Half-shank hams are lean, bone-in hams that heat to savory perfection in the oven. Make the ham as-is, add a glaze or insert cloves into the skin. In fact, ham is a versatile main dish. Go traditional by baking it with pineapple slices or, for a more elegant presentation, use a no-sugar-added cherry pie filling as a glaze. The liquid from the filling will bake onto the ham.

For a sweet, crispy finish, use a traditional brown sugar or maple syrup glaze on your ham. Ham goes well with sweet potatoes, corn or a side of steamed vegetables. Lighten the meal with a generous green salad served with family-favorite dressings.

Half-shank hams come labeled "ready-to-eat" or "cook-before-eating," according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The latter allow you to add seasonings as the ham cooks; however, it takes about four to six hours to prepare fully. Fully cooked half-shank hams are faster to prepare; after all, they just need to be heated. For flavor, add a glaze on top to make a sweet or savory crust.

Half-shank hams have the bone in, so purchase a ham that has 5 to 8 ounces of total weight for each person you are serving to provide a 4- to 6-ounce serving for each person.

For a cook-before-eating ham, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, unless the directions on the ham direct you to do otherwise. Unwrap the ham and place it in the baking dish with the pointy end up. Wrap the ham loosely in foil and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes per pound for a cook-before-eating ham, according to the USDA. A cook-before-eating ham must register 165 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the ham, away from the bone.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the ham out of the package and wrap it in foil. Place it on the baking dish with the pointed end up. Bake the ham for 18 to 24 minutes per pound. A ready-to-eat ham packed in a USDA-inspected plant should register 145 degrees Fahrenheit when it is ready, or 165 degrees if the ham was repackaged or not cooked in a USDA-inspected plant. You should be able to find this information on the label, but when in doubt, heat the ham to 165 degrees Fahrenheit to make sure it is fully cooked.