When handling a 10-pound fully cooked ham, your goal is to reheat it carefully, not cook it from raw. Overheating will dry it out; underheating risks a cold center. A fully cooked ham typically needs about 15 to 18 minutes per pound at 325 °F when wrapped or covered, so a 10 lb ham usually requires 2½ to 3 hours of oven time, plus resting.
In this article, you’ll learn step-by-step how long to cook a 10 lb fully cooked ham, internal temperature targets, glazing tips, plus tricks to keep it juicy and delicious.
Why Timing Depends on “Fully Cooked”
A “fully cooked” ham has already been cured and cooked before packaging. Your oven work is just reheating. Because of that:
- You don’t need the long cooking times required for raw hams
- Your priority is heating the meat through evenly while preserving moisture
- Temperature control, covering, and well-timed glazing are your best tools
If your ham were uncooked, it might need 18–20 minutes per pound or more as raw pork. But for a fully cooked ham, the safe internal temperature is lower (often 140 °F) and the time per pound is shorter.
Recommended Time & Temperature for 10 lb Fully Cooked Ham
Here’s a reliable baseline:
- Oven setting: 325 °F (163 °C)
- Reheating time: 15 to 18 minutes per pound
- Estimated total: 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours
- Internal temperature target: 140 °F (60 °C) (some hold higher for safety, like 145 °F)
- Rest time: 15 to 20 minutes before carving
So for a 10 lb ham:
- 15 min × 10 lb = 150 min → 2 hours 30 min
- 18 min × 10 lb = 180 min → 3 hours
Most cooks aim in that range, covering the ham and glazing near the end. Some authorities suggest 13–18 minutes per pound for fully cooked bone-in hams. Others advise 15–18 min/lb for whole, bone-in. Covering the ham helps retain moisture, so lower times are reasonable when covered.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat and prepare
Preheat your oven to 325 °F. Remove packaging, adhesives, and any glaze packets attached to the ham. Place the ham fat-side up in a roasting pan or shallow baking dish. If the pan is large, use a rack so air can circulate underneath.
2. Add moisture and cover
Pour ½ inch of water or a mix of water and apple juice into the bottom of the pan. This helps create a steamy environment and limits drying of the outer layer. Cover the ham loosely with foil or a lid, tenting a little to avoid pressing glaze into the surface prematurely.
3. Heat the ham for most of the time
Slide the ham into the oven and allow it to reheat covered for most of the calculated time. For example, for 10 lb at 15–18 min/lb, heat covered for about 2 hours 15 minutes if you’ll glaze later, or the full 2½ hours before glazing.
4. Glaze and finish uncovered
About 30 minutes before the end, remove the foil. Apply your glaze over the surface. You can pick a glaze of your choice (brown sugar, mustard, fruit, honey, etc.). Set the oven a bit higher or maintain 325 °F and allow the glaze to caramelize for 20–30 minutes. Optionally, brush again halfway through. Remove from oven once the thickest part of the ham reaches 140 °F. Use a digital meat thermometer, inserting it without touching the bone.
5. Rest before slicing
Let the ham rest 15 to 20 minutes, tented with foil. Resting lets the juices settle and ensures slices remain moist.
Timing Example Table
| Phase | Time Estimate |
| Covered reheat (majority) | 2 hours to 2 h 15 min |
| Remove foil + glaze period | 25 to 30 minutes |
| Resting after oven | 15 to 20 minutes |
| Total time | ~2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours |
If your glaze is heavy with sugars, you may want to reduce glaze time slightly to prevent burning.
Glaze Tips to Enhance Flavor
- Timing matters: Start glazing in the last 20 to 30 minutes, not earlier. Sugar in glazes burns easily.
- Score the ham: Shallow crosshatch cuts help the glaze catch and improve appearance.
- Multiple coats: Brush glaze, wait 10–15 minutes, brush again.
- Watch color: If edges begin charring, tent foil partially or reduce heat slightly.
- Glaze ideas: Brown sugar & mustard, pineapple & brown sugar, maple-honey mustards.
Troubleshooting & Tips
- Dry edges? Always keep the ham covered until glazing stage.
- Uneven heating? Rotate the pan mid-cooking if your oven has hot spots.
- Undercooked center? If a thermometer shows below 140 °F after planned time, continue heating in 10-minute intervals, checking each time.
- Don’t overshoot temp: Going well above 150 °F risks dryness in a fully cooked ham.
- Carving tip: Remove large lobes and slice them parallel to bone for best presentation.
- Bone use: Save the bone for soups or stock after serving.
Why Some Sources Suggest Varying Times
Different guides offer ranges because of factors like ham shape and thickness, bone-in vs boneless, degree of refrigeration before heating, oven calibration, and whether the ham is spiral cut or whole.
Some sources cite up to 18–20 minutes per pound for safe heating of hams labeled “cook before eating,” but fully cooked retail hams typically require less. One standard food safety chart suggests cooking whole bone-in hams (10–14 lb) at 18–20 min/lb when raw, but for a fully cooked ham, 15–18 min/lb is recommended for reheating.
What You Learned in This Article
You’ve learned how long to heat a 10 lb fully cooked ham (about 15–18 min/lb), the proper internal temperature target, step-by-step preparation and glazing instructions, strategies to avoid drying, and troubleshooting tips to get a moist, flavorful ham every time.
Final Advice for a Perfect Ham
- Plan your time: A 10 lb fully cooked ham needs ~2½ to 3 hours including glaze and rest.
- Use a meat thermometer: Don’t rely solely on clocks.
- Keep it covered until the glaze phase to preserve moisture.
- Glaze late and gently to avoid burnt sugars.
- Rest before carving to let juices redistribute.
Follow these steps and your 10 lb ham will come out warm, juicy, beautifully glazed, and ready to impress your holiday or special-occasion guests.