14+ Recipes for Leftover Ham (2024)

FAQs

How long is leftover ham good for? ›

Spiral-cut hams and leftovers from consumer-cooked hams may be stored in the refrigerator three to five days or frozen one to two months. Keep your refrigerator at 40 °F or less and your freezer at or near 0 °F.

You can freeze delicious ham and it'll last for weeks before you need to use it. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that fully cooked frozen ham is safe to eat for up to one to two months. If you find yourself with leftover ham, freezing it for future use is both easy and convenient.

Ham is processed red meat. Research shows that consumption of red meat may be associated with a higher risk of developing major chronic diseases. Consuming it in large quantities can have adverse health effects and worsen conditions like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

Yes and no. Although ham isn't toxic for your dog, it's best to avoid it in large quantities. The odd small bite is unlikely to cause an issue (unless your dog has a known or underlying medical condition), but it's not the best meat for your pup to consume a lot of.

Freezer storage time is for quality only. Frozen hams remain safe indefinitely. For more information, see Ham and Food Safety.

Once you open a package of ham, or if it comes open — like if it was sliced at the deli counter— you can safely eat your leftovers for up to five days.

If your ham starts to take on a green or grey hue, or even gets black or brown in a few areas, throw it away. If it doesn't smell good, throw it away. Ham should have a salty or smokey aroma, almost sweet. If there is a sour smell or something smells off, don't take the chance of a food-borne illness.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ham is good for three to five days in the refrigerator after it is cooked. If you need more time to use up those leftovers, ham will last up to two months in the freezer.

If you have a whole ham, it can last in the fridge for up to seventy-five days. If you have a half ham, it will last for about sixty days. Ham that has been precooked or spiral cut will last for about one week.

Use-by dates are about safety

A use-by date on food is about safety. This is the most important date to remember. Never eat food after the use-by date, even if it looks and smells ok, as it could make you very ill.

Why is sliced ham not suitable for freezing? ›

Freezing ham, is it a good idea? Freezing ham before or after cooking often causes changes in flavour and texture. Any ham, frozen and then defrosted, might look and feel spongy and may taste saltier. It may not be ideal for company and would be better used in cooked dishes, such as soups, pizza or casseroles.

Freezing ham with more water can produce ice crystals. This creates a more lacy texture in the ham when thawed.

Both plastic-wrapped and vacuum-packaged hams must be refrigerated. A plastic-wrapped ham will keep about one week. A vacuum-packaged ham should be consumed by the “use by” date or within 1 week after the “sell by” date. Both plastic-wrapped and vacuum-packaged hams can be frozen.

The slow breeding of these pigs, their lower productivity compared to other breeds, and the ravages of swine fever, have led them to be in danger of extinction. Their limited production has contributed to the rise in price and has catapulted this ham to its position as one of the most expensive in the world.

With a bone-in ham, plan on one-third to one-half pound of meat per person (or two to three servings per pound), or more if you want leftovers. For a boneless ham, figure about quarter-pound per person, or more for leftovers.