How to use an electric roaster oven to cook a sweet and sticky ham. This will make a holiday dinner that your guests will remember.
The irresistible smell of a ham roasting in the oven is sure to bring back happy holiday memories. One of the easiest and most popular holiday meals to make is ham. You can make it for Easter, Christmas, or Sunday dinner.
My favorite recipe for special occasions is maple glazed ham in an electric roaster oven. The maple glaze adds just enough sweetness to bring out the spiral ham’s savory, smoky flavor.
A toaster oven may seem like an unlikely choice for cooking a savory ham, but with a few tips and tricks, you can achieve delicious results right from this small appliance Learning how to properly prepare, season, glaze and cook a ham in a toaster oven will give you juicy, flavorful meat without having to turn on the full-sized oven.
Benefits of Using a Toaster Oven
Cooking ham in a toaster oven has several advantages
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Quick cooking – Toaster ovens preheat faster and cook food more rapidly than conventional ovens. You can have ham ready in under an hour.
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Small batches – Toaster ovens work well for cooking smaller hams or ham slices for just the family. No need to heat up a large oven.
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Energy efficient – They use less energy than a full-size oven since they have less space to heat up. Great for saving energy.
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Better monitoring – The small interior and glass door allow you to easily keep an eye on the ham as it cooks.
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Less mess – Contained in a small space, there is less splatter or mess than other cooking methods.
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Enhanced browning – The top heating elements brown and crisp the exterior nicely.
Tips for Preparing Ham for the Toaster Oven
Proper preparation is key to cooking ham well in a toaster oven:
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Choose a boneless, fully-cooked ham between 3-5 lbs. Bone-in hams are tricky in a toaster oven.
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Allow ham to sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
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Trim off excess fat, leaving a thin layer for moisture.
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Score the ham in a diamond pattern to help the glaze adhere.
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Place ham on a small wire rack set inside a baking pan to elevate it.
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Brush glaze over ham, getting into all the crevices for delicious flavor.
Step-by-Step Guide for Cooking Ham
Follow these simple steps:
1. Preheat Toaster Oven
Preheat toaster oven to 350°F which takes around 10 minutes. Use a thermometer to check accuracy.
2. Prepare Baking Dish
Place ham on a wire rack set inside a baking dish or pan that fits in your toaster oven.
3. Brush with Glaze
Liberally brush prepared glaze all over ham to coat completely.
4. Cook Ham
Cook ham for approximately 10-14 minutes per pound. For a 5 lb ham, cook for 50-70 minutes.
5. Check Temperature
Test temperature using a meat thermometer inserted in thickest part. Ham should reach 140°F.
6. Let Sit and Slice
Remove ham and tent with foil. Let rest 10 minutes then slice and serve.
7. Make Glaze
Mix mustard, honey, brown sugar, herbs and melted butter for a easy, delicious glaze.
Helpful Hints and Suggestions
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For added flavor, try adding citrus, ginger, cloves or rosemary to your glaze.
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Use real maple syrup or brown sugar for sweetness and a lovely caramelized exterior.
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Cook at 50% power if ham seems to be cooking unevenly. Then switch to 100% at end.
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If ham seems to brown too quickly, tent with foil and finish cooking covered.
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Let ham rest at least 10-15 minutes after cooking for easier slicing and juicier meat.
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For a festive dish, stud ham with cloves and pineapples slices before glazing and cooking.
With the right techniques, a toaster oven is more than capable of producing a tasty ham with juicy meat and crisp glaze. For best results, opt for a smaller fully cooked ham, elevate it off the pan, glaze it well and use a meat thermometer to test for doneness. In no time, you’ll have delicious ham ready to enjoy without heating up the whole kitchen.
Common Toaster Oven Ham Questions Answered
Many people have questions when attempting to cook ham in a toaster oven. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions:
What size ham fits best in a toaster oven?
