How long food keeps › Meat / Smoked or Processed
How long does ham last?
Ham (canned (“keep refrigerated” label)) keeps 6–9 months in the fridge.
Written with AI help from the sources listed, and published by Cory. Sources: USDA FoodKeeper, USDA on leftovers and food safety, USDA on the danger zone (40-140°F). Spot a mistake? Tell us and we'll fix it.
How long does ham keep in the pantry, fridge and freezer?
Canned (“keep refrigerated” label)
- Fridge
- 6–9 months
Fully cooked, bone-in, whole
- Fridge
- 1 week
- Freezer
- 1–2 months
Fully cooked, bone-in, half
- Fridge
- 1 week
- Freezer
- 1–2 months
Fully cooked, slices, half, or spiral cut
- Fridge
- 3–4 days
- Freezer
- 1–2 months
Fully cooked, arm picnic shoulder, boneless
- Fridge
- 1 week
- Freezer
- 1–2 months
Fully cooked, canned, boneless (refrigerated)
- Fridge
- 6–9 months unopened
3–5 days opened - Freezer
- 1–2 months
Fully cooked, vacuum packed, boneless
- Fridge
- 2 weeks
- Freezer
- 1–2 months
Fresh, cook-before-eating, bone-in, whole
- Fridge
- 1 week
- Freezer
- 1–2 months
Fresh, cook-before-eating, bone-in, half
- Fridge
- 1 week
- Freezer
- 1–2 months
Fresh, cook-before-eating, shank or butt portion, bone-in
- Fridge
- 1 week
- Freezer
- 1–2 months
Fresh, cook-before-eating, arm picnic shoulder, boneless
- Fridge
- 1 week
- Freezer
- 1–2 months
Fresh, cook-before-eating, shoulder roll (butt), boneless
- Fridge
- 1 week
- Freezer
- 1–2 months
Fresh, uncooked, whole leg, bone-in
- Fridge
- 1 week
- Freezer
- 1–2 months
Fresh, uncooked, whole leg, boneless
- Fridge
- 1 week
- Freezer
- 1–2 months
Fresh, uncooked, half leg, bone-in
- Fridge
- 1 week
- Freezer
- 1–2 months
Country ham (whole or half)
- Fridge
- 1 week
- Freezer
- 1–2 months
Shelf-stable cans
- Pantry
- 6–9 months
- Fridge
- 1–2 weeks opened
Pre-packaged, luncheon/deli meat
- Fridge
- 2 weeks unopened
3–5 days opened - Freezer
- 1–2 months
Uncured, fresh, cooked
- Fridge
- 3–4 days
- Freezer
- 3–4 months
Uncured, fresh, uncooked
- Fridge
- 3–5 days
- Freezer
- 6 months
How do you keep ham safe to eat?
- These times assume the fridge is at 40°F or colder and the freezer at 0°F.
- Freezer times are for best quality. Food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe indefinitely; it just loses flavor and texture over time.
- Perishable food shouldn't sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F).
- Smell and looks don't tell you about the bacteria that make people sick, so go by the time, not by a sniff test.
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Which cooking guides go with it?
- Food safety: the danger zoneBetween 40°F and 140°F, bacteria multiply fast, so perishable food shouldn't sit there long.
- Storing and reheating leftovers safelyCooling, storing and reheating cooked food so it stays safe and still tastes good.
- Freezing and freezer burn: what ice does to foodFreezing turns food's water into ice, which pauses spoilage but can damage texture and dry out surfaces as freezer burn.
- Thawing food safelyDefrosting frozen food in a way that keeps it out of the temperature range where bacteria grow.
- Storing produce so it lastsKnowing what goes in the fridge, what stays on the counter, and what to keep apart so fruits and vegetables last longer.
- Blanching vegetables for the freezerBriefly boiling vegetables, chilling them in ice water, and freezing them flat so they keep color and flavor for months.