A soft and succulent ham is the perfect main course for any festive occasion. This is a versatile meat dish, which is not difficult to cook, although the entire preparation takes a few hours. You can choose to cook a ham that is still raw or one that is already cured, depending on the flavor you want to achieve. If you wish, you can further flavor it with a sweet or spicy glaze: in both cases you will get a perfect combination with the savory taste of the meat.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare the Ham
Step 1. Choose the type of ham you prefer
You can buy it fresh at the butcher's or you can choose one that is already seasoned or even smoked. In some cases, pre-cooked whole hams are packaged with their cooking juices. Each variety is generally available both on and off the bone, and can also be purchased pre-sliced so that it is easier to serve. If you are unsure which ham is best to buy, consider the following options (they are among the most popular, each one guarantees a different flavor):
- Uncooked, fresh or frozen ham. In this case the piece of meat was neither cooked nor cured. The flavor is the delicate one of pork, the final taste will be similar to that of a roast or a pork chop.
- Cured ham. Pork can be preserved by putting it in salt. The classic Italian raw ham, for example, is subjected to salting that uses a quantity of salt equal to approximately the weight of the ham itself. Naturally, the salting and subsequent seasoning give the meat a characteristic taste.
- Cured and smoked ham. In this case the smoke is used as a preservative, the meat takes on a characteristic smoky taste.
Step 2. Determine how much the ham should weigh according to your needs
Of course, the cooking time varies according to the amount of meat you need to cook. Since cooking a ham takes a long time, and even leftovers can be considered a delicacy, you may decide to buy one a little larger than you really need to ensure the correct number of servings. Here is a detailed analysis of how much ham to buy based on the different types:
- Boneless ham: about 110-150g per serving.
- Ham with a small bone: around 150-225g per serving.
- Ham with a large bone: about 330-450g per serving.
Step 3. If it's frozen, let it thaw slowly
If you have bought frozen ham, it is important to defrost it properly to ensure that the meat in the center is not frozen yet when cooking begins. If this happens, the ham will not be able to reach the correct temperature internally, so eating it could be dangerous to health. There are two ways to defrost a ham safely:
- In the refrigerator: Place the frozen ham in the refrigerator 24 hours before you intend to start cooking it. It will thaw slowly while remaining protected from the low temperatures guaranteed by the refrigerator. Let it sit inside for at least 24 hours to make sure it thaws completely.
- In cold water: if you have little time available, you can immerse the ham in cold water in a large pot. Leave it to soak for several hours, until you are sure it has completely thawed out. Change the water frequently to keep it cold so that the external parts of the ham do not heat up excessively while waiting for the internal part to be ready for cooking as well.
Step 4. Consider soaking cured ham
Since the cured ham has been subjected to salting to ensure the correct preservation of the meat, leaving it immersed in water for a few hours before cooking can be used to reduce its flavor to make it more delicate. Just dip it in water and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 4-8 hours, depending on the final flavor you want to obtain.
Step 5. Let the ham come to room temperature before cooking it
This way you can be sure that, once in the oven, it warms up appropriately in the center as well. Remove the ham from the refrigerator two hours before you start cooking it to give it time to reach room temperature.
Part 2 of 3: Cooking the Ham in the Oven
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 165 ° C
Whether it is a fresh or cured ham, it will need to reach the core temperature of 70 ° C during cooking. By roasting it at 165 ° C for a few hours you will be guaranteed that it does not dry out on the outside while it cooks inside.
If you have purchased a vacuum-packed ham, it is likely that it has already been cooked completely. In this case, you can eat it immediately after taking it out of the package or simply after heating it in the oven at 60 ° C for a few minutes
Step 2. Place the ham in a large ovenproof dish
Choose one made of glass, ceramic or aluminum, making sure it is big enough to hold the ham and deep enough to hold all the cooking juices.
Step 3. Engrave it, if you intend to glaze it
Make cuts in the rind and fat layer, but without affecting the meat. You can create a cross design to ensure a nice visual effect. The incisions allow the glaze to penetrate deeply into the ham to flavor it up to the center.
- Skip this step if you have purchased a pre-sliced ham.
- If you want, you can add whole cloves to flavor and garnish it further. Just slip them on where the incisions intersect.
Step 4. Determine cooking time by weight
You will need to cook it until it reaches an internal temperature of 74 ° C. The cooking time depends on the weight and variety of the ham. Check the temperature using a meat thermometer to make sure you don't take it out of the oven too early or too late. Generally, the recommended cooking times are as follows:
- For the fresh ham: about 22-28 minutes for each half kilo of weight.
- For the smoked ham: about 15-20 minutes for each half kilo of weight.
- For the cured ham: about 20-25 minutes for each half kilo of weight.
Step 5. Make the icing
You can cook it while the ham is in the oven. Use the recipe you prefer, you can opt for both a sweet glaze and a spicy one, according to your tastes. Let the ingredients simmer over low heat until the mixture reaches a thick consistency, but still liquid enough to pour. If you want to make a classic sweet honey glaze, use these ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of mustard;
- 200 g of brown sugar;
- 120 ml of honey;
- 120 ml of apple cider vinegar;
- 110 g of butter;
- 240 ml of water.
Step 6. When the ham reaches an internal temperature of 57 ° C, it's time to glaze it
Generally, the meat will reach the required degree of heat in the last half hour of cooking. Test the temperature with the meat thermometer and, when it's time, remove it from the oven to glaze it.
- Glaze it using a pastry brush. Focus especially on the incisions made previously so that the glaze can penetrate deeply into the meat.
- Return the ham to the oven and let it cook until the internal temperature reaches 74 ° C.
- If you wish, you can complete the cooking using the oven grill. Turn it on for 10 minutes to create a crispy crust around the meat.
Part 3 of 3: Serve the Ham
Step 1. Once cooked, let it rest for 15 minutes
Take it out of the oven and place it on the kitchen worktop. At this point, cover the dish with aluminum foil to trap the moisture. The cooking juices will be gradually reabsorbed by the meat, which will therefore be more succulent and tasty. Do not skip this step, otherwise the ham may be too dry.
Step 2. Slice the ham
After letting it rest, you can cut it using a very sharp knife. Do not use a dull knife as the blade could slip and you could be injured. Before you start slicing the meat, sharpen it well with a stone or a special file, then follow the following steps:
- Cut a few slices from the narrow side of the ham.
- Place it on the flat side from where you made the slices in the previous step for a stable base.
- Make horizontal incisions along one side of the ham, starting from the outside up to the bone.
- Slice it vertically along the bone so that the slices fall naturally on the cutting board.
- Repeat on the other side of the ham.
- Don't throw the bone! You can use it to flavor the sauté with which you will then prepare a soup.
Step 3. Keep the leftovers
Once the banquet is over, place the leftover ham in a food container with a lid to keep it for the following days. You can keep them in the refrigerator and consume them within a week. Alternatively you can put them in the freezer, and in this case they will last even for a month. You can use them to make delicious sandwiches.
- You can also add them to an omelette.
- Or try using them to make a flan.
