Whenever you plan to serve a big pork dish like a ham for Easter or Christmas dinner, you are faced with a lot of questions. Where should I buy the ham? What kind of ham should I buy? Should it be bone-in or boneless? How much ham should I give each person? It’s likely that your holiday meal has been a little smaller lately, but small get-togethers with family and friends are beginning to return to normal. These questions are just as important when you’re cooking for three people as they were when you were cooking for twenty. It can be stressful to have a lot of family and friends over, and the costs of food, wine, and decorations can add up quickly. We don’t want you to spend more than you have to, so let’s figure out how many pounds of ground or boned ham each guest will need. From Our Shop.
Spiral-cut ham is a holiday staple for many families’ Easter and Christmas dinners. Its signature slices make it easy to serve, and the flavor is reliably delicious. But when you’re planning your menu and buying your ham, how do you know what size to get? Determining servings per pound is key to buying the right amount of spiral ham for your gathering.
Why Choose a Spiral Ham?
There are several reasons spiral-cut ham makes a fantastic centerpiece for special occasion meals:
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Easy serving – The slices are already cut, so you just peel them off the bone.
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Built-in flavor – Spiral hams are cured, smoked, and often glazed for maximum taste.
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Moist and tender – The spiral cut helps the ham stay juicy when cooking
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Festive presentation – It looks beautiful on a serving platter or buffet.
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Kid-friendly – Kids love the sweet glaze and tender meat.
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Versatile – It can be served hot or cold and used in other recipes.
For these reasons, spiral ham is a go-to choice for both cooks and guests at holiday celebrations and other large family meals.
How Many Servings Per Pound?
When buying a spiral ham the main question is how many servings you can expect to get per pound. This will determine what size ham to purchase for your group. Here are some general guidelines
- Boneless spiral ham: 0.40 to 0.50 servings per pound
- Bone-in spiral ham: 0.33 to 0.40 servings per pound
The bone accounts for some of the total weight but is not edible, so bone-in ham provides fewer servings per pound.
For a boneless spiral ham, on average you can calculate around 0.45 servings per pound.
So for example:
- A 5 lb boneless spiral ham serves around 5 x 0.45 = 2.25 people
- A 10 lb boneless spiral ham serves around 10 x 0.45 = 4.5 people
Use these numbers as a starting point, then adjust up or down based on your menu, guest appetites, and if you want leftovers. For big holiday crowds, estimate on the lower end of servings per pound to ensure you have enough.
Serving Size Per Person
How much ham to serve each person depends on the meal occasion and other dishes being served.
For a holiday meal with multiple side dishes, plan for:
- 4-6 oz per person – With many sides, lighter ham portions are often adequate.
For a Sunday dinner or main course meal:
- 6-8 oz per person – With fewer accompaniments, people will likely eat more ham.
When in doubt, allow 6-8 oz per person. It ensures sufficient portions as the main protein while leaving some for leftovers. Adjust up for heartier appetites or down if also serving a roast or other entree.
Buying the Right Size Spiral Ham
Use these recommended servings per pound and serving sizes to determine what size spiral ham to buy for your group:
6 People
- Boneless ham: 3-4 lbs
- Bone-in ham: 4-5 lbs
8 People
- Boneless ham: 5-6 lbs
- Bone-in ham: 6-8 lbs
12 People
- Boneless ham: 7-9 lbs
- Bone-in ham: 9-12 lbs
16 People
- Boneless ham: 10-12 lbs
- Bone-in ham: 13-16 lbs
Buy a whole ham since they’re harder to find in smaller halves. The leftovers can be used in casseroles, soups, sandwiches and more.
Consider going slightly larger, as hams often go on sale during the holidays. The extra can be frozen in portions for later use.
Cooking Time Per Pound
For complete cooking instructions, follow the times on the packaging or recipe. As a general rule for uncooked spiral ham:
- Boneless ham – Allow 15-20 minutes per pound at 325°F
- Bone-in ham – Allow 18-24 minutes per pound at 325°F
So a 10 lb bone-in ham would take around 3 hours to cook fully. Use a meat thermometer to confirm the internal temperature reaches 140°F.
Adjust cooking times based on whether your ham is cooked, partially cooked or raw. Fully cooked hams just need to be warmed to 140°F.
Serving a Juicy and Flavorful Spiral Ham
To ensure your spiral ham stays moist and full of flavor, follow these serving tips:
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Let rest 10-15 minutes before slicing to prevent drying out.
