Can You Freeze Ham? From Never to Six Months

Yes, you can freeze ham. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service does not give the word "ham" one freezer life. Leftover spiral-cut ham and other consumer-cooked ham keep quality for 1 to 2 months at 0 °F (−17.8 °C); fresh uncured uncooked ham keeps quality for 6 months; an unopened canned ham labeled "Keep Refrigerated" is listed as "Do not freeze." Ask USDA's page "Can you freeze ham?" states that frozen hams remain safe indefinitely and that freezer storage at 0 °F or less is for quality only.

I sell food additives, so I start with the back of the label. City ham is muscle plus a brine: water, salt, sugar, sodium nitrite, and usually a phosphate. FSIS names sodium phosphate among the wet-cure ingredients. Ice crystals punch holes in muscle cells, and some of that brine runs into the bag on the thaw. FSIS says dry curing reduces ham weight by at least 18 percent, typically 20 to 25 percent, which is why a country ham can sit on a shelf that would ruin a spiral.

How long does each kind of ham last in the freezer?

FSIS and FoodSafety.gov print the same quality windows for ham held at 0 °F. FoodSafety.gov writes that as −18 °C; Ask USDA writes −17.8 °C. Keep the freezer at or near 0 °F, the temperature Ask USDA specifies for spiral ham, and the refrigerator at 40 °F or below. Frozen ham stays safe past every number below.

| Product (FSIS ham storage chart) | Refrigerator | Freezer quality | |---|---|---| | Fresh (uncured) ham, uncooked | 3 to 5 days | 6 months | | Fresh (uncured) ham, cooked | 3 to 4 days | 3 to 4 months | | Cured ham, cook-before-eating, uncooked | 5 to 7 days or the use-by date | 3 to 4 months | | Cured ham, after you cook it | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months | | Cooked ham, plant vacuum pack, dated, unopened | Until the use-by date | 1 to 2 months | | Spiral-cut hams and leftovers from consumer-cooked hams | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months | | Canned ham labeled "Keep Refrigerated," unopened | 6 to 9 months | Do not freeze | | Canned ham, shelf-stable, opened | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months |

The company sets the use-by date and stands by it, per the FSIS footnote. A dated, unopened plant vacuum pack may sit in the refrigerator until that printed day; an undated unopened pack gets 2 weeks. Whole store-wrapped cooked ham gets 7 days. In every cooked row, the freeze column is still 1 to 2 months. Once the plant seal is broken, opened cooked ham gets 3 to 5 days cold. FSIS Freezing and Food Safety says to freeze leftovers within 3 to 4 days.

Country ham, once cut, cooked country ham, and cut prosciutto, Parma, or Serrano all get 1 month frozen. Lunch-meat ham follows cooked ham at 1 to 2 months. Ham salad is the leftover I would not freeze; FoodSafety.gov lists egg, chicken, ham, tuna, and macaroni salads as products that do not freeze well.

How does a fully cooked spiral ham compare with fresh or cured ham?

A spiral is already cooked and already sliced, so it exposes more surface than a whole roast. The FSIS cooking chart lists spiral-cut whole or half hams at 7 to 9 pounds. Fresh ham is an uncured pork leg, and the label must say "fresh." It cooks like a pork roast: 145 °F with a 3-minute rest, in an oven no lower than 325 °F, per the FSIS ham timetable. Cured cook-before-eating ham still needs that first cook.

| | Fully cooked spiral | Fresh (uncured) | Cured, cook-before-eating | |---|---|---|---| | FSIS cooking-chart weight | 7 to 9 lb, whole or half | 12 to 16 lb, whole bone-in | 10 to 14 lb, whole bone-in smoked | | First safe cook or reheat | 140 °F in the USDA-inspected plant package; 165 °F as leftover | 145 °F, then rest 3 minutes | 145 °F, then rest 3 minutes | | Freezer quality | 1 to 2 months | 6 months uncooked; 3 to 4 months after cooking | 3 to 4 months uncooked; 1 to 2 months after cooking |

I prefer freezing the spiral as slices. Thaw time is billed per pound. A whole 7-to-9-pound leftover at 4 to 6 hours per pound, the ham-specific rate from Ask FSIS, sits in the refrigerator more than a day. Portions thaw overnight.

9 CFR 319.104 sets minimum meat protein on a fat-free basis: 20.5 percent to be labeled "ham," 18.5 percent for "ham with natural juices," 17.0 percent for "ham water added," and below 17.0 percent for "ham and water product." A water-added spiral holds more solution than a dry country ham. That is the liquid you will see after a freeze-thaw. I have not weighed drip from a home freezer, so I will not invent a percentage. Heating a sliced ham dries the meat and can send the glaze running off.

Should you freeze an unopened canned ham or leftover slices instead?

Leave an unopened shelf-stable canned ham on the shelf. FSIS's ham storage chart says it may sit at room temperature for 2 years. The glossary on the same fact sheet adds that these cans are generally not over 3 pounds and are processed to kill spoilage bacteria and pathogens, including Clostridium botulinum. After you open that can, the leftover belongs in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer for 1 to 2 months.

An unopened canned ham labeled "Keep Refrigerated" is the opposite case. FSIS gives it 6 to 9 months in the refrigerator and a flat "Do not freeze." Open it, and the leftover may be frozen for 1 to 2 months, with 7 days in the refrigerator if you do not freeze. About 1/4 ounce of dry gelatin is often added before a canned ham is sealed, FSIS writes, so juices and gelatin form a jell as the ham cools. Freeze the meat after you take it out, in freezer wrap or a container.

