Bones_ Recipes, History, and Lore - Jennifer McLagan [36]
The butt end is more complex: Place it flat side down and cut down the length of the bone to remove the meatiest section. Then slice this section across the gram into slices. Stand the remaining piece bone away from you and, keeping the knife parallel to the board, cut slices across the meat down to the bone.
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Glazed Ham
Because a glazed baked ham is best served at room temperature, it is the perfect do-ahead dish for a large crowd. A whole ham can weigh from 10 to 20 pounds (4.5 to 9 kg) and so will feed twenty with plenty of leftovers. For most families, half a bone-in ham will do. The shank end will be easier to carve, but the sirloin end is meatier. The ham may be partially or fully cooked. Consult with your butcher to see if it should be soaked to remove excess salt before cooking.
Bake both partially and fully cooked hams at 325°F (160°C). Remove the skin from the ham and place the ham on a rack in a large roasting pan. Pour in enough Pork Stock (page 58), Court Bouillon (page 60), or water to cover the bottom of the pan. Baste the ham with this liquid every 30 minutes, and add more liquid as necessary, making sure the bottom of the pan is always covered.
A partially cooked ham will take 15 to 20 minutes per pound (450 g); a fully cooked ham needs 10 to 15 minutes per pound (450 g). The larger the ham, the less time needed per pound (450 g). An instant-read thermometer is a necessity, as cooking time also varies with the shape and thickness of the ham. The internal temperature should reach 155°F (68°C) for a partially cooked ham, 140°F (60°C) for a fully cooked ham. Once the ham reaches the proper temperature, remove it and increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C).
Classically the fat on a ham is scored in a crisscross pattern and a whole clove inserted in each diamond. The crisscross is not necessary, but it makes a nice presentation, with or without the cloves. A simpler method is to cut parallel diagonal lines in one direction only and forget about the cloves. Cutting the fat gives it interest, or more definition, and allows the glaze to penetrate to the meat, but you can leave it uncut.
Spoon or brush the ham with some of the glaze, then bake for 20 to 30 minutes, basting it with the glaze every 10 minutes. Watch closely to make sure the glaze doesn’t burn. Once the ham is nicely glazed, remove it from the oven and leave to cool to room temperature before serving.
The glaze can be as simple as a dusting of confectioner’s (icing) sugar or sifted brown sugar. Or try one of the following recipes, which make about ¾ cup (175 ml) glaze, enough for ‘A a ham. The recipes can be doubled easily.
PORT GLAZE
¾ cup (175 ml) port
¼ cup (60 ml) honey
¼ packed cup (50 g) dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch of ground cloves
ORANGE DIJON GLAZE
½ cup (125 ml) marmalade
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Grated zest of 1 orange
¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
APRICOT-MANGO GLAZE
½ cup (125 ml) apricot jam
¼ cup (60 ml) mango nectar
¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons finely diced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1. To make any of the glazes, simply mix all the ingredients together in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring. Cool slightly before using.
HAM
A ham is the cured back leg of a pig. The leg is first salted, with a dry rub or by brining, or both. Mass-produced hams are injected with a brining solution, because that works faster. Then the ham is air-dried or smoked and aged. The breed of the pig, its diet, the method of curing, the wood used for smoking, and the length of aging all influence the flavor of a ham.
Unsmoked hams are increasingly popular, especially the famous San Daniele ham from Parma, commonly called prosciutto. Another acclaimed ham hails from Spain—Jamón Iberico, or pata negra. This artisanal ham is produced in very small quantities from the Spanish Iberian black pig. The hoof is