In search of. . . . . the elusive best ham recipe.

Man, now I'm hungry....nothing better than a GOOD ham!!!!!

For those who cannot cook, don't want to bother and aren't feeding a tribe....may I suggest....
boarshead.com...

Our local specialty store was selling 2-3 pound boneless small hams for Thanksgiving....hopefully, they'll have them for Christmas as well.

The best ham is the one in your belly. Damn near impossible to make a bad ham.

I've finally read through the entire thread and my jaw hit the floor. Ham does not need more salt in any form. It is already a very high sodium product.

Recommendations to brine are like prescriptions for heart attacks. Pure insanity.

originally posted by: Restricted
I've finally read through the entire thread and my jaw hit the floor. Ham does not need more salt in any form. It is already a very high sodium product.

Recommendations to brine are like prescriptions for heart attacks. Pure insanity.

I didn't want to say anything, but I agree. I soak mine a few hours before baking to get some of the sodium OUT.

originally posted by: angeldoll

originally posted by: Restricted
I've finally read through the entire thread and my jaw hit the floor. Ham does not need more salt in any form. It is already a very high sodium product.

Recommendations to brine are like prescriptions for heart attacks. Pure insanity.

I didn't want to say anything, but I agree. I soak mine a few hours before baking to get some of the sodium OUT.

Amen to that.

a reply to: Restricted


A fresh butchered piece of meat will have no sodium sir or madam. It will be untouched. A butcher will divide the animal into sections or cuts. One of those cuts of meat is called the ham. No salt needed until the brining or cooking process begins. This is not a cheezit.

a reply to: TheAlleghenyGentleman

What makes ham different is that it is a piece of pork that is smoked, like bacon.

As part of the smoking process, the ham is pre-soaked in brine and spices.

www.madehow.com...

There is absolutely no reason to brine the meat again.


Tired of Control Freaks

a reply to: TiredofControlFreaks

Well sir, I said fresh ham. A fresh ham is uncured. A cured ham is....... what for it..... here it comes....... oh oh oh oh I can see it in the distance...... it's cured. So that means the ham is being salted with unknown amounts. The recipe I posted is for a fresh ham (uncured). Thank you sir.

a reply to: TiredofControlFreaks

Just like I can buy a fresh brisket and make my own corned beef, I can also buy a fresh ham....basically a piece of raw pork.
And season/brine it as I wish.

a reply to: TiredofControlFreaks

I would also like to pose a quick apology as well as I thought you were calling me a control freak. But no! It's your signature line. As a professional cook I am indeed a control freak about food.

a reply to: TheAlleghenyGentleman

I liked that recipe you provided.

What is the water to weight ratio you are using?

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
Just like I can buy a fresh brisket and make my own corned beef, I can also buy a fresh ham....basically a piece of raw pork.
And season/brine it as I wish.

Same with bacon. I like to buy pork belly and cure and/or smoke my own bacon.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

So I am currently on the Amtrak and can't get to my spread sheet but I obviously need the weight of the ham to calculate that.

That ham is outstanding. It sells for 26 dollars a lb.

originally posted by: TheAlleghenyGentleman
So I am currently on the Amtrak and can't get to my spread sheet but I obviously need the weight of the ham to calculate that.

That ham is outstanding. It sells for 26 dollars a lb.

Whenever you can just PM me or post it here, I am not a fan of store bought hams so I may make this for Xmas along with the standing rib roast I am going to prepare.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Will do

It's probly to late to brine your own ham now

Fresh ham uncured needs nitrites to change to meat into what you know as ham this takes time a week or more depending on size

Now with a aredy cured ham u can't add much flavor with brining salt is what pulls everything into the hame trew osmosis best thing to do this late is start with a high quality ham and inject it your self

Try not to buy aredy cooked ham most ham u buy is aredy cooked as they will be extra dry cooked twice

a reply to: DBCowboy

A 7-UP ham is just simply pouring a half can or whole can of 7-Up all over your ham, and basting it every once in a while with the pop and ham juices from the bottom of the pan throughout the cooking process.

A bone-in ham that's only been slightly smoked/cured at the butcher's is your best bet for a juicy end product. Bone-in meats always retain their juices better than one that has no bone.

Just simply make diamond shaped slits all through the fat of the ham, stick in your whole cloves (or maraschino cherries, but I prefer cloves) into each diamond intersection. This kind of goes without saying but make sure to remove the tough outer skin of the ham first before cutting your diamond shapes into the fat.

Pour your 7-Up all over your ham in the pan, then rub your glaze all over it (I prefer just a simple mustard and brown sugar glaze), you want a thick gooey glaze so that it doesn't run off of your meat so easily. You can also add pineapple rings all around the outside of the ham if you choose.

The best cooking temp I've found is between 300-325 farenheit (I usually go with 325)... "low and slow" is the trick to cooking any kind of roast/bird/ham... with a lid on and regular basting every once in a while to keep the meat from drying out on the outside.

It's impossible to say how long the cooking will take because it depends on the size of the ham you've got. You have to eyeball it and use your nose to judge when it's done (or use a handy dandy meat thermometer).

If you are going to use a meat thermometer, don't go by the exact temp that they suggest for ham.... take your ham out of the oven when it's slightly under the suggested temperature, and let it sit on top of the stove covered to continue it's own cooking process and to let the meat "rest" before cutting into it.

Slightly undercooking your ham and letting it finish outside of the oven is one of the tricks to maintaining a juicy ham (this applies to roasts too).

Happy num nums !

a reply to: CranialSponge

I do that with the cloves and use Honey and Mustard (Coleman's since I am in the UK), rub it into the ham before cooking maybe with a tiny bit of butter as well and then as you say baste it periodically, too many cloves though can be a little too strong so easy on those they are very potent.
(garlic instead of cloves can also work well)

a reply to: CranialSponge





Thanks!

a reply to: DBCowboy

I forgot to mention that when you remove your ham from the oven to let it finish the cooking process, DO NOT lift the lid to take a peek ! You'll end up releasing all of the captured heat from inside your roaster.