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Use a sharp knife and cut across the grain in thin slices.
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Serve warm or at room temperature – not straight from the fridge.
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Offer spiraled slices from the thinner end first as they dry out faster.
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Spoon glaze over meat and provide extra on the side.
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Refrigerate leftovers in shallow airtight containers within 2 hours.
With the right size ham and proper serving techniques, your spiral ham will be the crowning jewel of your holiday feast!
Alternate Ways to Use Leftover Spiral Ham
Creative ways to enjoy leftover spiral ham include:
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Breakfast sandwiches or omelets
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Ham and pea pasta salad
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Potato soup with ham
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Ham fried rice
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Ham, apple and brie panini
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Ham and cheese puff pastry pockets
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Hawaiian pizza with ham and pineapple
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Ham, spinach and goat cheese quiche
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Ham and veggie frittata or strata
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Ham and cream cheese roll-ups
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Ham and swiss croissant sandwich
With some ingenuity, leftover ham can be repurposed into all sorts of easy, delicious dishes. Get creative with the leftovers!
FAQs About Serving Spiral Ham
How long does spiral ham last in the fridge?
Leftover cooked spiral ham stays fresh in the fridge for 3-5 days. Store in shallow airtight containers and use within that time.
Can you freeze leftover spiral ham?
Yes, portion spiral ham into freezer bags or airtight containers, removing as much air as possible. It will keep for 2-3 months in the freezer.
What is the best way to reheat spiral ham?
To reheat ham slices, arrange in a skillet or baking dish, cover with foil and warm at 325°F until heated through, about 15-20 minutes. Or reheat single portions in the microwave.
What are good side dishes with spiral ham?
Great spiral ham accompaniments include roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cornbread, rolls, fruit salad, and scalloped corn.
What glazes go well with spiral ham?
Brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, orange juice, pineapple juice, mustard, and fruit preserves like cherry or apricot make tasty glazes for spiral hams.
The Takeaway
When buying and serving spiral ham this holiday season, estimate 0.33-0.50 servings per pound and plan for around 6-8 oz per person. Use a meat thermometer and let the ham rest before carving. With the right calculations, you’ll end up with a perfect amount of this delicious star entrée on your table.
How much ham per person?
If you want a bone-in ham (which is heavier), plan on about half a pound per person. If you want a boneless ham, plan on about a third of a pound per person. At the end of the day, some people will eat less than planned and some will eat more than planned. It will even out. Take it easy if you’re making a lot of side dishes. For example, if you texted your roommates, “ham party at 3 p.m.,” don’t make too many. m. on Sunday,” consider buying more. And add an extra pound or two if you know you’ll want leftovers for ham sandwiches, breakfast omelets and quiches, or small ham croquettes.
For an even easier shopping trip, write down these amounts for both a bone-in and a boneless ham:
Bone-In Ham
- 4 people: 2-3 pound bone-in ham
- 6 people: 3-4 pound bone-in ham
- 8 people: 4-5 pound bone-in ham
- 10 people: 5-6 pound bone-in ham
- 12 people: 6-7 pound bone-in ham
Boneless Ham
- 4 people: 1.5-2 pound boneless ham
- 6 people: 2-3 pound boneless ham
- 8 people: 2.75-3.5 pound boneless ham
- 10 people: 3-4 pound boneless ham
- 12 people: 4-5 pound boneless ham
You should go to the store once you know how many people you want to serve and how much ham you want. You can choose a fresh ham, which has pale pink flesh, a cured ham, which has pinker flesh and may be ready to eat or need some cooking (they’ll be marked), or a smoked and cured ham, which is the same as a cured ham but has a smokey flavor added to it. You can buy hams whole, cut in half, or spiral-cut, which means they are already sliced. You can also get hams with or without bones. Smoked ham with bones tends to have the most flavor. You can also make your own brown sugar and bourbon or apricot glaze to go with the ham.
Okay, so how the heck do I cook ham?
If you want to start from scratch, try the glazed ham recipe from Your Best Baked Ham contest winner Kayb. If you want to start from a lower level, try Food Editor Emma Laperruque’s apricot and Dijon-glazed spiral ham (aka precooked!) recipe.
To be honest, I like sliced ham on a plate, but it won’t make me leave the appetizers. A ham sandwich bar, on the other hand, absolutely will. For one of the best sandwiches since the PB&J, put out potato buns, pickles, mayo, Swiss cheese, apricot or strawberry jam (yes, jam on ham! go for it!), and a pile of sliced ham.