Can You Freeze a Costco Ham? The Complete Guide

Buying a big beautiful ham from Costco can be a great way to save money and have delicious leftovers. But with a ham that size, you may not be able to eat it all before it goes bad. So can you freeze a Costco ham? The short answer is yes! Freezing is a great way to extend the shelf life of a ham so you can enjoy it for months after purchasing.

In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about freezing a Costco ham, including:

Benefits of Freezing a Costco Ham

How to Properly Freeze a Ham from Costco
Thawing and Cooking a Frozen Costco Ham
How Long a Frozen Ham Lasts

Storing Leftover Cooked Ham

Plus we’ll provide some delicious recipes for using up leftover ham after the holidays!

Why Freeze a Ham from Costco?

Freezing a Costco ham has several advantages:

Cost Savings: Buying a large, bone-in ham at Costco can save you a lot of money compared to buying smaller hams elsewhere. Freezing lets you get the savings of that bulk purchase while avoiding waste.
Reduce Food Waste A fresh ham only lasts 3-5 days in the fridge Freezing lets you extend the shelf life so none goes to waste
Enjoy Seasonal Favorites Year-Round: Hams are popular for the holidays. Freezing one means you can enjoy ham outside of peak ham season.

Make Quick Meals: Frozen sliced ham can be easily thawed and used to liven up weeknight meals, sandwiches, salads and more.

Freezing a ham is a great way to save money, reduce waste, and always have delicious ham on hand!

How to Properly Freeze a Ham from Costco

Freezing a ham is easy but following a few tips will ensure it stays fresh and tasty

Cool Completely Wait until the ham reaches room temperature before freezing Freezing when hot can cause ice crystals to form and damage texture.

Wrap Tightly: Use heavy duty aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap. Wrap the ham tightly, pressing out all air pockets. This prevents freezer burn.
Portion Control: For quicker thawing and use, cut the ham into smaller portions or slices before freezing. Wrap each portion separately.
Use Freezer Bags: Place wrapped ham portions into labeled freezer bags or airtight containers. This gives extra protection.

Freeze Rapidly: Don’t allow ham to sit in the fridge for days before freezing. Freeze immediately for best results.
Track Storage: Label packages with contents and freeze-by date. Use ham within 2-3 months for best quality.

Following proper ham freezing methods will maintain texture and taste so your Costco ham is delicious weeks or months later!

Thawing and Cooking a Frozen Costco Ham

Thawing and cooking a frozen ham from Costco is simple, just allow extra time compared to a fresh ham. Here are some tips:

Thaw in Fridge: Place frozen ham in fridge 2-3 days before cooking. Change any soak-through wrapping.
Cold Water Thaw: Submerge wrapped ham in cold water, changing water every 30 mins. Takes about 5 hours per pound.
Cook Frozen: A frozen ham can bake straight from the freezer. Just increase cooking time by about 50%.

Use a Meat Thermometer: Always cook ham to an internal temperature of 145°F-160°F. Let rest for 15 mins before carving.
Add Moisture: Baste ham with pan juices, broth or pineapple juice to prevent drying out.
Bake Low and Slow: Cook frozen hams at a lower 250°F-325°F oven temp. The ham may finish faster than expected if still partially frozen.

With a little extra time, your delicious Costco ham will be perfectly cooked and ready to enjoy!

How Long Does a Frozen Ham Last?

A ham that is properly frozen at 0°F and wrapped to prevent freezer burn can safely last in the freezer indefinitely. However, for best quality and taste, it’s recommended to eat within the timelines below:

Uncooked fresh ham: 4-12 months
Cooked fresh ham: 3-4 months

Canned ham: 6-9 months
Spiral sliced ham: 1-2 months
Country ham: 1 year

Factors like freezer type, packaging, and portioning impact how long a frozen ham stays tasty. Track freeze dates and use your senses when reheating previously frozen ham.

Storing Leftover Cooked Ham

Leftover cooked ham from a frozen Costco ham will keep longer than fresh since it has already been cooked. Here are some storage tips:

Allow ham to cool completely, within 2 hours of cooking.
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. For slices, layer between parchment paper.

Refrigerate promptly, using within 3-5 days.
Freeze leftover ham for longer storage. Lasts 2-3 months in airtight packaging.
Use frozen ham within 1-2 days after thawing in fridge. Don’t refreeze thawed ham.

Add leftover ham to soups, casseroles and pasta dishes.
Fry or grill ham slices for quick sandwiches and pizzas.

With proper storage, leftover cooked ham stays tasty for enjoying in lots of quick and easy dishes!

Delicious Ways to Use up Leftover Ham

Rather than waste leftover ham after the holidays, get creative with these delicious recipes:

Ham and Bean Soup: Simmer ham bone, onion, carrots, beans, and seasonings for a hearty, healthy soup.
Ham Salad: Dice ham with sweet pickles, celery, onion and mayo for sandwiches or lettuce wraps.
Ham, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Casserole: Combine chopped ham, scrambled eggs and cheese, then bake until set.

Ham and Pineapple Pizza: Top homemade or store-bought pizza dough with ham, pineapple, mozzarella and red sauce.
Ham and Swiss Crepes: Fill thin French-style crepes with sliced ham, Swiss cheese, spinach and dijon.
Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Pasta: Toss cooked pasta with ham, broccoli, cheddar cheese sauce and seasonings.

Get your money’s worth from that Costco ham by freezing the leftovers to enjoy in meals like these all month long!

So can you freeze a Costco ham? Absolutely! By following proper freezing, thawing, cooking and storage methods, your ham will stay fresh for months after purchase. Use our tips to get the most out of your bulk ham buy. Enjoy convenient ready-to-eat ham anytime and cut down on waste by freezing the rest.

Kirkland Signature Spiral Sliced Ham (Costco Food Review)

FAQ

Can you freeze a whole precooked ham?

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.

Can I freeze an unopened spiral ham?

The short answer is yes. Freezing ham is a great way to make sure you reduce kitchen waste and don’t lose any of that delicious meat you invested so much time (and money) into preparing for the family.

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.

Can you refreeze spiral cut ham?

As long as the ham was stored in the refrigerator at a safe temperature after thawing for no more than four days, it’s fine to refreeze the ham. Just know that taste and texture could be affected. Freezing creates ice crystals that rupture the meat’s cell structure, which causes the liquid you see during thawing.

Can you freeze Kirkland Master carve Ham?

Yes, you can freeze Kirkland Master Carve Ham. Since it’s vacuum-sealed, it’s freezer-ready. FoodSafety.Gov suggests the ham lasts 1-2 months frozen, although our experience is that it lasts much longer. The best way to thaw a Costco Master Carve Ham is in the refrigerator. We’ve done this, and it took three days, so plan ahead.

Which is the best Ham at Costco?

The Kirkland Master Carve Ham from Costco is not only the best ham available at Costco but also the best boneless ham I ever tried.

Does Costco sell a smoked ham?

Costco sells an Applewood Smoked Master Carve ham. The Kirkland Signature version is smaller than the spiral sliced ham but still offers enough ham for four adults to have dinner and leftovers. This ham pairs well with scalloped or mashed potatoes, a side of vegetables, and a salad.

Does Costco have a boneless ham?

This KS boneless ham at Costco is a great cold weather meal, and you can freeze them to keep on hand for later. The Kirkland Signature Master Carve Half Ham is Applewood Smoked, uncarved, fully cooked and ready-to-eat. I like this because it’s boneless and much smaller in size so it make a great anytime family ham dinner.