Braised Ham Broiled Ham

[maher]

Im looking for recipes for a whole fresh leg of pork/ham.

Ive roasted and smoked ham, and ive spit cooked as part of whole pigs. ive used the caja china, but i still want more!!!!!

so do we braise, roast, slice and dice... all suggestions welcome..

[JEL]

bone it out and cube it up,

carnitas, tamales, empanadas, pot pie, stew w/ saurkraut and potatos......

skewer and grill w/ veggies, pork salad sammiches, grind for pork burger (2 million uses like italian sausage for pizza, or season for breakfast sausage)....

it's endless........

[Doodad]

Im looking for recipes for a whole fresh leg of pork/ham.

Ive roasted and smoked ham, and ive spit cooked as part of whole pigs. ive used the caja china, but i still want more!!!!!

so do we braise, roast, slice and dice... all suggestions welcome..

←

Cut two or more large steaks out and grill with jerk sauce. Oh mon.

[Busboy]

We do this with a butt, but you did mention braising so I assume you've got a big enough pot for a leg...

Buy a couple of bottles of inexpensive Alsatian Gewurtztraminer or other fruit y white wine, a half-gallon of cider and, if you're feeling flush, a bottle of Calvados. A quart of stock, preferably pork, would be useful, as well.

Marinate the pork for a day or maybe two in the wine, with substantial onion, thyme, parsley, leek, and carrot, maybe some clove and garlic if you're in the mood. If you have a copy of the French Laundry Cookbook, you can use the proportions mentioned in the short-ribs marinade and even burn off the alcohol, as he suggests.

Brown the pork. This is a pain and possibly unnecessary, but I like doing it. Throw the pork, marinade, a couple of cups of calvados, your stock maybe some apples, and apple cider to cover in a big pot and braise for 6 hours or so, until the pork is pretty shredable. Let the pork sit overnight, chilled. Skim the fat, return pork to braising liquid and warm slowly (at least an hour). If you're feeling adventurous, set the now-warm pork in a warm oven, strain the braising liquid and boil it down until it is the consistency and concentration you want in a sauce. You might spike it with a bit of cider vinegar and adjust the Calvados just for zing.

It's kind of like Normandy goes to Arkansas, a French pulled pork, and it's delish.

[kbjesq]

so do we braise, roast, slice and dice... all suggestions welcome..

←

Fresh hams were on sale recently for .99/lb, so I bought the biggest one that I could find and brined in overnight in a salt/brown sugar mixture, with cloves, bay leaf, pepper, mustard seeds, and cinnamon. (Important to score the skin first, making sure to cut all the way through the skin but not all the way through the fat layer below). Next day, I popped it in the oven for about 6 hours on 325 F. (The first 30 minutes were at 450 F). Perfect.

Edited September 28, 2007 by kbjesq (log)

[brendan mc aleer]

the best i find is place basic mirepoix with water and 1 can of cider, just enough to cover your hock or whatever part. stud the ham with a few cloves and if you want add a couple of spoons of honey to the stock. its really good.

[maher]

Great ideas all, thanks.

Doodad, I love the jerk seasoning idea, but im thinking there has to be some way i can roast with that, im thinking maybe a thinner jerk 'sauce' that is injectable?

Busboy, thanks for the cider/calvados idea, i think thats gonna be on the weekend agenda. i will try to take pictures.

all the other ideas will find their way into my kitchen... will report back...