Fresh Ham With Tuscan Bread Stuffing Recipes

FRESH HAM WITH TUSCAN BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Place the ham on a large cutting board. Remove the bone, and butterfly the meat; reserve the bone. (Alternatively have your butcher do this.)
• Make the ham broth. Put the ham bone into a large stockpot. Add the carrots, onion, celery and sage. Cover with water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer the ham broth, uncovered. Skim frequently and cook until the broth has reduced to 2 quarts, about 2 hours. Strain the broth and measure out 1 quart and set it aside. Freeze or refrigerate the remaining broth for another purpose.
• Meanwhile, prepare the ham and stuffing. In a medium bowl, soak the bread in the milk until it is soft, about 15 minutes. Squeeze the bread and put it in a large mixing bowl. Add the pine nuts, raisins, olives, garlic, spinach, Parmesan and mix.
• Lay the ham fat-side up. Using a sharp knife, score the fat in a diamond pattern, making each slash about 2-inches apart and 1/4-inch deep. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Combine the basil, thyme and parsley leaves in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and enough of olive oil to form a paste, about 1/2 cup. Rub the herb paste all over the ham.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lay the ham fat-side down. Place several cups of the bread stuffing in the center of the ham. Roll the ham into a log taking care that the stuffing is evenly distributed. (Remaining stuffing can be cooked in a baking dish for 40 minutes before serving.) Tie the rolled ham with kitchen string at 3-inch intervals.
• Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat in a roasting pan just large enough to accommodate the ham. Add the ham roll and brown it on all sides, about 20 minutes. Remove the ham and place a rack in the pan (or fabricate 1 from aluminum foil).
• Place the ham on the rack. Pour half of the stock into the pan. Place the roasting pan in the oven and let the ham cook for 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes or so with the pan juices. Add more stock if the pan seems dry. When the ham is tender remove it from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Tent the ham with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes.
• Remove the string and slice the ham about 2 inches thick. Serve with additional stuffing and polenta.
• Serving suggestion: polenta.

FRESH HAM ROASTED WITH RYE BREAD AND DRIED FRUIT STUFFING

Steps:

• Have your butcher bone and butterfly the ham and score the fat in a diamond pattern. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 2/3 of the garlic, 2/3 of the caraway seeds, 3 teaspoons of the salt and pepper to taste and rub the mixture over the inside and outside of the pork. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Place in a large bowl with the bread cubes, prunes, apricots, apple, rosemary, egg, remaining caraway seeds, remaining teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well combined.
• Open out the pork, spread the stuffing, fold the pork around it and tie securely with twine. Place in a large, deep roasting pan and pour in the chicken broth. Bake, basting from time to time, until the roast reaches 145 degrees on a meat thermometer, about 3 1/2 hours. Let stand for 15 minutes. Degrease the pan juices, slice serve passing the juices separately.

APPLE, CELERY, AND SMOKED HAM STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake bread cubes on large rimmed baking sheet until dry and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Place bread in large bowl and cool.
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add onions and celery; sauté until tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add apples; sauté until tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add mixture to bread. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet. Add ham; sauté 5 minutes. Add ham to bread; mix in herbs and nutmeg. Add broth to same skillet and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Pour broth into small bowl; cool. (Stuffing and broth can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Beat eggs into broth; mix into stuffing. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Bake uncovered until cooked through and browned on top, about 35 minutes.

ROAST FRESH HAM WITH ONION STUFFING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Spread pork flat; sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Heat water to boiling in 2-quart saucepan; add onions. Cook 5 minutes; drain. Mix onions and remaining ingredients. Spread half of the stuffing over pork; roll up. Fasten with metal skewers.
• Place pork fat side down on rack in shallow roasting pan. Spoon any remaining stuffing over top of pork. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in center of thickest part of pork and does not touch stuffing. Roast uncovered 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until thermometer reads 165°F.
• Cover pork with tent of aluminum foil and let stand 15 to 20 minutes or until thermometer reads 170°F. (Temperature will continue to rise about 5° and pork will be easier to carve as juices set up). Remove foil and skewers. Cut into slices.