Country Ham Ginger Butter Food

COUNTRY HAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.
• Set ham into the prepared roasting pan and pierce several times with a fork.
• Stir brown sugar, peach preserves, and mustard together in a bowl; spread over the ham. Cover the ham with a sheet of aluminum foil.
• Roast ham in preheated oven, basting regularly, for 90 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil cover and continue baking until hot in the center, 30 to 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 140 degrees F (60 degrees C).

HOW TO COOK COUNTRY HAM SLICES

Steps:

• Unwrap the country ham and separate the slices.
• Soak the slices in a bowl ¾ full of warm water for 30 minutes.
• Remove the slices from the water and dry well.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat until the skillet is hot.
• Add ½ tsp of butter to the pan and immediately place the slice of country ham down on the butter. Use your spatula to hold the slice so that it doesn't curl up. Heat slice for to 2 minutes on side one.
• Turn the country ham and repeat for 45 seconds - 2 minutes on side two.
• Remove the country ham slice to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
• Serve hot with biscuits or toast.

BAKED HAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place ham in a roasting pan, and press whole cloves into the top at 1 to 2 inch intervals. Pack the top with a layer of brown sugar. Pour enough water into the bottom of the roasting pan to come to a 1 inch depth. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil or a lid.
• Bake for 4 1/2 to 5 hours in the preheated oven (about 22 minutes per pound), or until the internal temperature of the ham has reached 160 degrees F (72 degrees C). Make sure the meat thermometer is not touching the bone. Let stand for about 20 minutes before carving.

VIRGINIA COUNTRY HAM BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet or round cake pan with parchment paper; set aside.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter and shortening into the flour mixture until incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse meal. You will still see flakes of butter and shortening throughout, which is good!
• Gradually add the buttermilk, stirring with a wooden spoon until a fairly wet, sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 1 minute, adding flour to the counter and your hands, as necessary, to prevent sticking. Roll or pat to ¾-inch thickness. Use a small biscuit cutter to cut out rounds (I recommend a 2-inch cutter or smaller for ham biscuits). Firmly press the cutter down into the dough, but do not twist. Twisting the biscuit cutter seals off the edges of the biscuits and they therefore will not rise as high.
• Arrange biscuits (with sides touching) on the parchment-lined baking sheet or round pan. Brush the tops of the biscuits with a little bit of the melted butter. Place the tray of biscuits in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes (if you have time) to chill before popping them in the oven.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until tops are golden brown. Brush the tops with additional melted butter, transfer to wire rack to cool slightly, and assemble sandwiches.
• Once the biscuits are cool enough to handle, split each biscuit in half (don't slice the biscuits with a knife -- use the tines of a fork to poke holes around the edge and then gently pull apart).
• Spread a dollop of your preferred condiment (butter, mustard, etc.) on each side of the biscuit, add a couple of thin slices of country ham, and then close the sandwich and enjoy!

COUNTRY HAM AND POTATOES

Steps:

• In a large heavy skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.
• Brown ham on both sides.
• Move ham to one side of the skillet; brown potatoes in the drippings.
• Sprinkle potatoes with parsley.
• Note: Prior to adding to skillet, only boil potatoes till just tender or they will have a tendency to fall apart while browning in the skillet.

COUNTRY HAM ON BISCUITS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Make buttermilk biscuits: mix flours, baking powder and soda, salt, and pepper in mixing bowl. Cut 6 T. butter into small pieces and add to flour mixture. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles fine meal. Melt remaining 4 T. butter and set aside. Make well in flour mixture, pour in buttermilk, and gradually work flour into buttermilk using fork.
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Roll or pat evenly 1/2-inch thick. Using 2-1/2" biscuit cutter or rim of glass, cut out 12 biscuits. Brush both sides with melted butter and place on ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake until golden, 10-12 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet at least 5 minutes before splitting.
• Split warm biscuits in half. Spread bottom half with mustard and top with butter. Place 2 slices ham on each bottom half and cover with top. Serve warm.

COUNTRY HAM

Steps:

• Unwrap ham and scrub off any surface mold (if you hung in a sack for 6 months you'd have mold too). Carefully remove hock with hand saw. (If this idea makes you eye your first aid kit, ask your butcher to do it. But make sure you keep the hock, it's the best friend collard greens ever had.)
• Place ham in cooler and cover with clean water. (As long as it's not too dirty you can use what southerners call the "hose pipe"). Stash the cooler in the bushes. If it's summer, throw in some ice. If it's freezing out, keep the cooler inside. Change the water twice a day for two days turning the ham each time.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place ham in a large disposable turkey-roasting pan and add enough Dr. Pepper to come about halfway up the side of the ham. Add pickle juice if you've got it and tent completely with heavy-duty foil. Cook for 1/2 hour then reduce heat to 325 degrees F, and cook another 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn the ham over, insert an oven safe thermometer (probe-style is best) and cook another 1 1/2 hours, or until the deepest part of the ham hits 140 degrees F (approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound total).
• Let rest 1/2 hour then slice paper-thin. Serve with biscuits or soft yeast rolls.
• Cooks note: Even after soaking, country ham is quite salty, so thin slicing is mandatory. If you're a bacon fan, however, cut a thicker (1/4-inch) slice and fry it up for breakfast.

SPECKLED BUTTER BEANS AND COUNTRY HAM IN LEMON VELOUTE

Steps:

• In a heavy pan, bring the water to a boil and add the butter beans. When the water returns to a boil, turn the heat down and let the beans simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the skins are tender and the insides creamy, and most of the water has boiled off. While the beans are simmering, make the lemon veloute. In a small pan, heat the chicken stock. Fill the bottom of a double boiler with water, and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, in the top of the double-boiler, set directly over low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking, for five minutes, then slowly whisk in the hot stock. Place over the boiling water and cook for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep a crust from forming on top. When the beans are done, add the country ham pieces and cook until the ham is just warmed. Meanwhile, remove the beans from the heat, add the lemon juice, and salt to taste. Remove the beans from the heat, pour the veloute over the beans, and mix well. Serve immediately.