Easy Oven Baked Pulled Ham

Name: Easy Oven Baked Pulled Ham
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 365 min
Ingredients: 1 ham (butt or shank about 6 pounds); 1 cup mayonnaise; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 1 Tbsp garlic (fresh, minced); 1 Tbsp smoked paprika

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This EASY OVEN BAKED PULLED HAM is a slow cooked dream. We take a butt portion of ham and dress it up with some great seasonings and an unexpected twist for the rub! Much like a tender and juicy boston butt, we slow cook this to melt in your mouth perfection.

A close-up of shredded cooked ham in a rectangular metal tray, with two metal forks placed on top of the meat. The background shows a blurred wooden surface.

My sweet husband loves the art of smoking a delicious BOSTON BUTT. My preferred cut of pork is the ham. So much flavor and so versatile! The texture of a slow smoked butt is unmatched. We took that taste and texture and applied it to a simpler cooking method and with my favorite cut of pork.

For any level of cook, slow cooking in the oven will just about be a feasible thing for most. That method has been around for years. What the real gem in the recipe below is, is the rub and prep to help the ham keep its moisture.

Why You Will Love This Oven Baked Pulled Ham

Little effort, Big rewards – With only 5 ingredients and very little prep work, you get a ham dish that tastes like you cooked all day!
One recipe, lots of options – whether you serve and eat this ham on its own or use it for meal prepping, the possibilities are endless. Sandwiches, salads, tacos and more!
Lots of leftovers – freeze them for later or get creative and use them for some of the above mentioned options.
People love it – it is hard to beat ham of any kind. That is why its so popular at Christmas in the South. Slow cooking it to tender, fall apart, melt-in-your-mouth ham makes it even more a favorite.

Ingredients

This recipe has only 5 ingredients with ham being one of them. We recommend you using a butt or shank portion of ham. Everything else are pantry staples.

What You’ll Need

Ham (butt or shank)
Mayonnaise
Brown sugar
Fresh garlic
Smoked paprika

See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.

Instructions

Here are our easy steps for creating the tastiest and most delicious pulled ham!

Preheat the oven to 275°.

A hand holds a measuring cup containing mayonnaise above a wooden surface. Nearby are a container of brown sugar, a jar of smoked paprika, and a foil-lined pan in the background.

In a small mixing bowl, add mayonnaise.

A hand holds a spoon near a measuring cup containing brown sugar and sliced butter on a wooden countertop. An open container of brown sugar and a jar of smoked paprika are also on the counter.

Add in brown sugar.

A person is holding a glass jar labeled "Smoked Paprika" above a clear bowl. There is a container of brown sugar, a wooden surface, and a metal spoon visible in the background.

Season with smoked paprika.

A person mixes ingredients including smoked paprika and what appears to be minced garlic in a clear measuring cup on a wooden cutting board. A container of smoked paprika spice is visible next to the cup.

Add in fresh, minced garlic.

A person wearing a smartwatch and ring mixes a brownish paste in a small glass bowl with a spoon on a wooden cutting board. A foil-covered tray is visible in the background.

Mix well.

A person wearing a black glove applies a thick brownish paste onto a boneless ham using a wooden spatula. The ham rests on a sheet of aluminum foil. The person's wristwatch is visible.

Set your ham on a large sheet of foil and spoon all of the mayo mixture on top.

A person wearing a black glove and a watch is placing a seasoned meat roast onto a sheet of aluminum foil inside a foil tray.

Massage the seasoned mayonnaise all over the ham. Making sure to cover the entire surface.

A person wearing a smartwatch and a ring covers a large rectangular aluminum pan with aluminum foil. The pan is on a wooden surface.

Place foil packet in a dutch oven with a lid or in a heavy duty pan. Cover the pan or close the foil sheet to wrap.

A close-up of shredded pink meat, likely pulled pork, in a metal tray with two forks used for pulling apart the meat. The tray rests on a wooden surface in the background.

Bake covered for 4 to 6 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 205°. Basting with pan drippings every so often. Allow to rest for 15 minutes and shred and leave in pan drippings.

Why Brooke loves this recipe!

Recipes are like antiques. They are meant to be handed down from one generation to another. Each one holding a special memory or nostalgic memory. Here is why we love this one!

