Short answer: thaw a ham in the refrigerator, in its packaging, on a tray, at about 4 to 6 hours per pound. A 5-pound half ham needs about a day. An 11-pound whole needs two to three days. An 18-pound bone-in needs three to four. Never thaw a ham on the counter.
Every ham we ship arrives frozen, vacuum sealed, packed with dry ice. That is the safest way to ship meat across the country, and it means the ham keeps in your freezer until you need it. It also means thawing is part of the plan. Here is how to time it.
Refrigerator thawing timeline
| Ham | Weight | Refrigerator thaw time | Put it in the fridge by (for Thursday dinner) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boneless half | about 5 lb | 1–1½ days | Tuesday evening |
| Spiral half | about 8 lb | 1½–2 days | Tuesday morning |
| Boneless whole | about 11 lb | 2–3 days | Monday |
| Smoked whole turkey | about 15 lb | 3 days | Monday morning |
| Spiral whole | about 17 lb | 3–4 days | Sunday |
| Bone-in whole | 18–20 lb | 3½–4 days | Sunday morning |
Refrigerators run at different temperatures, and a packed holiday fridge runs warmer than an empty one. Give yourself the longer end of the range. A ham that thawed a day early is fine; a ham that is still frozen in the middle on Thursday morning is a problem.
How to do it
- Leave it in the vacuum seal. The packaging keeps it clean and keeps the juices in.
- Set it on a rimmed tray or in a pan on the bottom shelf, in case the package leaks as it thaws.
- Leave it alone. No need to turn it.
- Check it the morning of. Press the thickest part. It should give; if it still feels like a rock in the middle, use the cold-water method below to finish.
Once it is thawed, how long does it keep?
A thawed, unopened, vacuum-sealed fully cooked ham keeps 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator before heating. After you heat it, leftovers keep about a week. So if your ham thaws by Monday for a Thursday dinner, you are fine.
Short on time? The cold-water method
If you need to thaw a ham today, submerge it, still sealed, in a sink or cooler of cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes so it stays cold. Plan on about 30 minutes per pound: 2½ hours for a 5-pound half, 5 to 6 hours for an 11-pound whole. Cook it as soon as it is thawed. Don't use warm water; it thaws the outside into the danger zone while the inside is still frozen.
A whole bone-in ham at 18 to 20 pounds is hard to do this way, about 9 to 10 hours of water changes. If you're that far behind, cook it from frozen instead.
Can you cook a ham from frozen?
Yes, for a fully cooked ham. Use the same method as thawed (325°F, covered, with water in the pan) and plan on about 50 percent more time: roughly 15 to 18 minutes per pound instead of 10 to 12. Check with a thermometer; you want 140°F in the center. You won't be able to glaze until the last 20 minutes, and the texture is slightly better if you thaw first, but it works and it is safe.
For our ready-to-cook bone-in hams, cooking from frozen is possible but very slow, close to 30 minutes per pound. Thaw those if at all possible.
What not to do
- Don't thaw on the counter or in the garage. The outside of the ham sits above 40°F for hours while the inside thaws. Even a cold garage swings too much.
- Don't microwave a whole ham. It cooks the edges and leaves the center frozen.
- Don't refreeze a ham that thawed in water. Refrigerator-thawed ham can be refrozen safely, though the texture suffers a little. Water-thawed should be cooked.
Timing it with your ship date
When you order, you pick a ship date. Hams ship Monday and arrive Wednesday through Friday, frozen. If you choose the Thanksgiving ship date, your ham arrives the week before Thanksgiving. Put it straight in the freezer, then move it to the refrigerator on the day in the table above. If you choose Ship Now, it arrives in three to five business days and goes in the freezer until you need it. Dry ice may be gone by the time it arrives; the ham should still be frozen or very cold to the touch. Holiday shipping dates and cutoffs are here.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to thaw a 10-pound ham?
About two to two and a half days in the refrigerator, or roughly 5 hours in cold water changed every 30 minutes.
Can I thaw a ham in 24 hours?
A 5-pound half ham, yes, in the refrigerator. Anything larger needs the cold-water method to finish in a day.
My ham arrived and the dry ice is gone. Is it okay?
Dry ice is meant to be gone or nearly gone by arrival. If the ham is frozen or refrigerator-cold to the touch, it is fine. Put it in the freezer or refrigerator right away.
Can I refreeze a thawed ham?
If it thawed in the refrigerator and has not been opened, yes. Texture is slightly softer the second time. If it thawed in water or sat out, cook it instead.
How long does a thawed ham last in the fridge?
Unopened and vacuum sealed, 3 to 5 days. After heating, about a week.