Question about HAM joints...

Protogenia

I am new to home cooking and have a couple of questions for all you experienced Nigellas out there.

I have a medium sized ham joint soaking in cold water for tomorrow.
I want to use it for tomorrows meals and for sandwhichs later in the week.
Which form of cooking makes the tasiest ham and the easiest to slice...boiling or roasting/baking.
And it has quite a thick layer of fat on the outside, I don't want to be wasteful, so what can I do with that?

Many thanks in advance Genia X

thriftlady_2

Both, is the answer

Bring to the boil then simmer 30 mins per lb/500g. Add a peeled onion and a carrot to the water (celery stick and leek too if you've got them). Keep an eye on the water level, you may need to top it up.

Half an hour before the cooking time is up take the ham out of the water DO NOT THROW THE WATER AWAY -it is ham stock, freeze in tubs for soup or risottos.

Let the ham cool a bit then peel off the skin. Score the fat in a diamond pattern and rub with a mixture of mustard and honey, or black treacle/maple syrup/ marmalade. Stick a clove in each diamond if you like. Put it in the oven at 200c for the final half hour.

HTH:)

Protogenia

Thank you very much...x x

GunJack

Just roasted ours on xmas eve - absolutely gorgeous. No soaking, boiling, nothing. Just roasted. Best I've had for years

Seakay

I think that you could roast the peeled off skin to make pork scratchings - usually made with pork rind but after boiling I think that ham rind should work just as well:
"
100g lard
25g flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)
11/2tsp coriander seeds

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 130°C/250°F/gas 1/2. Cut the pork rind into small strips, melt the lard in a roasting tin, add the strips and transfer to the oven for 3-4 hours until the skin looks transparent. Turn the oven up to 180°C/350°F/ gas 4 and allow to cook for about another 50-60 minutes until the crackling has swollen into crisp bubbles. Transfer with a slotted spoon to kitchen paper to drain. Crush the salt and coriander together in a bowl and toss the pork scratchings thoroughly in them. Store in a covered tin. "

Otherwise, birds are always glad of some fat at this time of year - hang the whole thing up by a piece of string for tits etc.