A beautifully lacquered baked ham serves as the centerpiece for many an Easter or Christmas table and with so many tasty options available online, holiday cooking can be so much easier. Lower the stress of preparing the holiday feast by having the main event, the ham, delivered right to your door. Just heat and serve. And don't worry about it being too big, because in the South, we know how to repurpose leftovers—think stuffed ham and cheese casserole, ham and potato soup, or a big ole’ pot of collard greens.
Choosing the best baked ham online can be challenging—there are glazed and non-glazed options, spiral-cut and whole, boneless and bone-in, and large or small hams. Whether you serve dinner for two or plan a family gathering for the holidays, one will be the perfect pick for you.
Michael Saperstein is the co-owner of Sunshine Provisions in South Florida.
Gus Martin is the executive chef at Tujague’s in New Orleans.
When shopping for a baked ham, Michael Saperstein of Sunshine Provisions says to look for uncured, heritage, or natural on the label. He adds, “Glazed or non-glazed is a personal preference. The better the ham though, the less glaze needed so you can taste the quality of the pork and smoke. A boneless ham is always easier to slice.”
To come up with our list of the best baked hams online, we spent hours cooking up the top hams available online, evaluating them for ordering and delivery ease, clarity of reheating instructions, moistness retained, taste, and overall value. We also considered factors like bone-in or boneless, glazed or not, size, pre-sliced or not, and more.
Our Top Picks Best Overall: Snake River Farms Kurobuta Bone-In Ham at Williams Sonoma $130 Jump to Review Best Value: Logan Farms Honey Glazed Ham at Goldbelly.com Jump to Review Best Presentation: Cajun Ed's Specialty Meats Cajun Honey Glazed Ham at Goldbelly.com Jump to Review Best Glazed: The Shed BBQ & Blues Joint Pit Smoked BBQ Ham at Goldbelly.com Jump to Review Best Boneless: Omaha Steaks Duroc Boneless Country Ham at Omahasteaks.com Jump to Review Best Smoked: Melissa Cookston's Memphis BBQ Double-Smoked Spiral Cut Ham at Goldbelly.com Jump to Review
$130 at Williams Sonoma View on Snakeriverfarms.com View on Goldbelly.com What’s Great About It Straightforward ordering process
Prompt delivery
Juicy, tender meat with robust flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture
Pre-cut for even cooking and ease of serving
Excellent presentation
What Could Be Better No reheating instructions included
Pricey
Substantial marbling and fat pockets, which may not appeal to everyone
A lot of buzz surrounds Kurobuta hams. The name comes from the Japanese term for “black hog” and refers to heritage breed animals of the Berkshire variety. The pork is highly marbled for flavor and has a rich dark color that we found in testing, makes for a beautiful presentation when served.
Ordering and prompt delivery went very smoothly during testing, though we wish the reheating instructions came with the ham rather than having to look them up online.
This meaty ham weighs in at approximately 16 pounds for the large size, but part of that is the bone that runs through it. Don’t worry; once you carve it, that bone makes delicious split pea soup.
There is no glaze, perfect for purists like Martin, but it is cured and smoked over real hardwood. The cook went exactly according to instructions, finishing in a little under three hours. The flavor on this one floored us—it was melt-in-your-mouth juicy and robust with no dry areas.
We understand the care and time that goes into raising these animals, but we do wish the ham was a little more economical. Overall, this ham far exceeded our expectations across testing multiple hams with its easy preparation process and delicious flavor.
Sizes: 8–16 pounds | Pre-Sliced: No | Glaze: Not included
View on Goldbelly.com View on Loganfarms.com What’s Great About It User-friendly ordering process via Goldbelly
Flavorful
Pre-sliced for easier serving
Attractive presentation, suitable as a centerpiece
What Could Be Better Lack of heating instructions included with the ham
Sections near the bone were fattier and harder to cut and serve
This Jackson, Mississippi, farm has been putting out quality meats since 1984. The fully-cooked 8-pound, spiral-sliced ham is hickory smoked and lacquered with its thick honey and spice glaze.
We do wish they included reheating instructions with the ham so we did not have to look it up on the website during testing. Though the thawing and reheating took a little effort and contributed to it being drier, we liked this ham's flavor. It was not too salty, and the honey glaze perfectly complemented the savory meat.
