How to Cook Costco Spiral Ham [+ Serving Tips]
Not only is the spiral ham from my local Costco affordable, but this pre-sliced meat also comes with flavor profiles that everyone in my family loves dearly. But after you get home with your Kirkland spiral ham, what are the best ways to cook it, and what can you serve with it to make it even better? Don’t worry! I’m here to guide you through every step of the process in the following article.
From tips about making the ham extra juicy to the side dishes that will pair perfectly with it, I’ll have you feeling like a top chef in no time! By following these easy steps, you’ll surely have a delicious home-cooked meal your whole family will enjoy.
Kirkland Spiral Sliced Ham Cooking Instructions with Glaze
Jump to RecipeWhen you’re ready to cook your Kirkland spiral ham, the first step is to remove it from its shrink-wrapped plastic packaging. Once the wrapping is off, place the ham on a roasting pan, run cool water over it for a few minutes, and pat it dry. This easy step will help make the ham tender and juicy.
Next, you’ll want to score the fatty top layer. Scoring the top layer of fat ensures that any flavors you’re infusing will actually get absorbed into the meat. To score your spiral ham, use a long sharp knife to cut vertical lines into the fatty layer in a crosshatch pattern at 1-inch intervals. I always try my best not to cut too deep into the meat below, as this can lead to drying out while it cooks.
Finally, prepare your glazing mixture and apply it evenly over the entire ham going especially heavy with those areas that have been scored, as this will really help enhance and boost flavor.
After applying your glazing mixture, let your prepared spiral ham sit at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes before popping, covering it with aluminum foil, and placing it in a preheated oven on a lower rack to position it in the center of the oven.
The oven should be preheated at 325 °F (around 160 °C), and the ham should be baked for approximately 18-22 minutes per pound or until the internal thermometer registers 140 °F (60 °C) when inserted into the thickest part of the ham.
For the last 30 minutes of cooking, I like to remove the foil — you can do this, too, if you prefer a crunchy glaze that you can achieve by brushing your favorite glaze onto the top of your cooked spiral ham during this time. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.
How to Make Costco Spiral Ham Better?
If you want to make Costco spiral ham even better, you can choose from various glazes and rubs to enhance the flavor.
Glazes like brown sugar, orange marmalade, honey, or mustard all add sweetness and tanginess to the ham.
You can also add savory flavors by using a rub with herbs, garlic, and spices. The most popular are rosemary, sage, thyme, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
For an extra punch of flavor, you can add a mustard glaze with garlic or an olive oil-and-herb blend. Whichever you choose to use will depend on the flavor profile you’re trying to achieve!
Here are some tips for applying a glaze or rub:
- Preheat your oven according to the instructions on the package.
- Place your Spiral Ham in a baking dish.
- Brush with the desired glaze or rub.
- Bake according to package instructions.
- Brush with more of the same glaze or rub 30 minutes before the ham is done cooking.
- If using a sweet glaze like brown sugar, wait until the last 10 minutes of cooking time.
This will result in a flavorful, juicy Costco spiral ham that will surely be a hit with dinner guests!
What to Serve with Costco Spiral Ham?
There are so many options for the perfect side dishes for your Costco spiral ham dinner! From the simplest salad to the most elaborate casserole, there’s something for everyone.
Here are some of my favorite side dishes to serve with a Costco spiral ham:
Fruit Salads
Nothing says “elegant” quite like a fruit salad! My go-to combination is sweet, juicy pineapple, crunchy apples, and tangy oranges. You can also add your favorite berries or bananas or even make it a tropical fruit salad with mangoes and papayas.
Mashed Potatoes
Garlicky mashed potatoes are always a crowd-pleaser. You can make them even more special by adding cream cheese or using full-fat coconut milk instead of regular milk. Top them off with fresh chives or parsley for an extra punch of flavor.
Vegetable Casseroles
Vegetable casseroles are one of the easiest side dishes you can make — just chop up some veggies of your choice (I love broccoli, cauliflower, and bell peppers), toss with olive oil, and bake in the oven until golden brown.
Top off with Parmesan cheese, and you have yourself one delicious dish!
Rice Dishes
Rice is a staple in many cultures and is an easy way to add more nutrients to your plate. Try making cheesy jalapeño rice or herbed wild rice pilaf for something exceptional. Or try Mexican street corn fried rice — it’s packed with flavor but surprisingly easy to make!
How to Reheat Kirkland Sliced Ham?
If you have leftovers from your Costco spiral ham, you can easily reheat it! Reheating your Costco ham will help keep it as tender and juicy as possible. When it comes to reheating the Kirkland sliced ham, all you need to do is bring it to room temperature first. Preheat your oven to 350 °F, transfer your pre-sliced ham into a baking dish, cover it with foil, and bake it for 10 to 12 minutes.
To retain moisture, brush some glaze over the top before serving, or just use a bit of butter or honey to get some extra flavor.
If you don’t have an oven at home, you can also reheat the slices of already-cooked spiral ham in a microwave. Place the slices on a microwave-safe plate and add a splash of water to steam and enhance flavor. Heat for 1 minute at medium power, then turn over each piece and heat for another 30 seconds.
Don’t forget to check that the internal temperature of your reheated spiral ham is also 145 °F before serving!
And there you have it! Reheating your Kirkland sliced ham is easy and only requires three steps:
- Bringing it to room temperature.
- Heating in the oven or microwave for a few minutes.
- Ensuring that the internal temperature has reached 145F before serving.
What to Do with Leftovers?
Making the perfect, juicy, and tender Costco spiral ham can take some effort, but it is so worth it. But what do you do with the leftovers? You don’t want them to go to waste! Thankfully, there are plenty of delicious ways to use up the remains.
Leftover ham is an excellent addition to salads! Add some ham as a protein to your favorite salads, such as lettuce-based salads, pasta salads, and potato salads.
Soups are also an excellent way to use up leftover cooked ham. Choose from creamy soups like potato soup or chowders like corn chowder. Sometimes I like to get creative and make minestrone or tortilla soup with diced pieces of leftover ham!
Making sandwiches and wraps with leftover ham is an excellent way for high-protein meals during lunchtime. Whether you’re adding diced cooked ham into wraps, sub sandwiches, or creating a classic club sandwich — your options are endless!
Costco Spiral Ham with Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 Costco Kirkland Spiral Sliced Ham
For the Glaze
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Grated Ginger
- 2 tbsp Honey
- ½ cup Orange Juice
Instructions
- Remove the ham from its wrapping, and place it on a roasting pan.
- Run cool water over it for a few minutes, and pat it dry.
- Next, score the fatty top layer. To score your spiral ham, use a long sharp knife to cut vertical lines into the fatty layer in a crosshatch pattern at 1-inch intervals. Try not to cut too deeply into the meat below, as this can lead to drying out while it cooks.
- Finally, prepare your glazing mixture (you can use your favorite one) and apply it evenly over the entire ham going especially heavy with those areas that have been scored.
- Preheat the oven at 325°F (around 160°C).
- After applying your glazing mixture, let your prepared spiral ham sit at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes before covering it with aluminum foil, and placing it in the oven on a lower rack to position it in the center of the oven.
- Bake the ham for approximately 18-22 minutes per pound or until an internal thermometer registers 140°F (60°C) when inserted into the thickest part of the ham.
- Remove foil for the last 30 minutes of cooking if you prefer a crunchy glaze that can be achieved by brushing your favorite glaze onto the top of your cooked spiral ham during this time. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.
- Serve with some of the recs from the article, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.
