Brown Bag Baked Ham

When it comes to my family’s Christmas and Easter menu, we don’t change things up too much from year to year.

There’s always Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole in the morning, followed by a feast including Party Potatoes Deluxe or Gluten Free Scalloped Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Wild Rice Stuffing, plus Fruit and Marshmallow Holiday Salad — plus Brown Bag Baked Ham.

Now THIS is a holiday staple if I’ve ever met one!

What is Brown Bag Baked Ham?

Brown Bag Baked Ham is as simple as the name implies: throw a ham in a brown bag then bake it. HA! My Mom, and her Mom before her have been making our holiday hams using this method for decades, and it yields the most delicious, juicy ham you’ll ever slice into.

Plus, like I said, it’s a no-brainer: bag + ham + bake. No glazing, no broiling, no brushing – just ham in all its juicy, porky glory. Amen.

What Kind of Bag to Use

For my entire life we’ve placed our hams inside a brown paper bag from the grocery store before baking. The first time my husband saw my Mom doing this, he about fell out of his chair thinking the house was going to burn down.

That said, the bag does not come close to the top, bottom, nor sides of the oven. Additionally, in recent years, we’ve made the move to using parchment paper roasting bags due to concerns over the materials, binders, and ink that modern-day grocery store paper bags may contain.

Good news: the parchment paper bags deliver the same ultra-juicy ham, and is just as easy to use!

Whole Ham vs Spiral Cut

One of the most common questions I get about this recipe is: Can I use a spiral cut ham? 

We always use a whole, uncut ham for brown bag baked ham, which results in the juicy results you see in these photos. I’ve had many people use spiral cut hams and get the same results, though a small handful have reached out to say theirs turned out dry.

For a fool proof, super juicy, brown bag baked ham, I recommend using a whole, uncut ham.

Use Leftover Ham in Ham & Bean Soup

How to Make Brown Bag Baked Ham

Start with a bone-in smoked ham. We adore Amana hams, made in Amana, IA.

Plan on 1/2lb ham per person which sounds like a lot, but that’s figuring in the weight of the bone plus any fat that will be trimmed away.

Next, cut the handles off a brown paper grocery bag. Then, wait for it….

Put the ham in the bag. Told you it was easy! Again, if you don’t care to use a recycled bag with ink, you can use a parchment paper roasting bag.

Curl the top of the bag down then place the ham in the bag on a cooling rack set atop a 9×13″ baking pan and press the bag down around the ham.

Move the oven racks to the very top and very bottom of your oven (or remove the top rack entirely if you have a place to store it,) then place the ham inside and bake for 18 minutes per pound at 325 degrees.

For example, a 2lb ham should bake for 36 minutes. Be sure the bag isn’t touching the racks, back of the oven, or oven door.

Ta da!

As soon as you press the ham, the juices start flowing. Truly, the brown bag baking method makes The. Best. Ham. EVER. You’ve got to try it!

Slice the ham then serve it up with your choice of sides. Like I said, we usually go the party potatoes and green bean casserole route, but the ham will be the star.

Don’t forget to save the ham bone to include in Ham and Bean Soup!

From our family to yours – enjoy!

What to Make with Leftover Ham

• Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice Skillet
• Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup
• Cheesy Ham and Hash Brown Casserole
• Ham and Bean Soup
• Ham and Gnocchi Mac and Cheese
• Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups

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