Holiday leftover slices are the product most households should freeze if they will not finish the plate in 3 to 5 days. The sealed "Keep Refrigerated" can is the one USDA tells you not to freeze.

How should leftover ham be portioned and wrapped for the freezer?

Ask USDA's "How much ham should you buy per person?" estimates 1/4 to 1/3 pound per serving of boneless ham and 1/3 to 1/2 pound of meat per serving of bone-in ham.

1. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within 2 hours of serving (1 hour above 90 °F). Slice the meat off the bone. FSIS leftovers guidance asks for smaller parts. Bacteria between 40 °F and 140 °F can double in as little as 20 minutes, per the FSIS Danger Zone page.
2. Portion into those serving weights. Wrap tightly so air cannot sit on the cut faces.
3. Overwrap with freezer paper, heavy foil, or a freezer bag. Unopened plant vacuum packs can go in as they are. FSIS Freezing and Food Safety says supermarket wrap is permeable to air, so overwrap for longer storage.
4. Label type, date, and portion weight. Freeze at 0 °F or below.
5. Wrap the bone separately if you want it for soup. It follows the same 1-to-2-month quality window.

FSIS describes freezer burn as grayish-brown leathery spots from air on the surface. Cut those spots away.

How long does ham take to thaw, and how hot should leftover ham get?

Ask FSIS, last updated September 18, 2024, gives ham three legal thaws: refrigerator, cold water in a leak-proof bag, and microwave. Refrigerator thawing takes about 4 to 6 hours per pound. Cold-water thawing takes about 30 minutes per pound, with the water changed every 30 minutes. A 2-pound pack of leftover slices is an overnight job in the refrigerator, or about an hour in cold water. An 8-pound spiral needs roughly 32 to 48 hours in the refrigerator, or about 4 hours in cold water.

Ham thawed completely in cold water or in the microwave must be cooked immediately. Refrigerator-thawed ham can wait, then follow the ham chart's 3-to-5-day leftover window. Never thaw on the counter. The outer layer can sit between 40 °F and 140 °F while the center is still frozen.

Reheating is two temperatures. FSIS's Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart says to reheat cooked hams packaged in USDA-inspected plants to 140 °F (60 °C) and all others to 165 °F (73.9 °C). Leftover spiral slices you froze are "all others": 165 °F. Fresh or smoked uncooked ham still cooks to 145 °F with a 3-minute rest. For a spiral reheated in the oven, cover it with heavy foil and heat at 325 °F for about 10 minutes per pound. Ham can go from frozen to the oven; FSIS says cooking then takes about one and a half times as long.

Can you refreeze ham after it thaws?

Refrigerator-thawed ham may be refrozen. FSIS Freezing and Food Safety says that if previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion. Quality falls each time ice crystals form. Safety holds if the ham stayed at 40 °F or below.

Ham thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked before it is frozen again. The Big Thaw treats those methods as processes that can warm the surface above 40 °F. Do not refreeze ham that sat out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90 °F. If a pack that lost power is still partly frozen, still has ice crystals, or is as cold as 40 °F, FSIS says it may be refrozen or used.

I would freeze once, in the portion I expect to eat. A second freeze is legal after a refrigerator thaw.

Frequently asked questions

Can you freeze leftover ham from a holiday dinner?

Yes. FSIS stores spiral-cut hams and leftovers from consumer-cooked hams for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator or 1 to 2 months in the freezer at 0 °F. Get leftovers into the cold within 2 hours of serving, or 1 hour above 90 °F. Frozen leftover ham remains safe indefinitely; 1 to 2 months is the quality window.

How long can you freeze ham before it tastes off?

It depends on the product. FSIS gives leftover cooked and spiral ham 1 to 2 months for quality, fresh uncured uncooked ham 6 months, and cooked country ham 1 month. Ask USDA states frozen hams remain safe indefinitely at 0 °F (−17.8 °C) or less. Past that window the ham can still be eaten, drier and with more freezer burn.

Can you freeze a spiral ham still on the bone?

Yes. Ask USDA allows spiral-cut ham 1 to 2 months in the freezer. FSIS leftovers guidance still prefers slicing a whole ham into smaller parts so it cools and thaws evenly. A 7-to-9-pound spiral needs about 4 to 6 hours per pound to thaw in the refrigerator. Freeze slices and wrap the bone on its own.

Can you freeze ham slices for sandwiches?

Yes. Store-wrapped cooked ham slices keep quality 1 to 2 months frozen, the same FSIS row as half hams. Wrap stacks tightly so cut faces do not dry. Thaw in the refrigerator. At 4 to 6 hours per pound from Ask FSIS, most sandwich portions are ready the next day. Fully cooked slices are safe to eat cold.

Can you refreeze ham after it thaws in the fridge?

Yes, if it thawed in the refrigerator and stayed at 40 °F or below. FSIS Freezing and Food Safety allows refreezing unused cooked food thawed that way. Quality drops with each freeze. Ham thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked before it is frozen again. Discard ham that sat out more than 2 hours.

Can you freeze an unopened canned ham?

Not if the can says "Keep Refrigerated." FSIS lists that unopened product as "Do not freeze" and gives it 6 to 9 months in the refrigerator. An unopened shelf-stable canned ham belongs at room temperature for up to 2 years. After you open either can, leftover ham may be frozen 1 to 2 months in a freezer container.