We did find sections of the ham (near the bone) were fattier and marbled, making them a little harder to cut and serve. We appreciated that this ham was pre-cut and sliced—it made serving much easier, and when it came out of the oven, we found it a beautiful centerpiece for any holiday table.
Like our top pick, we found the order process user-friendly and delivery prompt. The gourmet ham serves 10-14 people and is shipped frozen with ice packs to ensure freshness.
Size: 8 pounds | Pre-Sliced: Yes | Glaze: Honey and spice
View on Goldbelly.com View on Hebertsmeats.com What’s Great About It Easy ordering process with flexible delivery options
Simple reheating instructions
Beautiful spiral-cut ham with crisped edges
Juicy and tender interior
What Could Be Better Pricey
Lack of clarity on weight (blank label) made it difficult to estimate reheating time accurately
Known for its Cajun specialties, this specialty meat shop lands the perfect mix of sweet and spicy. Authentic Cajun spices like paprika and cayenne pepper join honey in their Cajun honey glazed ham.
It's spiral cut and between 5 and 7 pounds, plenty to feed up to 10 people, though we do wish it were a little more economical. The ordering process via Goldbelly proved easy during testing, though we did find shipping was only sometimes free. Shipping charges depend on the day you order.
We appreciated the simple reheating instructions on the product page but experienced a couple of hiccups during testing. The ham came covered in foil, and it was unclear whether to remove this for thawing (we found we should have). Then, when calculating cook time, we couldn’t find any marking delineating the weight of the ham anywhere on the packaging.
No extra glaze is included, though the drippings from this ham would make a beautiful sauce. This ham is spiraled and salty, with lots of yummy marbling around the sides. We found the meat tender but with more chew at the edges. The bone in the center kept the middle of the ham juicy.
This ham is a stunner plated with its crisp edges that look like a magazine food shot. It was easy to prepare and serve, and the smells that filled the test kitchen while baking made everyone hungry.
Size: 5–7 pounds | Pre-Sliced: Yes | Glaze: Not included, pre-glazed
View on Goldbelly.com What’s Great About It Bone adds flavor, and the thick fat cap kept ham moist
Juicy and tender compared to other hams tested
Glaze provided was plentiful and had a strong smoky flavor
Moisture and bold flavor made it stand out
What Could Be Better Required significantly more time to reach the recommended temperature
Thankfully, this legendary Ocean Springs, Mississippi, barbecue and blues joint featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives now ships nationwide on Goldbelly, so you don't have to make the sojourn to Mississippi (but you should).
We found the ordering process straightforward, and though delivery is only free on certain dates, the messaging was clear. This 5- to 6-pound pit-smoked bone-in ham marinates for 48 hours in dark brown sugar, salt, allspice, cloves, celery, and bay leaves before being smoked all night over pecan wood and lavished with a sticky honey glaze.
Though the ham came with clear reheating instructions, we found them inaccurate; it was still not thawed and ready for the oven after following them to the letter. We followed the reheating instructions and reached the 150-degree temperature on the bottom inside of the ham, but other places were not even above 100 degrees. We concluded that this ham takes longer to cook than the directions state.
The best thing about this ham was that it was more moist than the others tested. Likely, this is due to coming unsliced. We found the flavor, especially after adding the included honey glaze, to be delicious, and the ham had a pleasant appearance that would serve as a nice centerpiece on the holiday table.
Size: 5–6 pounds | Pre-Sliced: No | Glaze: Honey glaze
View on Omahasteaks.com What’s Great About It User-friendly and quick ordering process with multiple delivery options, including preorders for holidays
Easy-to-follow reheating instructions online
Mild, slightly salty flavor with tender, easy-to-slice meat
Simple preparation process requiring minimal effort
What Could Be Better Pricey
Preparation instructions only accessible online
Reheating time estimate was inaccurate
Sometimes you only need a petite ham for smaller gatherings. This one from Omaha Steaks fits the bill, coming in at 2.5 pounds with the option of ordering a two-pack or a 5 pounder if your guest list grows. We should probably get out of the way that this is not the country ham like Southerners know. It is not a true dry-cured ham, but it is cured with a blend of salt and sugar and then slow-smoked over hickory wood for eight hours.
Duroc ham has a deep red color and lots of marbling, resulting in tender, flavorful meat. The boneless, fully-cooked ham is shipped frozen, so all you have to do is thaw the ham in the refrigerator 24 hours before heating it in the oven at 275°F. Then slice and serve.
