Country Ham Recipes

COUNTRY HAM

Steps:

• Put ham in a very large container, such as a bucket, and cover with water. Let soak 3 days, changing water at least twice a day. Scrub with a stiff brush; rinse well.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put ham in a large, deep, heavy roasting pan; transfer to oven. Add enough boiling water to come half-way up sides of ham. Cover with foil. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 160 degrees, about 20 minutes per pound. Check occasionally to ensure cooking liquid is just simmering; adjust oven temperature as needed. Remove from oven; let cool in cooking liquid. Remove skin, leaving a small amount of fat on surface.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place ham on a baking sheet lined with foil. Score fat in a crosshatch pattern, if desired. Cook sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Spread over ham. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and brush with glaze from pan. Bake until sugar has caramelized and is bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes more. Cut into very thin slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.

COUNTRY HAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.
• Set ham into the prepared roasting pan and pierce several times with a fork.
• Stir brown sugar, peach preserves, and mustard together in a bowl; spread over the ham. Cover the ham with a sheet of aluminum foil.
• Roast ham in preheated oven, basting regularly, for 90 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil cover and continue baking until hot in the center, 30 to 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 140 degrees F (60 degrees C).

HOW TO COOK A COUNTRY HAM

Steps:

• Scrub ham thoroughly with a stiff brush.
• Place ham in large pot or pan--even a cooler will work. Cover it completely with water and allow to soak for 24 hours, (discard water).
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Put ham in large roaster fat side up and again cover completely with water. place in oven on lowest shelf and bake for 2 hours. Turn ham to other side and cook another 2 hours. It takes 4 to 41/2 hours in all or 15 to 18 minutes per pound for a good tender ham.
• Remove ham from oven, but leave in water overnight (do NOT refrigerate).
• The next day preheat oven to 425°F.
• Remove and discard ham skin. Sprinkle fat with ground cloves.
• Combine sugar with enough vinegar to make a paste and brush on ham. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes; let rest for 1 hour out of the oven, then slice and serve.