When does the ham come out of the freezer?

USDA's ham-specific guidance is about 4 to 6 hours per pound in the refrigerator. A 9 lb ham needs roughly 2 to 2½ days; a 12-pounder wants about 3. This calculator plans on the slow end, because a thawed ham holds happily in the fridge for 3 to 5 days before cooking — early is never a problem.

Cold water, same as the turkey save: sealed in a leak-proof bag, fully submerged in cold tap water, about 30 minutes per pound, fresh water every 30 minutes, and it must be cooked immediately after. Even later than that? A ham can also go into the oven still frozen — allow about 50% more cooking time.

Depends on the label. A fully cooked ham still sealed in its original USDA-inspected packaging only needs reheating to 140 °F. Repackaged, deli, or leftover ham reheats to 165 °F. A "cook-before-eating" or fresh ham must reach 145 °F with at least a 3-minute rest before carving.

Yes — USDA confirms cooking from frozen is safe for meat generally; it takes about 50% longer than the fully thawed time. For a big holiday ham the fridge plan is still nicer to your oven schedule, but frozen-to-oven beats counter-thawing every time, because counter-thawing is never allowed.

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving. Spiral-cut hams and leftovers from consumer-cooked hams keep 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, per USDA's ham storage chart. For longer than that, the freezer is your friend — quality holds a month or two.