The Best, Most Affordable Holiday Ham Comes from Costco
Costco spiral sliced ham
It’s not exactly a shocker that Costco carries its own kind of ham—I mean, the warehouse offers everything nowadays, doesn’t it? They have all the groceries and snacks, of course, but they also sell things like LEGOs and sweatshirts with an all-over Costco logo that are shockingly popular.
But back to the ham. There’s something so nostalgic about a good ham, especially during the holidays, and Costco's Kirkland Signature Spiral Sliced Ham, which is pre-cooked, pre-sliced, and comes with a packet of glaze mix to pour over the top, is a fan favorite.
I had never tried a Costco ham before, but I was curious to see if it lived up to the hype. Weighing in at around nine pounds and costing around $20 it certainly seemed like a good deal. I picked one up at my local Costco and took it home to cook it up. Before I preheated the oven I consulted with a food stylist to make sure I could make the ham look its holiday best. Here's what you need to know if you're in the market for a Costco ham.
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Olivia Bria
How to Prep a Costco Ham
This ham is for folks who don't have a lot of time and want to make the ham-making process as easy as possible, so the prep is very easy. First, make sure to cut off the packaging, including the plastic layer that seals in the ham. Next, grab a roasting pan with a rack. If you don't have a roasting pan, you can use a large metal pan and place a wire rack in the bottom. A baking sheet with a wire rack inside can work, but you have to be mindful of the drippings sloshing around in the pan, so if you have a deeper option, go for that.
The Costco ham comes with a packet of glaze, which is a mix of granulated sugar, brown sugar, spices and honey. My guess is the spices are likely cinnamon and nutmeg, which is great with ham and is also a perfect combo for the holiday season. To make the glaze, you mix the contents of the packet with 3 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to medium-high heat and whisk the glaze occasionally. You're looking for a smooth, thick mixture that you can brush on the meat. Keep a close eye on the pan and turn the heat down, if needed, because the sugar can burn pretty easily.
Next, grab a basting brush and brush the glaze over the ham. To create a nice thick glaze, I brushed half of the glaze on the ham and reserved the other half to brush on about 30 minutes into cooking. If you go that route, you'll need to stir the leftover glaze occasionally to make sure it doesn't firm up too much. If you need to, put it over low heat to loosen it back up.
Before putting the ham into the oven, add some liquid to the pan. “White wine, apple cider, cinnamon tea—anything you’d drink with ham will likely work well to add moisture as it becomes steam in the oven,” says food stylist and recipe developer Laura Manzano. She also suggests playing with tasty condiments to place on the side for serving, like a hot German mustard. Don’t be afraid to get creative!
When the ham is fully prepped, cover the meat with foil. To make sure it's easy to remove the foil to check the temperature of the meat, don't wrap the ham too tightly. You also want a little space between the ham and the foil so your precious glaze doesn't stick to the foil.
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How to Cook a Costco Ham
For baking, you have a couple of options. You can cook it low a slow and bake it at 275° for 2 to 2? hours or go for a quicker cook. I opted for the latter and cooked the ham at 350° for 1? to 2 hours.
I glazed the ham in two stages, just before putting it in the oven and then 30 minutes into cooking, and basted the meat with the juices in the bottom of the pan when I opened up the oven for the second glaze. For a browned, glazed look, Manzano advises removing the foil off for the last few minutes of cooking. Once the ham is fully cooked, let it rest for at least fifteen minutes before slicing.
The cooking time will vary depending on your oven, so start checking the ham with a meat thermometer around the 1? hour mark. According to the USDA, a ham should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°, but you can consider taking it out of the oven when it reaches 140° and letting it rest. The temperature will rise as the meat sits.
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Olivia Bria
How Does Costco Ham Taste?
I will say, the ham turned out pretty delicious—and my family members agreed. It was extremely moist, tender and flavorful. The glaze added a nice sweetness and a little texture. I prefer my ham only slightly sweet, but if you enjoy more sweetness, you could consider that classic move of adding slices of pineapple to the top of the meat. I also loved how easy the prep was. It took less than 10 minutes to get the ham ready to go into the oven and I loved that it was pre-sliced, which saved me from the stressful carving step.
How Much Does a Costco Ham Cost?
The Kirkland hams vary in weight a bit, but most of them are around 9 pounds. Mine cost $20.56, which is a great deal for a ham that will feed 14 to 16 people. Manzano recommends planning for 6 ounces per person, plus a little extra for leftovers (shoutout to those dreamy ham sandwiches).
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How to Store Leftover Costco Ham
You can store any leftover ham in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Ham also freezes well, so if you don't think you'll go through the leftovers quickly enough you can stash slices in a zip-top freezer bag or other freezer-safe container. It will keep in the freezer for a month or two. As always, be sure to mark your container with the contents and date because nope, you're not going to remember what it is two months from now.
How to Reheat Costco Ham
There are several ways to reheat a cooked spiral-cut ham, but heating the ham in the oven or on the stovetop will give you the best results. To reheat the ham in the oven, heat the oven to 325°, add a bit of water (a couple of tablespoons) to a baking pan and add the sliced ham. Bake the ham until it's steaming and heated through, which should take 8 to 10 minutes. For even heating, you can flip the slices halfway through the cooking time.
To reheat the ham on the stovetop, grab a skillet, add a couple of tablespoons of water (or stock) and a bit of butter or olive oil. Cook until the ham is steaming and heated through. Manzano also enjoys cooking it like you would bacon for a breakfast sandwich—”ideally in some leftover bacon fat if you have it”— or throwing it in a stir-fry in a wok on high heat with a touch of oil.