Country Farmhouse Baked Ham Recipes

BAKED COUNTRY HAM

Steps:

• The afternoon before you plan to serve the ham, fill a very large kettle or pot or your sink with water. Soak ham 4 to 8 hours to lose some of the saltiness; change the water 2 or 3 times, if possible. Rinse well, and scrape off any mold or green rind.
• Wrap ham well in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet. At 7 p.m. the night before you plan to serve the ham, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place the wrapped ham in a large roasting pan filled with 1 inch of water, and bake for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven, but do not open the door. At 10 P.M., turn the oven back on to 500 degrees. Bake the ham for 15 minutes more. Turn off the oven, but do not open the door. Leave the ham in the closed oven overnight.
• Remove ham from the oven, then remove the aluminum foil. Using a very sharp knife, trim the rind and all the fat from the ham. Serve the ham warm or at room temperature; cut with a ham-slicing knife into very thin slivers.

COUNTRY HAM AND SMASHED-POTATO HOME FRIES

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Salt the water generously and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, 7 to 10 minutes, depending on size. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the ham and saute, stirring occasionally, until crispy, about 4 minutes; transfer to a bowl. Add the onions and red peppers to the skillet and saute, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to another bowl.
• While the vegetables are cooking, smash the boiled potatoes down by hand. Add the remaining tablespoon oil and the butter to the skillet. When the butter is foaming, add the potatoes in a single layer and sear until very golden brown and crispy, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Stir in the crispy ham, onion mixture and lemon zest. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

COUNTRY FARMHOUSE BAKED HAM

Steps:

• 1. In a medium size mixing bowl, mix yellow mustard and brown sugar until you have a thick "paste". Take all wrappers off of ham and trim away excess fat. Line baking pan (spray with Pam first in case some of the brown sugar mixture escapes), so clean up is easier) with heavy duty aluminum foil. Place ham on foil and spread brown sugar/mustard paste on top and sides. Fold and seal foil. Do not open again until ham is done. Bake at 350° for 4 hours. Let set for about 1 hour, then carve. One of the best tasting hams you'll ever have!

COUNTRY HAM

Steps:

• Unwrap ham and scrub off any surface mold (if you hung in a sack for 6 months you'd have mold too). Carefully remove hock with hand saw. (If this idea makes you eye your first aid kit, ask your butcher to do it. But make sure you keep the hock, it's the best friend collard greens ever had.)
• Place ham in cooler and cover with clean water. (As long as it's not too dirty you can use what southerners call the "hose pipe"). Stash the cooler in the bushes. If it's summer, throw in some ice. If it's freezing out, keep the cooler inside. Change the water twice a day for two days turning the ham each time.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place ham in a large disposable turkey-roasting pan and add enough Dr. Pepper to come about halfway up the side of the ham. Add pickle juice if you've got it and tent completely with heavy-duty foil. Cook for 1/2 hour then reduce heat to 325 degrees F, and cook another 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn the ham over, insert an oven safe thermometer (probe-style is best) and cook another 1 1/2 hours, or until the deepest part of the ham hits 140 degrees F (approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound total).
• Let rest 1/2 hour then slice paper-thin. Serve with biscuits or soft yeast rolls.
• Cooks note: Even after soaking, country ham is quite salty, so thin slicing is mandatory. If you're a bacon fan, however, cut a thicker (1/4-inch) slice and fry it up for breakfast.

COUNTRY HAM BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Butter a large baking dish and evenly spread out the torn bread to cover the bottom of the dish.
• In a large bowl, beat to combine the heavy cream, cheese, ham, milk, scallions, salt, pepper and eggs. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and top with the paprika. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Remove the dish from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Uncover the dish and bake until puffed, golden and cooked through, about 45 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, sprinkle with the chives and serve.

GLAZED BAKED HAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Score the surface of the ham about 1/8-inch deep in a diamond pattern. Insert a clove into the middle of each diamond.
• Bake the ham for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or longer depending on package directions.
• Heat the brown sugar, mustard, vinegar and soda in a small saucepan until bubbly. Cook until thick, about 15 minutes.
• After 2 hours of baking time, brush the glaze on the ham in 20-minute intervals until nice and glossy.