Ham is a delicious salty meat staple in many holiday recipes. However, like most foods, it can go not good if not stored properly.
To keep your ham fresh, store it in the refrigerator at 40degF or less. If you have leftovers, put them in the freezer as soon as possible after serving them.
Can you Freeze Ham?
Absolutely. All ham lovers should be happy that they may now buy their guilty pleasure in large quantities without worrying about eating it all before it spoils.
Freezing ham is a way to ensure that you don’t waste all that delicious meaty goodness you spent so much time (and money) making up for your family over the Christmas season when having ham is a mainstay in every home.
Ham that has been properly frozen can remain frozen for many months. Diced ham, spiral ham, honey ham, deli ham, leftover ham, and other ham varieties can all be frozen. You can eat ham for at least a year if you freeze it properly. Best of all, neither the flavor nor texture of ham is impacted by freezing.
You can only keep cooked ham in the fridge for 3-5 days. Will you make your family and friends eat ham for the remainder of the week? Or may it be preserved in some way?
What is the Shelf Life of Ham in the Freezer?
Up to six months of freezer storage are possible for ham. We advise keeping it in the refrigerator if you intend to eat it within two months.
Wrap your ham tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap before freezing it. This will prevent the ham from drying out and assist to seal in its natural juices.
- 6 months for fresh, uncured, uncooked ham.
- 3 to 4 months for uncured, cooked fresh ham.
- Ham that has been cured and cooked before consumption (3 to 4 months)
- 1 to 2 months for a sealed, fully cooked ham.
- Whole ham cooked: 1 to 2 months
- 1 to 2 months for cooked slices, halves, or spiral ham
- Country ham cooked: one month
- Don’t freeze unopened ham; canned, shelf-stable, opened: 1 to 2 months.
- Dry Italian or Spanish style ham, cut prosciutto, Parma, or Serrano: 1 month.
How Long will Ham Last in the Refrigerator?
A ham can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 75 days. A half ham will stay fresh for roughly sixty days.
Precooked or spiral-cut ham will keep for roughly a week. If the packaging for sliced ham on the market indicates a longer shelf life, MSG or higher-than-normal nitrites and nitrates have probably been applied to preserve it.
Examining the packaging and tossing it out if it has passed its expiration date is the easiest way to determine how long your ham will stay in the refrigerator. If your ham’s packaging or wrap is opened, you should eat it within five days.
How Long does Ham Stay at Room Temperature?
Fresh and cured uncooked ham can be kept in the fridge or freezer. Uncooked meat shouldn’t be kept at room temperature for longer than two hours, especially if it hasn’t been cured. If possible, place it in the refrigerator or immediately freeze it.
Ham cooked and left out at room temperature will remain edible for two hours. Keep in mind that germs can develop quickly at temperatures between 40 and 140 °F.
The ham will rot quickly after two hours. The meat could become dangerous as a result of bacterial growth. Thus, it should be thrown away.
The Ideal Ham Storage Method
Raw ham should be kept in the coldest part of the refrigerator at temperatures between 34 and 38 ° F. If it is packaged and cured, it should be safe to consume up to its expiration date.
Keep it in its original packaging if it is fresh (uncured) and in the fridge. If it spills, attempt to carefully wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight bag or container. Ham should be carefully covered, so it isn’t exposed to much air. The sooner it is cooked, though, the better. Put it in the trash if it begins to spoil.
It is best to freeze raw ham as soon as you can. Fresh pork can be kept in its original packaging, although it is preferable to carefully wrap it in freezer wrap, a freezer-safe container, or a freezer-safe bag. To keep out moisture and air, use two layers of wrapping. Keep once more at a steady temperature of 0 ° F or lower.
Storing Cooked Ham
Within two hours of cooking, store-cooked ham in the refrigerator. Utilize small, airtight containers. Alternately, carefully wrap the object in freezer wrap or heavy-duty foil.
Within two hours of cooking, keep cooked ham in the freezer. Place in a freezer with a continuous temperature of 0°F or less after tightly wrapping with freezer wrap or a freezer-safe container.
Defrosting Ham
The length of time needed to thaw ham after freezing will vary based on the ham’s size and type. Give bigger portions at least two to three days in the fridge to gradually defrost. Ham keeps for three to four days in the refrigerator after being defrosted. Try one of our favorite ham dishes if you’re unsure how to use it. Alternatively, you can follow our Test Kitchen’s advice and just reheat the ham in a roasting pan with some chicken broth until it reaches a safe internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Does Ham with Bones Last Longer than Ham without Bones?
