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Ham is the salted and smoked front shoulder of pork. You can also cook ham from other types of meat – venison, turkey, or chicken. The main feature of the product is the possibility of long-term storage.
Ham can be different: boiled, smoked, or dried. Each type differs in salting features and cooking technology. Most often, cooks marinate the meat at first, then smoke it, and only then boil it in water with spices.
A small ham Properties
Ham consists of meat and has a rich vitamin and mineral composition. The product is well enriched with sodium, iron, phosphorus, and saturated fats. They have many positive effects on the human body:
- strengthens muscles, bones, and blood vessels
- regenerates tissues
- strengthens the cardiovascular system
- supports proper liver function
- prevents the development of cancer
However, meat contains high protein content, so it is contraindicated in the following cases:
- for serious vascular diseases
- in case of obesity
- with chronic protein intolerance
If you eat ham in limited quantities, it will not cause significant harm to your health. However, if you have a tendency to weak blood vessels or gain excess weight, it is better to consult a specialist.
Should I cover a ham in the oven?
To cook a small ham in the oven efficiently, do not cover it with foil or a lid. Ham is a pre-cooked by-product, excess vaporization will begin to dilute the meat fibers. This will cause the ham to lose its shape.
To observe the correct cooking technology, simply place a small ham in a baking dish or on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 392 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). The baking time at this temperature is 15 minutes.
Professional chefs also recommend giving the ham a rest after baking. This will help the excess moisture to evaporate, and the pork to reveal its fragrant taste.
How do you keep the ham moist?
In the process of cooking or heating ham, the main thing is not to over-dry the product. Producers heat-treat pork before it acquires its final appearance. This affects the significant evaporation of liquid from the meat.
Your cooking process should be aimed at ensuring that the small ham does not get too wet or dry. To achieve this effect, you need to control the temperature inside the meat. To do this, you can use a kitchen thermometer.
What temperature do you cook a ham at?
It is significant to observe the temperature regime when cooking ham. The main thing is that the exposure temperature does not exceed 80 degrees. It applies to the process of boiling, stewing, or baking in the oven.
Professional chefs claim that cooking a small ham without a temperature controller is a risky process. If you decide to cook the ham in a saucepan, boil it for 1.5 hours, then cool it by placing it in cold water.
Do you rinse off the ham before baking?
You should not wash the ham before the cooking process. Manufacturers put ham in sealed packages with marinade. If you wash it off with water, it will lose its unique spicy taste.
The outer layer of ham makes the product a spectacular centerpiece and adds flavor. Leave the product in its original form so that it retains all the taste qualities.
What is the honey glaze made of on ham?
Honey glaze goes well with ham. This watering consists of honey, cardamom, butter, and apple cider vinegar. To make the glaze of high quality, heat the ingredients in a small saucepan until a liquid mass appears.
I personally do not recommend heating whole ham in a honey glaze. If you want to heat the meat, carefully heat only the slices over low heat. When the whole meat is heated, it can dry out and lose its original taste. The meat must be moist and tender when serving ham in a honey glaze. You can also decorate the dish with fresh herbs – basil, oregano, or parsley.
Is it necessary to glaze a small ham?
The glazing of ham gives it an attractive brown color, enhances the taste, and protects it from drying out during baking. Prepare the glaze in advance – you should be ready to pour it over the meat immediately after pulling it out of the oven.
The choice of glaze for a small ham also matters. If you want to make a glaze for lightly salted ham, use a sweet glaze. You can make it from brown sugar, fruit juice, or honey. If your little ham is salty, prepare a spicy glaze. It will help to reveal the taste of the product.
Prepare such a glaze from soy sauce, mustard, and lemon vinegar.
How to glaze a little ham properly?
Prepare the glaze, depending on the type of ham, sweet or spicy. Remove the ham from the oven 30 minutes before the end of baking.
If you are cooking raw ham, make sure it is fully cooked before taking it out. The ham is fully cooked when its internal temperature is 70 °C. Make diamond shapes in the ham. This will help the meat better absorb the glaze. Apply the glaze to the ham.
Use a brush to simplify the application process. Put enough glaze to soak through the notches and flavor the meat.
Can I cook ham on a cookie sheet?
You can use a cookie sheet in the preparation of a small ham. To make the baking successful, cover the baking sheet with foil or parchment. It will protect the ham from burning and improve thermoregulation.
The cookie sheet has low sides that do not retain heat. Cookies in such conditions do not burn and do not crack. However, in the case of ham, the use of foil is necessary to retain moisture.
Which side of ham goes down?
Choosing the right side of the ham for baking is a significant point in the preparation of the product. Professional chefs recommend putting the meat up with the side that has more fat on it. It will drain onto the baking sheet and keep the product moist.
If your piece of ham is cut, stack the ham halves with the cut side down. You can also cover the product with thin aluminum foil. Make several incisions in it with scissors. It will help to keep warm and remove excess moisture.
How do you position a ham?
You can arrange the ham when cooking in various ways. The easiest option is to place the product on a baking sheet. In this case, place the ham exactly in the center of the baking sheet for an even distribution of temperature and moisture.
