Baked Country Ham

NOTE: We tested nine brands of mail-order country hams. All but one of the hams was deemed good or excellent. We particularly liked the Wigwam ham from S. Wallace Edwards & Sons (800–222–4267).

Any size dry-cured ham can be adapted to this recipe; just adjust the cooking time as needed to reach the internal temperatures listed below. Country ham is best served in very thin slices over biscuits or in rolls. It's much too rich and salty to serve in thick slices. Leftover bits of ham can be used to flavor cooked greens, eggs, pasta, or rice. If removing the hock, save it to flavor soup or beans. Serves about 30.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Scrub mold off (see figure 19). Remove hock with hacksaw (see figure 20). If ham has been aged less than six months, proceed with step 2. If ham has been aged more than six months, place ham in large stock pot filled with cool water. Place pot in cool place and change water once a day. Hams aged 6 to 12 months should be soaked for 36 hours. Hams aged more than a year should be soaked for 3 days. Drain ham and scrub again.

2. Place ham in large stock pot and cover with fresh water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of ham registers 120 degrees, 2 to 3 hours. Transfer ham from pot to large cutting board. (Liquid can be reserved and used to cook greens or rice, or added to soup.)

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. When ham has cooled just enough to handle, peel away rind and most of fat (see figures 21 and 22). Score remaining fat (see figure 23).

4. Place ham on flat rack in large roasting pan lined with double layer of aluminum foil. Pour 2 cups water into pan. Smear glaze onto exterior of ham using rubber spatula (see figure 24). Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted in several places in ham registers 140 degrees, about 1 hour. Transfer ham to cutting board and let rest about 15 minutes. Carve into very thin slices and serve.