Should you add water when cooking ham?

Answer 1

Definitely not. Most ham already has water injected into it prior to selling it (look at the label). Adding more water will severely affect the taste of the meat. It won't loosen or soften the flesh, because brining does the job.

If you are concerned with the ham getting dry while you heat it (most hams are already cooked), I have a couple suggestions. The more important is avoid overheating it. Ham should never be cooked over 350 F; preferably you cook it at 300 F. The second piece of advice is to make a "foil tent" to completely enclose the meat, reducing evaporation and concentrating flavor.

If you want to brown the top, around 15 minutes at the end of cooking, open the tent and raise the rack to a higher place in the over. Watch it carefully.

Here's something that really bugs me. Most people don't know how to use their oven.

• NEVER put a pastry (cookies, cakes, etc.) anywhere but the center of the over.
• Put food near the bottom only to concentrate "radiative" cooking. Breads do well with this, but would I still avoid it. Enclosed roasts with tubers work well here.
• Put food near the top to take advantage of the drying affect of convection cooking.
• Learn where your cold spots are and avoid them.
• (on and on... I could write a book on this!)

Answer 2

yes so there's more flavor

by unknown

Answer 3

Yes.