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Ashia Aubourg
No matter the holiday, whether it’s Christmas or Easter, there’s always one dish that takes center stage on my family’s table: a smoky, glistening ham. For decades, my relatives have relied on fully cooked baked hams as an easy main course shortcut. To elevate it, I’ll catch one of my uncles glazing it with honey bourbon sauce, or if my grandmother has extra time, she’ll decorate hers with floral cloves and ripe pineapples.
But picking the right baked ham isn’t something to take lightly. You want one that’s smoky and savory, yet so tender that each slice practically melts in your guests’ mouths. If you’re tasked with bringing the ham to the table, it can feel like a lot of pressure. To ease that burden, I tried a few different baked hams to find the one that will truly stand out at your next holiday spread. Below are a few I’d recommend.
How I Chose the Baked Hams
I checked major grocery chains for fully cooked baked hams, selecting options with serving sizes ranging from four to eight people. Some brands are only available online, so I received some through mail, too. Baked hams come in various styles—some are pre-sliced, others may be frozen or fresh, some include a honey or brown sugar glaze to brush on while baking, and a few even have the bone intact. I included all these different types in my taste test to determine which would deliver the most delicious and convenient experience.
Ashia Aubourg
How I Tested the Baked Hams
When testing baked hams, I started by inspecting their packaging, taking notes on how they were wrapped in stores or how they arrived by mail. I paid attention to whether there were any pork juice leaks and noted if the meat arrived at the correct temperature if delivered. For any frozen hams, I followed the defrosting instructions. I found that most baked hams require little prep—usually, you just pop them in the oven to reheat, and for some, you brush on a glaze during this process. I followed each ham’s preparation instructions, letting them rest for a few minutes before slicing. To avoid tasting overload, I only tried one ham per day, allowing me to fully enjoy each one. I focused on which ones had a well-balanced smoky flavor, were the most tender, and the easiest to heat and serve. If any hams arrived with a glaze, I also evaluated that to see if those sweet additions complemented the meat.
The Best Baked Hams, Ranked
6th Place: Edwards Virginia Smokehouse Petite Ham
Ashia Aubourg
This petite ham from Edwards Virginia Smokehouse has received countless positive reviews on Goldbelly, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to the hype for me. It arrives frozen, and the instructions recommend the usual defrosting and reheating process for this cut of meat. Despite being advertised as hand-rubbed with salt, brown sugar, black pepper, and aged for at least 90 days, it was lacking in big, bold flavor. Visually, there didn’t appear to be much seasoning on the crust, and even after baking, it struggled to develop any browning or color. As for the taste, I was expecting more complexity from the aging process, but instead, the pork ended up dry and underwhelming.
The ordering process was easy, however, and the packaging is endearing, making this a good option to send as a gift to someone who may appreciate a more subtle choice.
5th Place: Omaha Steaks Spiral Sliced Ham
Ashia Aubourg
Omaha Steaks is known for delivering some of the best filet mignons and sockeye salmon you can order online—I’ve sampled a few of the products, and those items are delicious. I had high hopes for the brand’s spiral-sliced ham. It arrived frozen, and the thawing and reheating process was similar to the other hams I tried. Where it fell short was in depth of flavor. It lacked the savory, salty notes typically found in pork and didn’t have any of the smoky aroma I was expecting. The crust had a sweet component, but there wasn’t enough brown sugar glaze brushed on to really give it that caramelized rich bite.
Again, the ordering process is beyond easy and the brand knows how to deliver efficiently, so if you’re ordering steaks and want to keep things simple, this ham will be an easy addition to the table—and to a pot of bean soup.
4th Place: Snake River Farms Half Boneless Ham
Ashia Aubourg
You can order the boneless ham from Snake River Farms in a few different sizes, depending on how many people you’re hosting. I went with the 3-pound option, which serves about four. It’s made from Kurobuta pork, a heritage Berkshire variety known for its highly marbled meat, rich dark pink color, firm texture, and distinct sweet flavor. It arrived frozen, and since it’s on the smaller side, it only took about six hours to thaw in the fridge.
To reheat it, the instructions suggest baking it at 350 degrees F until it reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F. While it’s not pre-sliced, there are lines on the crust to guide you when carving.
I had high expectations for Kurobuta pork, and while it was smoky, rich in flavor, and subtly sweet, it didn’t taste much different from the other top contenders. In fact, during testing, this ham turned out a bit drier in texture compared to the others.
3rd Place: Costco Kirkland Signature Spiral Sliced Ham
Ashia Aubourg
If you’re a Costco fan, don’t sleep on its spiral-sliced ham in the meat section. I picked one up and was impressed by the foil and net wrapping, which kept it secure while it chilled in my fridge for a few days. It’s sold fresh, so no need to worry about defrosting it ahead of time. It averages about 9 pounds, which is enough to feed 10 to 12 people.
I really appreciated the brown sugar dry mix packet it comes with—just add water, heat it on the stovetop, and you’ve got a semi-homemade glaze ready to brush onto the ham as it bakes. The instructions recommend wrapping the ham in aluminum foil, placing it in a shallow roasting pan with the round side facing up, and baking at 275 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes per pound. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, I glazed the ham and increased the oven temperature to 425 degrees F to help it get a caramelized crust.
Once it’s out of the oven, serving is straightforward since it’s pre-sliced. I appreciated the ham’s savory notes and delicious brown sugar flavors from the glaze. Overall, it’s quite tender, though it falls more in the lean category compared to pork loaded with more fat.
2nd Place: Harry & David Spiral-Sliced Ham
Ashia Aubourg
Placing an order on Harry & David’s site takes just a few seconds, and before you know it, a spiral-sliced ham will be on its way to you. When my package arrived, the ham was frozen, and I followed the thawing instructions, which recommended placing it in the fridge for two days. It came wrapped in foil, which stayed intact throughout the defrosting process.
To heat it, the instructions suggested baking it at 275 degrees F for 15 to 18 minutes. I liked that it came with a honey glaze, which I enjoyed brushing onto the crust. The ham is pre-sliced, and the 7.5-8.5-pound option serves 10 to 12 people. As for the flavor, it hit all the right notes: succulent and smoky—and I was especially impressed by the caramelized taste from the honey glaze.
1st Place Winner: The Honey Baked Ham Company Honey Baked Ham
Ashia Aubourg
This bone-in ham arrived frozen at my doorstep, which made it clear that it was packed with care. I followed the online instructions to defrost it in the refrigerator, which took about 24 hours. I wasn’t a fan of the foil wrapping, though—while it was thawing, some of the juices leaked out. Thankfully, I had it sitting on a plate, so nothing spilled.
The Honey Baked Ham Company recommends serving its ham at room temperature, but I preferred mine a bit heated. So, I popped it in the oven at 275 degrees F, baking it for 10 minutes per pound, just as the instructions suggested. The ham is pre-sliced, too, so when it was time to carve, I barely had to do any work.
The slices were tender and packed with a smoky flavor, like it had been slow-cooked over wood chips for hours. You don’t have to worry about brushing on a glaze because the brand already adds its signature topping. It’s not too sweet and balances the savory flavor of the pork nicely. It was incredibly juicy, too—if you have mashed potatoes on your plate, I can imagine the drippings making a delicious gravy. The half ham feeds up to eight people and looks stunning when it comes out of the oven, glistening with its honey glaze.
It’s the perfect addition to any holiday table.
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