Great Ideas for Christmas Dinner
Chile-Brined Fresh Ham
INGREDIENTS
- One 1-pound box light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- One 8- to 10-pound bone-in smoked ham, skin removed
- 3 medium Fuji apples—peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Kosher salt
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar with the pepper, cloves and cinnamon.
- Place the ham fat side up on two large pieces of aluminum foil and, using your hands, rub the sugar mixture all over the top and side; it should form a thick layer. Wrap the ham tightly in the foil and transfer to a large roasting pan. Bakefor about 3 hours, until glossy on the outside and a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers 125°. Transfer the ham to a work surfaceand let rest in the foil at room temperature until cool enough to handle, about 2 hours.
- Unwrap the ham and slice the meat; transfer to a large platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Pour the accumulated juices into a large measuring cup and spoon off any fat. You should have about 3 1/4 cups.In a medium saucepan, combine the sliced apples with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the apples to a blender and puree with the ham juices and vinegar until smooth. Strain the apple jus through a fine-mesh sieve set over a gravy boat and season with salt. Serve the ham, passing the apple jus at the table.
Chile-Brined Fresh Ham
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups kosher salt
- 2 cups sugar
- 6 quarts cold water
- 1 cup black peppercorns, crushed
- 5 ounces Thai or serrano chiles, stemmed and finely chopped
- 8 whole cloves
- 4 cups ice cubes
- One 18-pound, bone-in fresh ham, with skin
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- In a large saucepan, combine the salt and sugar with 2 quarts of the water. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Pour the brine into a very large pot. Stir in the peppercorns, chiles and cloves. Add the remaining 4 quarts of water and the ice and stir until the ice has melted and the brine is at room temperature. Add the ham, skin side up; the skin does not have to be submerged. Brine the ham in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Remove the ham from the brine and brush off the peppercorns and cloves. Set the ham skin side up in a roasting pan and let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Roast the ham for 1 hour; turn the pan and add 1 cup of water halfway through. Reduce the oven to 300° and roast the ham for 2 1/2 hours longer, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 150°. Transfer the ham to a carving board and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Strain the pan juices into a saucepan; skim off the fat. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cut the skin off of the ham and break it into pieces. Thinly slice the meat and serve with the jus and crisp skin.
SUGGESTED PAIRING
Though this might seem like a red-wine dish, this ham tastes great with a full-bodied white, such as Chenin Blanc, which often has a slight edge of sweetness that makes it a good match for lightly spicy foods.
