How to Cook a Perfect Kentucky Legend Ham

As the holidays approach, many of us look forward to cooking and eating a beautifully glazed ham as the centerpiece of festive meals. For those who want only the best, a Kentucky Legend ham is a top choice. Known for its superior quality and flavor, learning how to cook a Kentucky Legend ham is easy and rewarding. In this detailed guide, we’ll walk through every step so you can prepare a tender, juicy ham that will wow your guests.

Selecting and Preparing Your Ham

When shopping for your ham, look for the Kentucky Legend brand at your local grocery store or online retailer. They offer smoked and spiral sliced hams in a variety of convenient sizes from 7 to 16 pounds. For a smaller gathering of 6-8 people, a 7 pound half ham is ideal. Larger parties can easily be accommodated with a 12-16 pound whole ham.

Kentucky Legend hams are already fully cooked when you buy them, so no further cooking is needed to ensure food safety. However, you do want to gently reheat the ham while adding delicious flavor and texture through glazing and baking.

About 30 minutes before cooking remove the ham from any packaging and let it sit at room temperature. This helps it cook more evenly later. Preheat your oven to 325°F.

Next, place the ham fat side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan The rack elevates the ham above the pan surface to allow air circulation for even heating Pour about 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pan to keep the ham from drying out.

Scoring, Studding, and Glazing

For a decorative touch, use a sharp knife to score the ham by cutting shallow diagonal lines across the top and sides. Scored lines are typically about 1/4 inch deep and 1 inch apart.

Studding the ham with whole cloves adds complimentary flavor. Simply push cloves into the ham at the intersections of the scored lines Studding is optional but highly recommended.

The fun really begins when making your glaze. You can get creative with ingredients like brown sugar, honey, pineapple juice, maple syrup, mustard, spices, and more. Brush about 1/4 cup of glaze evenly over the scored ham. The glaze fills the cuts and flavors the meat.

Baking and Glazing Again

Cover the glazed ham tightly with foil and bake for approximately 18-20 minutes per pound. A 7 pound ham bakes for 2-2.5 hours. Check halfway and add more water to the pan if needed to prevent drying.

In the last 30 minutes of baking, uncover the ham and brush with another 1/4 cup of glaze. This helps form a sticky, candied exterior. Bake uncovered for the remaining time.

When an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reaches 140°F, the Kentucky Legend ham is heated through. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute.

Carving and Serving Your Spiral Sliced Ham

Thanks to the specialty spiral cut, carving a Kentucky Legend ham is hassle-free. Simply cut portions between the slices. Arrange the carved ham on a serving platter and garnish with pineapple rings or cherries if desired.

Offer a variety of traditional sides like buttery mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, cornbread dressing, and cranberry sauce. Your guests will rave about the irresistible ham centerpiece you created.

Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 3-5 days. The bone can be used to flavor soups and beans. Ham also makes wonderful sandwiches, omelets, pizza, and pasta dishes.

Common Questions and Answers

Cooking a Kentucky Legend ham is simple, but a few common questions may come up:

Should I score the ham?

Scoring is optional but highly recommended. It allows the glaze to penetrate deeper and gives a beautiful presentation.

What if my ham didn’t come with a spice packet or glaze ingredients?

No worries! Make your own brown sugar glaze using ingredients you have on hand. Brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, pineapple juice, cloves, and mustard are all great options.

Do I really need to use a meat thermometer?

Yes, using an instant read meat thermometer ensures the ham is properly cooked to 140°F. This guarantees both food safety and ideal texture.

Can I use alternatives like turkey ham?

You can certainly substitute a turkey ham, but the flavor won’t be quite as robust. Kentucky Legend pork ham has an unmatched rich, smoky flavor.

What’s the best way to reheat leftovers?

Leftover ham slices can be quickly reheated in the microwave. For whole portions, cover with foil and bake at 325°F until warm throughout.

Can I freeze the leftovers?

Absolutely! Leftover ham stores well in the freezer for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

More Handy Tips for Kentucky Legend Ham

• For a time-saver, look for Kentucky Legend’s premixed glazes like brown sugar & honey or brown sugar & pineapple.

• Let the cooked ham rest at least 10 minutes before slicing for juicier results.

• For easier slicing, use a long serrated bread knife and cut against the grain.

• Add a touch of bourbon or cola to kicked-up brown sugar glazes.

• Layer ham slices between cheddar or Swiss cheese and mustard on baked potatoes.

• Dice and add ham to macaroni and cheese, potato salad, baked beans, and more.

• Grill thick ham slices for a delicious twist on sandwiches.

Satisfy Holiday Cravings with Kentucky Legend Ham

As you can see, cooking a spectacular Kentucky Legend ham is easy and fun for cooks of all levels. With a few simple steps of scoring, studding, glazing, and baking, you’ll have a showstopping centerpiece ready to serve. The superior quality of Kentucky Legend ham guarantees incredible flavor and texture sure to satisfy holiday cravings. Follow this guide for the perfect ham your guests will remember long after the celebrations end.