When referring to hams, the shank is the cut of meat between the knee and the ‘butt” portion of the pig’s hind quarter. As the shank is one of lesser cuts of meat, in regards to quality, it has a tendency to become tough if not properly prepared. As such, shank hams benefit from slow cooking, with the best shank ham cooking directions consisting of methods that will seal in the juices while gently breaking down the fibers in the flesh so the meat will literally fall off the bone.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the ham in the sink. Slit the wrapper with a knife and rinse the ham thoroughly with cool tap water.

Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the ham, at the large end. Keep the thermometer’s probe at least one-inch away from the bone as the bone will absorb heat faster and skew the temperature reading.

Push the pointed ends of the whole cloves into the meat, with your fingers, spacing the cloves over the entire surface of the ham approximately one inch apart.

Open the roasting bag and set the bag in the roasting pan. Place the ham inside the bag and add 1/8 cup water to the bag. Seal the bag with the supplied fastener.

Set the roasting pan in the center rack of the oven and cook the ham until the thermometer indicates a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the ham.

Remove the ham from the oven and allow the it to rest for 20 minutes before carving.