Pams Christmas Ham Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S MINI CHRISTMAS HAMS

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/2 cups boiling water, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, cloves, and bay leaf together in a large container; stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. (See Cook's Note to substitute table salt.)
• Place celery, onion, and garlic in a blender. Add 2 cups cold water and puree until smooth. Pour celery mixture into kosher salt mixture and stir to combine. Add 1 quart of water, or more as needed, to make a total of 2 quarts of brine. Place pork chops in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 2 days.
• Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl and set glaze aside.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Remove pork chops from brine and pat dry; discard used brine. Cut shallow slits along the sides of each pork chop, about 1/4 inch deep. Cut a crisscross pattern in the top of each pork chop, creating small 1-inch triangles.
• Heat oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over high heat. Cook chops in the hot oil until browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Brush the crisscrossed top of each pork chop with about 1 tablespoon of glaze. Insert 3 whole cloves in the top of each pork chop.
• Transfer skillet to the preheated oven and roast pork chops until golden brown and slightly pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Remove pork chops to a plate and discard cloves.
• Using a small butane hand torch, brown the tops of the pork chops by making short passes over the tops with the flame not quite touching.

GRANDMAG'S BAKED CHRISTMAS HAM

Steps:

• Wash ham throughly.
• Cut diagional criss crossed lines one inch apart, one inch deep.
• When you are finished the cut lines should look diamond shape.
• This has to be done all around the whole ham.
• Insert whole clove in each crossed section.
• Try to push the clove down at least an inch into the meat.
• Bake one hour covered, in very deep baking pan, at 275 degrees.
• This is where my GrannyN would have the ham in a paper bag.
• Drain off fat.
• Bake another hour covered at 275 degrees.
• Drain off fat.
• Let ham sit uncovered while you warm the honey.
• Pour honey over the ham, and cook uncovered for an hour at 300 degrees.
• Remove from oven and drain.
• Let sit until cool to touch, about 30 minutes.
• The ham top should be a little sticky.
• If not it's ok.
• When cool, using your hands, pack brown sugar all over the top and sides of ham.
• Pushing the sugar in the cut slices.
• Push tooth picks through the cherries.
• Place pineapple rings on top of ham using toothpick with cherries to hold in place.
• Insert meat thermometer.
• Mix together pineapple juice and cherry juice.
• Divide.
• Pour half of mixture in bottom of pan.
• Cover, and bake for 2 hours at 350 degrees.
• Check doneness.
• Usually at this point the ham is usually done.
• Last 30 minutes, Uncover and pour remainder of pineapple juice on top.

MARK'S MARMALADE CHRISTMAS HAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6).
• Rinse the gammon in cold water. Pour the cider into a roasting pan, then top up with boiling water to a depth of about 3cm (1in). Place the gammon on a rack that sits above the surface of the liquid, making sure the liquid isn't touching the meat. Wrap a large piece of foil loosely over the meat like a tent, ensuring there is an airtight seal around the edges of the pan but that it doesn't touch the meat (creating a sort of steam balloon around the gammon).
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 50-55 minutes per 1kg (2lb 4oz) of meat. Remove from the oven, remove the foil and rest until cool enough to handle. Snip off the string and use a very sharp knife to slice off the tougher skin without removing any of the fat. Score a criss-cross pattern into the fat at 2cm (¾in) intervals. In a small bowl, mix together the marmalade, honey, mustard and orange juice and generously cover the scored fat with the mixture. Push the cloves, if using, into the scored fat in an intermittent fashion.
• Return the gammon to the oven and bake uncovered for a further 25 minutes or until the glaze is golden. Rest the meat for at least 1 hour before slicing. You can make this a few days ahead of Christmas to lighten the cooking prep on the day-it will keep in the fridge for up to 1-2 weeks.