Country Ham Relish Food

CHEESY COUNTRY HAM DIP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the ham slices on a microwave-safe dish lined with paper towels. Cover the ham with a damp paper towel and microwave on low heat until the ham is slightly crisp on the edges and the fat is absorbed in the paper towels, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the ham from the microwave and discard the paper towels. Using two forks, shred the ham into small bite-size pieces. Place the ham into a large mixing bowl.
• Add the cream cheese, Cheddar, sour cream, garlic powder, shallot and 1 teaspoon black pepper to the mixing bowl and stir to combine. Spread the ham and cheese mixture into a 9-inch pie plate. Set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the pecans, butter and Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle the seasoned pecans over the ham and cheese dip.
• Bake the dip until hot and bubbly around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm with butter crackers, corn tortilla and celery.

HAM SPREAD

Steps:

• Cut up ham to put into food processor, grind on pulse until very coarse. Add the onion and dill pickle relish close to the end of this stage. Put into mixing bowl and add mustard and creamy salad dressing; mix well.

COUNTRY HAM SANDWICHES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream and garlic powder. Spread over two slices of bread. Layer each with cheese, tomato, ham and lettuce. Top with remaining bread.

HAM RELISH

Steps:

• Place the apple in a small saucepan with one tablespoon water.
• Cook over medium heat until tender but not mushy, about 5 minutes.
• Cool completely.
• In a large bowl, combine the ham and pepper relish ( "Red Pepper Relish" Recipe #239180 ).
• Stir in the apple and blend well.
• Cover and chill well before serving.

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.

CUCUMBER, ONION & PECAN RELISH WITH COUNTRY HAM

Steps:

• Quarter the cucumbers lengthwise, remove seeds and slice crosswise into small bite-size pieces (there should be about 4 cups).
• Toss lightly with the salt and let drain 20 minutes.
• Submerge in ice water for a minute and drain well.
• Place cucumbers and onion in stainless steel or glass bowl.
• In medium pot combine the water, vinegar, olive oil, sugar, garlic, and pepper pod; heat to boiling and cook for 3 minutes.
• Pour the hot mixture over the vegetables and cool to room temperature; cover and refrigerate until very cold.
• Just before serving, drain the cucumber mixture, discarding the garlic and chili.
• Chop the pecans and stir into vegetables with the parsley to make relish.
• Serve each slice of ham accompanied with relish.