Why is ham so often saved only for holiday meals? A beautiful pink ham, with a sweet glaze baked into its criss-crossed nooks and crannies, can be a delicious year-round meal that’s also cost-effective when you factor in all those leftovers (think Pasta Parmesan With Ham, Ham and Broccoli Strata, and Bacon Potato Cheese Waffles substituting ham in for the bacon). And that’s not even considering how easy they are to prepare.
What is a ham, anyway? In essence, it’s a pig’s back leg, the shank end being closest to the ankle and the butt further up, closer to its back. A whole ham can weigh over 15 pounds, which, if you calculate 1/2 lb. to 3/4 lb. per person for bone-in hams and 1/2 lb. for boneless hams, is far too much meat for the average family. For practical reasons, butchers and grocers typically split the ham into two halves: the shank with a higher ratio of fat and easier to carve, and the butt end leaner and more challenging to carve.
Before purchasing a ham, it’s important to be clear on which sort you’d like, as there are three types at your supermarket or butcher’s shop. The first is “fresh” ham, which is an uncured and uncooked leg of pork, in appearance, texture and flavor much like a pork roast. Second, cured ham is a leg of pork that has been brined or cured with a dry rub and hung to dry. These have a deep rosy color and can be sold pre-cooked or may require cooking. (To know for sure, check the label as hams that need cooking must be labeled with minimum internal temperature requirements and cooking instructions.) The last sort of ham is a cured and smoked ham, which is simply a cured ham that has also been smoked.
While baking a show-stopping ham is simple and easy, be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to bring the ham to room temperature for an hour (for even heat distribution) as well as up to 2 1/2 hours to bake it long, low and slow, depending on your ham’s size. And don’t jump the gun with the glaze; if you apply it before the ham has fully warmed, it can make the meat unappetizingly dry. Increasing the heat at the end and basting the meat every 10 minutes with a decadent bourbon-butter glaze results in a beautifully burnished ham that’s moist and flavorful.
