When it comes to choosing the perfect ham for your family’s special occasion there are a few basic questions everyone asks, Bone-In or Boneless? Traditional or Spiral-Sliced & Honey-Glazed? There are no wrong answers; it depends on your personal preference. There are always a few questions surrounding the topic of preparation. How do I store it? How do I cook it? How do I serve it?
When you order any of our Applewood Smoked Hams, we enclose a helpful brochure with your shipment, providing directions to give you the best-tasting ham possible. We also have the same instructions posted on every product page at Nueskes.com …just in case you accidentally toss out your brochure. Look below the product image, on each product page, for this section:
Screen Shot of Nueske’s Storage & Preparation Information Section
Of course, when things are chaotic in the holiday meal-prep kitchen, it’s easy to have a slip-up. Here are a few tips to keep your ham preparation going smoothly:
- Nueske’s hams are fully cooked and ready-to-eat. Once you’ve completely thawed your ham, you don’t have to cook it any further if you don’t want to. Many people prefer to serve it heated, but the idea is to just gently warm it through or even to serve them without further cooking, since our hams are already cooked in our Old World smoking process. We recommend a lower-than-average cooking temperature (about 275º F) for our spiral-sliced hams, so you might be nervous that it won’t be done in time.Cooking for a longer time or at a hotter temperature than directed can dry out the succulent, smoky meat. Your Nueske’s ham is pre-cooked, so as long as you have thawed your ham properly, you have a simple meal prep ahead. If you do accidently overcook your ham, have some warm apple or pineapple juice ready to go and give your ham slices a quick basting with the juice before serving, for an easy and tasty moisture boost.
- If you choose a Bone-In Spiral-Sliced Ham, it can appear to be a little bit tricky to remove the ham slices from the bone. Simply work your knife around that center bone until the slices are free and ready to serve. We have an instructional video to help you navigate around your spiral-sliced ham and carve like a pro, click here to watch.
- Don’t forget the cheese! Whether you’re creating a buffet menu, preparing a holiday feast, or looking forward to making a sandwich with the leftovers, you’ll need some excellent cheese to serve alongside your smoked ham. We recommend Wisconsin’s finest Baby Swiss or a classic Cheddar Cheese.
These tips will put you on the right track toward making your holiday meal extra special and extra delicious!
Nueske’s Applewood Smoked, Honey Glazed, Spiral-Sliced Ham