Fresh Ham Roast
This juicy fresh ham roast is perfectly seasoned with herbs, spices, and a hint of brown sugar and has a delightfully crispy outer layer. Serve it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter, or make it a family dinner night favorite! Serve with roasted potatoes and a beautiful salad.
Servings: 12 servings
Equipment
- Large Roasting Pan with a rack
Ingredients
- 1 10 pound bone-in or boneless fresh ham not precooked or cured
- 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3-4 oranges cut into 1-inch slices
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme minced
- 2 tablespoon fresh rosemary minced
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup white wine
Instructions
- Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Leave the fat layer on the ham. Score ham in a diamond pattern (criss-cross) of ½-inch-deep cuts about 1½ inches apart.
- In a small bowl, combine salt, brown sugar, pepper, thyme, and rosemary, pinching the herbs until they become fragrant. Pat mixture all over the ham and into scores on the ham roast.
- Place orange slices on the bottom of a roasting rack set inside of a large roasting pan. Place ham fat-side up on the bed of orange slices on the rack. Pour water and white wine into the bottom of the pan.
- Roast for ½ an hour at 425°F, uncovered.
- Turn the heat down to 300°F. We want to cook it low and slowly to tenderize the meat. If needed, add water to the pan to keep pan juices from burning. Cook uncovered unless the skin starts to brown more than you like; then, you can tent it with aluminum foil.
- Bake until a meat thermometer is pressed into the thickest part of the ham and the internal temperature reaches 140°F, about 3 to 3½ hours (see notes). The top will be nice and golden brown, and the interior will be tender.
- Tent the fresh ham roast with aluminum foil and let it rest for 30 minutes before slicing with a sharp knife. Save the pan drippings to make pan gravy, or spoon it over the meat before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- For food safety, ensure your ham reaches at least 150-160°F. If you cook a bigger ham roast, you may need to increase the cooking time.
- The best way to check for doneness is to use an instant-read thermometer. This will ensure that it is cooked perfectly, no matter the size of your fresh ham roast.
- The ham roast will have carryover cooking. This means the meat continues to rise in temperature as the roast rests (about 10º). This means that you will take it out when it is about 10º below your desired doneness. For example, the goal temperature for medium done ham is 150°F, so take it out when it reaches 140°F; after it rests for 30 minutes, it will reach 150°F.
- How long will my ham roast take to cook? A fresh, unsmoked bone-in ham cooks for 22-26 minutes per pound. A boneless whole leg cooks for 24-28 minutes per pound. Half the bone-in cut cooks for 35-40 minutes per pound.
- If you wish to make pan gravy, degrease the pan juices, thicken with about 1½ tablespoons of flour and add a bit of stock.
- Leftover sliced ham will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 975kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 82g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 234mg | Sodium: 5366mg | Potassium: 1176mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 142IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 4mg
