How To Score A Ham: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Score a Ham PDF download Download Article Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano

Last Updated: March 10, 2025 Fact Checked

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  • Scoring the Ham
    • |
  • Glazing the Ham
    • |
  • Expert Interview
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  • Q&A
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  • Tips
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This article was co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano. Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 134,419 times.

Scoring is the iconic crisscross pattern that allows the glaze to penetrate a cooked ham to season it throughout.[1] This technique exposes a juicy layer of fat, and increases the surface area, which helps the seasoning soak through the rind.[2] You'll need a sharp, clean chef's knife and a sturdy surface to cut the ham.

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 2:

Scoring the Ham

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  1. Step 1 Prepare to score. 1 Prepare to score. First, place the raw ham on a cutting board. Make sure that it sits squarely and securely on the board, so that it won't rock around while you cut. Find a sharp, clean chef's knife.[3]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Score a Ham 2 Slice the ham. Use your knife to make shallow, diagonal cuts across the ham. Each score should be about 1/3" deep. The scores should extend all the way from top to bottom on each side of the ham. Leave about one inch between cuts.
    • You may score the ham while it is raw, right before you cook, or you may score it at the end of the baking time – just before you add the glaze.[4] There is no definitive right or wrong way to do this.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Score a Ham 3 Complete the diamond score.[5] Now, score the ham in the opposite direction. Make cuts of the same depth and spacing, but perpendicular to the original set of scores. Slice a latticework of diamonds along the surface of the ham.[6]
    • Make sure to use a very sharp and clean knife for this.[7]
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Part 2 Part 2 of 2:

Glazing the Ham

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Score a Ham 1 Dress with cloves. It is common to poke small cloves into the ham for added flavor and aesthetic. Put one clove in the center of each latticework diamond. It is usually easiest to insert the cloves where the scores intersect.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Score a Ham 2 Prepare a ham glaze. For a simple glaze recipe, heat 1/4 cup dark corn syrup, 2/3 cup butter, and 2 cups of honey in the top half of a double boiler. Keep the glaze warm while the ham is baking.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Score a Ham 3 Brush the glaze onto the ham at intervals while baking. Bake the ham at 325°F for one hour and 25 minutes. Every 10-15 minutes, remove the ham from the oven and brush the glaze liberally over the surface. Then, in the last five minutes of baking, turn on the broiler to caramelize the glaze.[8]
    • Wait for the ham to reach an internal temperature of 160° F before you add the glaze. Make sure that it is cooked fully through.[9]
    • Alternately, wait to add the glaze until the last 20-30 minutes of cooking. Then, bake at a steady temperature until the glaze begins to caramelize and turn brown.[10]
    • Be generous with the glaze. Make sure that the sauce spills into all of the scored grooves so that the interior fat of the ham absorbs the flavor.[11]
  4. Step 4 Let cool before serving. 4 Let cool before serving. Remove the ham from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for several minutes. Serve the scored, glazed ham by slicing along the scores.[12]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question How long should I cook a 12 lb ham? Community Answer Community Answer Put the ham, flat-side down, on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour 1/4 inch water into the bottom of the pan. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham registers 130 F, about 2 hours, 30 minutes (about 15 minutes per pound). Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 7
  • Question Should I cover it? Community Answer Community Answer You can if you want to, but not if you want it to brown nicely. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 4
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Tips

  • For decoration and for extra taste, put a clove in each of the diamonds that you created by scoring the ham. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Things You Need

  • Sharp knife
  • Large cutting board

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about cooking, check out our in-depth interview with Ollie George Cigliano.

References

  1. ↑ Sasha Reyes. Executive Chef. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ Sasha Reyes. Executive Chef. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ https://www.taste.com.au/entertaining/articles/how-to-prepare-a-glazed-ham/ngcgrxhu
  4. ↑ https://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--743/ham-preparation-guide.asp#glaze
  5. ↑ Ollie George Cigliano. Private Chef & Food Educator. Expert Interview
  6. ↑ https://www.taste.com.au/entertaining/articles/how-to-prepare-a-glazed-ham/ngcgrxhu
  7. ↑ Ollie George Cigliano. Private Chef & Food Educator. Expert Interview
  8. ↑ https://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--743/ham-preparation-guide.asp#glaze
  9. ↑ https://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--755/glazing-ham.asp
More References (3)
  1. ↑ https://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--743/ham-preparation-guide.asp#glaze
  2. ↑ Sasha Reyes. Executive Chef. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ Sasha Reyes. Executive Chef. Expert Interview

About This Article

Ollie George Cigliano Co-authored by: Ollie George Cigliano Private Chef & Food Educator This article was co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano. Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University. This article has been viewed 134,419 times. 1 votes - 100% Co-authors: 12 Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 134,419 Categories: Food Cutting Techniques Article SummaryX

To score a ham, place the raw meat on a cutting board and use your knife to make shallow, diagonal cuts across the ham. Each cut should be ⅓ inch deep and 1 inch apart and extend from the top to the bottom on each side. To finish scoring the ham, cut perpendicular to the original set of scores, making the cuts the same depth and spacing. To learn how to glaze the ham, keep reading! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Ollie George Cigliano Co-authored by: Ollie George Cigliano Private Chef & Food Educator Co-authors: 12 Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 134,419 100% of readers found this article helpful. 1 votes - 100% Click a star to add your vote

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