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How To Make A Ham | Cooking A Ham | Baking A Ham | Best Baked Ham
December 10th, 2009
How do I make a ham? This another one of those questions that gets asked alot. And the real answer to how to bake a ham, or how to make a ham really depends on a few things. The thing you really need to understand is what kind of ham you have. If you are getting one of those cheap hams from the grocery store, you know the kind I mean, the one in the can, then there isn’t really alot you can do, since it is probably one of those that has tons fo brine in it and is pressed meat togetther.
Yes, they are cheap, but you get what you pay for , and that is crap. So, what kind of ham should you get if you really want to have a good experience?
The kind of ham I recommend, if you don’t want to pay for the expensive honey glazed types of hams, or those ones that are dry curd or smoked, is at least gett a whole muscle ham and preferrably one with the bone in.
You can actually get a similar ham to a Farmer Johns Ham, the kind in the gold foil.
Here is a great guide I found at about.com
The trouble most people have when selecting a ham is not knowing what a ham really is. Technically, a ham is the entire back leg of a hog. Each pig has two. Of course, when most of us think of a ham, we think of a piece of meat that has a pinkish color and a sweet, smoky flavor. So, if the most basic definition of ham is a large pork roast the next definition is a type of preserved meat not necessarily precooked but usually preserved with salt or other preservatives. This is what leads to those kosher turkey hams.
The old fashioned way of preserving ham is in salt and cold smoking it. It is never cooked. The preservation process kills off the bacteria and changes the flavor and texture of the meat into what we think of as ham. These days however, many hams are pumped full of phosphates (preservatives) and salt water, and then cooked in a chamber filled with liquid smoke mist. The phosphates preserve the meat, and the salt water gives it a more traditional flavor and texture as well as increase the weight to hold down the cost per pound. This makes them appear more reasonably priced.
So what kind of ham do you buy? The first thing you have to decide on is the price. The more time spend making the ham the more it is going to cost. A country ham, which can be aged as much as, a year can set your pocket book way back. These traditional hams are hard to find at stores and generally have to be mail ordered. They are also heavy on salt and will need to be soaked and cooked before they can be eaten. The modern produced hams, on the other hand, can be picked up, sliced and served. Of course the best way to serve ham is warm. Grilling ham gives it the added smoky flavor and makes and excellent way to prepare ham no matter the type. Remember to grill large hams indirectly.
Next you should consider the size. Whole hams can come up to 20 pounds, which could leave you dealing with leftovers for weeks. Not a problem if you don’t mind a nearly endless supply of ham sandwiches, omelets, salads, etc. The general rule is to plan on 6 to 8 ounces of boneless ham per serving, or 8 to 12 ounces of bone in ham per serving. Hams can be frequently bought in sections. This is usually either the rounded, butt end or the lower shank end. The butt end is more difficult to carve because of the shape and position of the bone but is meatier. The shank end gives smaller pieces but is easier to carve. Of course you can always buy pre-sliced hams to make it easier on yourself, but plan on not storing it as long.
As always, if you have any questions, ask a butcher. That’s what they are there for. And, if you buy a packaged ham, read the label. Some hams, including some canned hams must be refrigerated. A good country ham that is well packaged doesn’t need to be refrigerated (the process for making these predates refrigeration) or cooked (it is eaten raw). So make sure you know what you have and how to treat it. Country hams in particular require a good deal of preparation. They are also, something of an acquired taste, so you might want to try a sampling before you spend a lot of money on one.
When you get a ham, they are actually cooked, and the really good ones are smoked. When you are ready to serve it, if you want a really awesome ham, you should glaze it. Basically, you put the ham int he oven, and while you reheat it, you glaze it and the glaze bakes on and makes a super yummy ham.
That’s it…how to make a ham or get the best baked ham is all about picking a great product. In the next post, we’ll take a look at a really great ham glaze.
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