Meals that provide leftovers are probably my favorite. This ham is special for a wonderful centerpiece to any event or holiday. THEN, you get to get creative with the leftovers. I love to cook once and eat multiple times!

Tips for the Best Pulled Ham Ever!

Tips to make this even easier and something you will want to make over and over again!

Get the right cut of Ham – bone in butt or shank will give you the most tender pulled ham. Also, do not get the pre-sliced ham. We want that connective tissue to cook into the ham, it will help it be moist and delicious.
Baste while cooking – throughout the cook time, the rub will meld with the fat of the ham and produce a delicious liquid, make sure you baste it with that liquid a few times during the cooking process.
Pull, Serve and store IN the pan drippings – this allows the ham to soak up the flavor we cooked it in and maintain moisture.

Equipment

🔧 I love to share recipes that are no special equipment required but here are a few things that would definitely make this recipe easier!

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A metal baking dish filled with shredded, cooked pink meat. Two forks are placed in the dish, positioned for pulling apart the meat. The dish rests on a wooden surface.

How to Make ahead and Store It

Once cooled, store any leftovers in an airtight container for about a week in the refrigerator.

This is perfect to freeze to have for later! Cool and place in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a warm oven.

What to serve with this Oven Baked Pulled Ham:

Treat this delicious pulled ham like BBQ and serve it with a delicious BBQ sauce, COLESLAW and all of the fixins. Another tasty option is to just make a good old Southern food meal with it, CREAMY GARLIC MASHED POTATOES, COLLARD GREENS and our delicious SOUTHERN CORNBREAD.

⭐ LOVE THIS RECIPE? It would mean so very much to me if you would take a moment to rate this recipe and leave me a sweet comment in the recipe card below! ❤️❤️We hope you love all of the Southern and healthy recipes we share here at The Buttered Home and would love to see you back here often!

**DON’T MISS OUR TIPS AND TRICKS BELOW THE RECIPE CARD!

Shredded pink meat is being pulled apart with two forks in a metal pan. The meat appears tender and moist, with visible texture and fibers.

Easy Oven Baked Pulled Ham

This Oven Baked Pulled Ham recipe is easy, flavorful, and perfect for feeding a crowd or meal-prepping for the week. Whether you’re making it ahead for the week for meal prepping or as the main dish alongside creamy mashed potatoes, this pulled ham is Southern comfort at its finest.

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 5

Serving Size

Ingredients

1 ham butt or shank about 6 pounds
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp garlic fresh, minced
1 Tbsp smoked paprika

Instructions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a small bowl, combine, mayo, brown sugar, minced garlic and smoked paprika. Mix well.
1 ham, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 Tbsp garlic, 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
Place the whole ham on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Spoon all of the mayo mixture on top and spread evenly over the entire ham. Wrap the ham in excess foil to cover. Place in an oven safe pan or dutch oven with a lid.
Bake 4-6 hours, basting throughout with pan drippings, or until meat thermometer reads 205 in the center. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Shred meat in the pan drippings, serve and enjoy!

See How To Make It!

This Oven Baked Pulled Ham is the kind of recipe that is east to gather around the table for. It’s simple enough for a weeknight but special enough for your holiday table. I love how it fills the house with that warm, sweet smells that says “home.” Give it a try and let me know how you like it in the comments below! Don’t forget to explore more Southern recipes in our full recipe collection and share this recipe using the icons to share, with your friends and family—they’ll thank you for it.

🍴 PRO TIP!

What cut of ham you get is so important! We recommend using a butt or shank portion for the most tender result!

🗹 RECIPE FAQ’S

Can I use a boneless ham?

In my opinion, a bone in ham adds much more flavor but you can, just reduce the cooking time and start checking the ham for done-ness with a meat thermometer a little sooner.

Can I make this in the Crock Pot?

You sure can! Cook on the low setting for 8-10 hours or on the high setting for 4-6.

Is this the same as pulled pork boston butt?

Texture wise, yes. Flavor wise, no. The ham cuts we use go through a different curing process and have a different flavor than that of boston butt. The boston butt is commonly taken from the pork shoulder. Where ham is taken from the hind leg.

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