We found the ordering process user-friendly and speedy, with options for holiday pre-ordering and shipping is calculated on the date you select for delivery. When we opened the packaging, we found it did not come with reheating instructions, but we found them online.
We followed the instructions step-by-step and found reheating took longer than what was listed on the instructions. We appreciated the easy preparation and mild flavor but wished it came with a glaze or sauce to amp up the taste.
Though this was a pricier option, we found that the lack of a bone and smaller size made this accessible for cozy celebrations, and with some attractive garnishing, it would make a lovely centerpiece.
Size: 2.5 or 5 pounds | Pre-Sliced: No | Glaze: Not included
View on Goldbelly.com What’s Great About It Straightforward ordering process
Stands out as a centerpiece for holiday meals
Includes Ham Bone & White Bean Stew Mix
Bone-in ham adds flavor, and the uncut portions retained more moisture
Affordable
What Could Be Better Reheating instructions were confusing and inaccurate
Glaze might not appeal to those preferring sweeter flavors
Melissa Cookston’s Memphis BBQ now ships from Goldbelly, and we’re here for it. Cookston, featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, is the only female world BBQ champion and the first woman pitmaster inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame. This 7- to 9-pound spiral-cut ham is double smoked for maximum flavor and, topped with the included brown sugar glaze, made a tasty complement during testing.
We found the process of ordering the ham could not have been more simple. Though we found free shipping available, it seemed dependent on what time of day you ordered it and what day you wanted it delivered.
Reheating instructions were included but we found the cook time to be inaccurate. That said, the finished ham was gorgeous and very worthy of making the center of a Thanksgiving or Easter table. During taste tests, the glaze proved smokey but not overly so. We also felt the price was very affordable compared to other hams tested and appreciated the included bean soup ingredients to whip up tasty leftovers.
Size: 7–9 pounds | Pre-Sliced: Yes | Glaze: Brown Sugar Glaze
If you are looking for a ham that is big on flavor while still being a showstopper, we recommend the Snake River Farms American Kurobuta Whole Bone-In Ham because it comes with seamless ordering and delivery, delivered the most flavor in our tests, and comes pre-cut for even cooking. If you want a less pricey option that doesn’t skimp on flavor, choose The Logan Farms Spiral-Sliced, Honey Glazed Ham. It is pre-sliced and glazed, doesn’t need to be heated, and serves 10 to 14 people.
We rounded up eight of the best baked hams available online and put them through a series of tests in our lab. We thawed and baked them according to the manufacturer’s instructions, did a dry run of ordering them online from start to finish, sliced and tasted them for flavor and moistness, and evaluated them for appearance and value.
To evaluate the ease of ordering we went step-by-step through the process online. We selected the ham we were testing, placed it in the online cart, answered all questions regarding the purchase, and had the website calculate shipping charges and expected delivery date. All of our options on the list had seamless ordering, and most included free shipping, depending on the time of day ordered and the day you wanted it delivered.
Then came the nitty gritty of thawing and baking the hams. We tested 43 pounds of ham over 32 hours. Most sellers recommend allowing the hams to reach room temperature before placing them in the oven; some even suggested thawing in the microwave. We found that the colder the ham went into the oven, the drier it came out.
Once the hams reached internal temperature—if the ham didn’t have an internal temperature recommendation, we recommend baking until it reaches 140°F—we pulled them from the oven. We allowed them to rest for 15 minutes. Along the way, we recorded our observations about the ease of reheating the hams.
Once rested, we moved the hams to a serving platter, glazed and garnished them, and evaluated their attractiveness as a centerpiece for the table. Next we sliced the hams, plated, and tasted for flavor and texture.
Finally, we looked at the average price per pound of each ham, the ease of ordering and delivery, and ending flavor and texture and evaluated the overall value of each ham.
If a ham didn’t have an internal temperature recommendation, we baked it until it reached 140°F.
Size The answer here depends on whether you opt for bone-in or out. Our experts agree approximately ½ to ¾ pounds per person if it's bone-in ham, and about ⅓ to ½ pound per person if it is boneless. But don't worry if you buy a little larger ham because that means tasty leftover options.
What size ham do you need?
