reheating = more time enjoying! Microwaves are also a common kitchen appliance so they can be used here, there, and everywhere.

Cons to reheating ham in the microwave: Microwaves can easily turn the best meat into jerky if you are not careful!! You can easily end up with tough, rubbery meat. High power levels will overcook and dry out your ham rather than reheat it properly.

Steps for reheating ham in a microwave

Dampen a piece of paper towel big enough to cover the bottom of your plate or microwave safe tray.
Arrange sliced ham on your plate overtop of the paper towel in a single layer. Add another layer of damp paper towel on top of the slices.
Microwave at 50% power for 45 seconds, turn over, and microwave for another 45 seconds at 50% power. If after the first 45 seconds the ham seems done or close to done, use your judgement for additional time after the flip.

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