No, that’s not the solution to this query. In the refrigerator or freezer, both kinds of ham will keep for the same period.
When serving guests or at family get-togethers, boneless ham is convenient because it is simple to slice. But a bone-in ham is like a “present that keeps giving.” For upcoming meals, the bone can be utilized to make soups and stews.
Can you Refreeze Ham?
You can refreeze your defrosted ham if it hasn’t been in the fridge for more than three or four days, but be aware that the meat’s texture might change a little. Since freezing ham damages the flesh’s cell structures, refreezing it will exacerbate the problem by shattering even more cells and drying up the meat.
How can Ham be Kept Fresher Longer?
Use a ham bag or a clean tea towel that has been soaked in a solution of water and vinegar to keep the entire cooked ham fresh in your refrigerator. Before doing this, make sure you squeeze off any extra water. A few times, the bag can be applied and re-soaked. Always remember to do this during the periods we recommend for the refrigerator.
When Should Ham be Thrown Out?
It is preferable to discard your ham if it has been frozen for more than six months or in the refrigerator for more than five days after the box has been opened. Additionally, any ham that has come in contact with heat exceeding 40 degrees Fahrenheit must be thrown away.
We have boneless smoked ham from Stoltzfus Meats that is ideal for your holiday feast! Up to 75 days in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer, unopened, this ham will maintain its flavor and freshness.
How can you Spot Bad Ham?
You may check for a few indicators to see whether your ham has gone rotten. These consist of:
- A slimy or sticky quality to the ham’s exterior.
- A sour odor
- A greyish discoloration of the meat
It is important to discard the ham right away if you see any of these symptoms. The possibility of food poisoning is not worth it.
Why does Freezing Ham Make It Salty?
A freezer is an extremely cold place. Hence it is also dry there. The flavor of salt is enhanced, and this dryness reduces moisture.
We sincerely hope this knowledge was useful to you, whether you are a seasoned cook or a novice. Check out the Food Safety website for more details and concise timetables.
How Long After the Sell-by Date can you Eat Ham?
Ham should not be consumed after its use-by date, according to the USDA. But if you’ve frozen your ham, you might be able to eat it even after the expiration date. Even so, you should exercise caution and carefully scrutinize it before swallowing.
How should I Use the Remaining Ham?
I am aware that even if you eat leftover ham every morning and spread it between two slices of bread with cream cheese, you can still get sick after a while.
However, you can prepare other dishes with leftover ham and sandwiches.
How can I Reheat Leftover Ham?
The challenging portion is over. The holiday dinners you prepared were delicious and well-received by many. However, unless you pack everyone’s bags with food, you’ll probably have plenty of delicious ham leftovers. Here are the ideal methods for reheating this traditional holiday food when you’re prepared to indulge in them the following day:
- Start by wrapping the ham securely in aluminum foil or a baking bag if it isn’t already glazed.
- Then, when the oven is ready, set it to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, or 160 degrees Celsius, and place the ham inside.
- You must raise the temperature to 200°C or 400°F if the ham is glazed.
- Cook the ham until it reaches an internal temperature of 60 °C (140 °F), which may be measured with a meat thermometer.
- For a quick lunch, you can simply fry up individual ham slices in a skillet or frying pan.
The leftover ham can be heated up in the microwave. Remember, though, that microwaving tends to dry out ham by removing a lot of the moisture. But who’s to say you can’t heat some ham slices for a fast snack?
Does Cold Ham Taste Good?
Of course, I say. The many types of ham, such as spiral-cut cooked ham, vacuum-packaged ham, and canned ham, can all be eaten straight from the box.
In fact, because heating can dry up the meat and cause its glaze to melt, spiral-sliced hams that have reached the desired degree of doneness are best served cold. If heated ham is more your style, you can warm it up to a temperature of 145°F inside.
Conclusion
If you’re anything like me, you probably tend to buy meat based on what is currently offered at the best price. This can cause you to buy too much of one kind of meat. For me, it was ham last month. Indeed, to fit everything into storage, I ultimately decided to purchase a deep freezer similar to this one from Amazon.
Whatever your motivation for wanting to know how long ham keeps, I genuinely appreciate you taking the time to visit.