Opt for a 3-5 lb boneless, fully cooked ham. Anything larger may not fit evenly. Cut a bigger ham into smaller portions before cooking.
Should I use a baking sheet or pan?
Use a baking dish or pan with a wire rack inside to elevate the ham for air flow. This prevents sogginess.
How long does it take to cook ham in a toaster oven?
Cook 10-14 minutes per pound at 350°F. A 3 lb ham takes 30-45 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to confirm.
What is the ideal internal temperature for ham?
Cook ham to 140°F as measured by a food thermometer for optimal safety and juiciness.
Can I use a glaze on ham in a toaster oven?
Yes, glazing adds delicious flavor and texture. Brush on a mustard, honey, brown sugar glaze before cooking.
Should I tent the ham with foil while cooking?
Tenting with foil can help prevent over-browning. Remove it halfway through for browning.
With the right size ham, proper prep and careful monitoring, you can make moist, delicious ham in the convenience of a toaster oven. Just be sure to use a thermometer for safety. In no time, you’ll be a master at cooking ham in this small but mighty appliance!
Why Use An Electric Roaster Oven
An electric roaster is basically a smaller version of a regular oven, powered by electricity. I always think of it as a cross between a Crock-Pot and a toaster oven. An electric roaster is mostly bought to roast a turkey for Thanksgiving, but it can be useful whenever you need more oven space.
I love to use my electric roaster for holiday meals because it’s essentially an extra oven. Because I’m cooking this maple-glazed ham in a roaster oven instead of my regular oven, I have room for other holiday favorites like rolls, cakes, pies, potatoes, or roasted vegetables.
You can use it for much more than holiday ham or turkey:
- Cooking two whole chickens at once
- For a big group, making a lot of baked potatoes, stew, chili, meatballs, ribs, roasts, sauces, hams, casseroles, pies, or just about anything else
Ham Glaze Recipe with Maple Syrup
Preparing the maple syrup glaze for your ham requires only a few simple steps:
- Mix the apple juice, Dijon mustard, allspice, maple syrup, and brown sugar in a small saucepan with a whisk (recipe below). You can use cinnamon or dried ginger instead of allspice if you don’t have any on hand. Allspice is one of my favorite things to use, so I do it all the time!
- You can use the glaze packet that came with your spiral ham if you want to. Simply pour the glaze packet into the saucepan. It’s likely that you’ll also need to add water; just follow the directions on the package.
- Over medium-high heat, bring the glaze mixture to a boil. Watch out that the maple ham glaze doesn’t boil over as it boils for two minutes. This recipe makes enough glaze for a ham that weighs between 6 and 8 pounds. If yours is bigger than eight pounds, make 1.5 to 2 times the glaze recipe. You can also halve the recipe for smaller hams.
How To Cook an Easter Ham in a Toaster Oven | Recipe | Annual Easter Special with Sal Governale
FAQ
Should you bake a ham covered or uncovered?
How to cook a Ham in a toaster oven?
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and place the ham in a baking dish. Bake for 18 minutes per pound of ham, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit. To add even more flavor, coat the ham with a honey or brown sugar glaze in the last few minutes of cooking. Is it possible to cook ham in a toaster oven?
Is honey baked ham as good as regular ham?
The addition of honey will affect the calorie content of the food. One tablespoon of honey contributes to approximately 64 calories. In addition, the use of heat when making baked ham will reduce the quality of the honey.
How to cook a Ham in the oven?
Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or large roasting pan with foil. 2. Put the ham cut-side down on the foil and scatter the onion pieces around it. Cover the ham loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. 3.
How do you cook a Ham in a roaster?
Pour 2 cups of water into the insert pan, put the roaster cover on and preheat roaster oven to 325°F. Trim thick part of fat off of ham down to 1/4-inch. Score remaining layer of fat into diamond design; this will help hold the glaze. Insert whole cloves into each diamond. Place ham on rack then place in roaster and cover. Bake for 1 hour.