Avoid contact of the product with the edges of the oven, there is the highest concentration of heat. You can also choose the next position for the ham – bring the water in the pan to a boil and put the product on the skewer. Place it over boiling water. This arrangement will help to extinguish the product without direct contact with water.
How to cook a smoked ham
Smoked ham is a favorite holiday meal of many people. To prepare such a dish, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- pork (neck) – 5 kg
- juniper berries – 50 g
- onion husk – 0.5 kg
- pepper – 10 g
- sugar – 50 g
- salt – 0.5 kg
- water – 5 l
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Cut pork into chunks, rinse and put it in a bowl for salting.
- Boil 5 liters of water. When the water comes to a boil, add pepper, juniper berries (previously washed and ground), sugar, and salt.
- Boil for another 3-4 minutes. After that, remove the brine from the heat, cool, and filter.
- Pour cold brine over the pork pieces. Cover the dishes with a clean cloth.
- After 2 weeks, remove the meat and dry it. To do this, hang it in a well-ventilated, dry room for a couple of days.
- Coldly smoke the prepared meat.
How to cook a pre-cooked ham with glaze
Glazed ham is perfect for a dinner party. To prepare such a dish, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- pre-cooked ham – 1 kg
- cloves (optional)
- orange jam – 3/4 cup
- brown sugar – 3/4 cup
- apple cider vinegar – 2 tablespoons
- Dijon mustard – 1 tablespoon
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Remove the ham from the refrigerator an hour before baking.
- Preheat the oven to 392 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) and lower the grill to the bottom shelf, place a deep baking sheet covered with foil under it.
- Make a cut in the ham and place the cloves there.
- Mix the orange jam, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk. Cook for five minutes until thickened.
- Using a pastry brush, apply half of the glaze to the ham and add one cup of water to the baking sheet.
- After finishing, bake the ham in the oven for about 45 minutes, watering every 10-15 minutes, until a thick glazed crust forms.
How to cook a small ham in the oven with pineapple
A small ham with canned pineapples is a classic dish. To prepare it, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- maple syrup – 1 cup
- orange juice – 1 cup
- ginger ale – 1 cup
- brown sugar – ½ cup
- honey – ½ cup
- maraschino cherry – 150 g
- ham – 5 kg
- canned pineapples – 1 jar
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- In a medium bowl, combine maple syrup, orange juice, ginger ale, brown sugar, and honey. Add the juice from the maraschino cherry and half of the cherry.
- Cut the top layer of ham with a sharp diamond-shaped knife to a depth of about 0.3 cm deep.
- Put the ham in a baking bag and carefully pour the juice mixture on it, keeping all the juice in the bag.
- Place the pineapples on the ham and secure them with toothpicks. Place the cherries in the centers of the rings and fix them also with toothpicks.
- Tie the end of the bag with ties, place it in a large brazier and make several small slits at the top of the package.
- Bake the ham for 2 hours in a preheated oven. A pound of ham requires 15-20 minutes of cooking.
- Remove the ham from the bag onto a platter and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
Simple baked ham recipe
You can pour brown sugar glaze over the ham, cook the spiral cut ham in the oven or bake the ham hock in pineapple. However, the best holiday ham loved by everyone is ordinary. To prepare such a dish, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- turkey fillet – 1 kg
- salt – 1 teaspoon
- paprika – 1 teaspoon
- ground pepper mixture – to taste
- sunflower oil – 2 teaspoons
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Wash the turkey fillet well and pat it with a paper towel.
- Cut off all the films and tendons from the meat. Rub with salt and ground paprika, rubbing it well into the surface of the meat.
- Make a spiral cut in the fillet and place ground pepper there.
- Transfer the turkey meat rubbed with salt and spices to a food bag and send it to the refrigerator for 5-12 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the turkey fillets in a baking dish, cover them with foil, and place them in the oven. Bake the ham for 15 minutes per pound. Check readiness with an instant-read thermometer.
How to serve small ham
The key to a beautiful design of slicing ham at home will be the quality of the products used. Therefore, when buying, try to give preference to products that have:
- minimum moisture content
- solid elastic shell
- the natural and rich smell
- without sour taste
- with natural color
Cook the ham with fat, but cut it off when serving. Use the leftover ham to cook stewed potatoes. You can beautifully serve ham in a roasting pan or serve ham bone. Garnish the dish with fresh herbs or olives.
How to season
It is better to use those ingredients for a ham that will emphasize and reveal the taste of meat. The best options are black pepper, coriander, nutmeg, dry garlic, and salt. Paprika, marjoram, thyme, mustard, savory, and juniper berries will also be good additions.
Natural berry seasonings will not only complement the taste of the product but also saturate the dish with vitamin C. Count the number of spices on the amount of ham per person and add directly to the plate.
Summary
Ham is a popular dish, serving both as a snack and as an independent dish. Ham cooks on the time for each pound of weight. To make the product juicy and tender, prepare a glaze of honey or berry syrups. Cut the ham in several places to rub the spices in.
You can buy city ham in a supermarket, but the quality of such a product may disappoint you.
To make the dish look great, buy the product from farmers at a grocery store.