The answer lies in how big a gathering you cook for and what else is on the table. According to Saperstein, “If you plan on having other proteins in your meal, I suggest 8-10 ounces of bone-in ham per person. If ham is the only protein at the meal, 12-16 ounces per person should suffice.” For boneless ham, he suggests 1/3 pound per person. To make it easier on you, here are the suggested amounts based on the size of your gathering:
| 6 people | 12 people | 20 people | |
| Bone-In Ham | 4.5-6 pounds | 9-12 pounds | 15-20 pounds |
| Boneless Ham | 2-3 pounds | 4-6 pounds | 7-10 pounds |
Saperstein added, “I love spiral-sliced 1/2 hams because you can stand them up on a cutting board and slice the pieces off as needed.” If like Saperstein, you want that flexibility, go for Melissa Cookston's Memphis BBQ Double-Smoked Spiral Cut Ham. In testing, we found the uncut portion of the ham held moisture longer, prolonging the enjoyment of the meat.
Glaze This is a sticky topic. Three of the eight hams on our list have a glaze. The convenience of glazed ham cannot be overstated, but purists like Martin adamantly endorse non-glazed for its smokier, more savory flavor.
He added, “It also lends itself nicely to leftover sandwiches. I also like to incorporate the leftovers into red or lima beans. A glazed or sweet ham wouldn't go well with red beans, but a nice savory, smoky flavor would be the perfect addition to a comforting bowl of red beans and rice.”
During testing we found for convenience, an included packet of glaze was a nice addition, adding last minute flavor and extra moistness to the hams.
Bone-In or Out Once you understand the various cuts of ham, deciding between bone-in or out becomes easier. A bone-in ham will always have the potential to be the more moist option and is touted for having better flavor and texture than the boneless options. Plus you have the secret ingredient to a yummy pot of soup, greens, or black-eyed peas: a leftover ham bone. If you don't mind carving, a bone-in ham is worth the effort. This bore during our testing—the bone-in options were moister all the way through after cooking.
For Saperstein a bone-in, spiral-cut ham provides a better presentation with the bone helping with flavor and moistness. Martin prefers bone-in ham because they stay moist for longer, “It tends to keep the flavor and nice moisture when you cut into a bone-in ham.”
If convenience reigns supreme around the holidays, opt for a boneless ham like the Omaha Steaks Duroc Boneless Country Ham from our list. With this type of ham, the bone is removed and the ham is pressed into an oval shape. This type of ham makes for the easiest carving, especially if they are spiral-sliced.
Cost As Saperstein says, don’t skimp on quality to get a bargain. “A quality ham should be around $7-$10 per pound. Remember with meat, you get what you pay for.” Heritage and specialty breeds typically cost more, but then you also have to figure in size, glazed or not, bone or not, etc. The best advice is to look for a quality producer and know it will be more expensive than the bargain at the grocery store, but worth it.
In testing, we found the cost per pound for the quality hams exceeded what our experts cited and though the products were delicious, did not always bear out in overall value. We found some producers had promo codes, free shipping, and special deals that make the purchase worthy. Our advice: keep your eyes peeled for those coupons and specials to make purchasing a quality cut of meat worth it.
Though most of the hams we tested were delicious, they did not always bear out in overall value.
Carrie Honaker is a food and travel writer who loves ham even when it’s not Easter or Christmas. As a restaurateur and avid home cook, she has cooked hundreds of hams from brown-sugar rubbed spiral cuts to smoked bone-in beauties—she knows the importance of a quality cut and the right glaze. To compile this list, we tested eight of the best baked hams available online in our lab, evaluating them based on ease of ordering, promptness of delivery, accuracy of reheating instructions, taste and texture, and value. Carrie spent hours researching what to consider when shopping for baked hams online, including boneless or bone-in, size, glazed or not, and pre-sliced or not. For expert tips on what to look for in baked hams online, she spoke to Michael Saperstein, co-owner of Sunshine Provisions, as well as Gus Martin, executive chef at Tujague’s in New Orleans.
Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit
We’ve found the best shampoo for bleached hair to avoid dryness and damage
The best shampoo for red hair to keep those locks fiery
The best IPL hair removal devices to get you ready for the summer
The best moisturisers 2023 for every skin type and budget
The all
The best home waxing kits to achieve salon
The best moisturisers for acne to put a stop to those irritating spots
The best vitamin C moisturisers for radiant skin
The best hot cloth cleanser to steam and clean your pores
7 best moisturisers for combination skin that are perfect for any budget
zpostcode
Recruit
weather
mreligion
Yellowpages
sport
constellation
shopping
name
game
directory
literature
Word
tour
furnish
Lottery
tftnews
lyrics
News
digital
car
dir
Edu
Finance