Baked Country Ham Recipe (American Southern roasted ham) (2024)

FAQs

How to cook country ham so it is tender? ›

Put ham in large roaster fat side up and again cover completely with water. place in oven on lowest shelf and bake for 2 hours. Turn ham to other side and cook another 2 hours. It takes 4 to 41/2 hours in all or 15 to 18 minutes per pound for a good tender ham.

Cook approximately 20 minutes per pound of ham. The ham will be done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

Because of evaporation during the dry curing process, country hams are saltier and funkier, while city hams are milder and more moist. Country ham is best served sliced thin, like prosciutto or other salty, dry-cured meats, while city ham can be enjoyed in thicker cuts.

Country ham is salty to taste. The comes from the curing process, as salt is what cures the ham. Keep in mind most would recommend washing or soaking the ham prior to cooking.

Do not overcook the ham! — it will make the ham tough and dry. Many people who say they don't like fried country ham have simply been the victim of an overzealous cook: brown the meat, don't turn it to shoe leather. If the ham is too salty for your taste, soak the slices in milk or water for 30 minutes before cooking.

Editor's Tip: For a fall-apart tender ham, let it cook longer; 10 to 12 hours on low. This method is perfect for families who prefer a more casual dinner of shredded hot ham and roll sandwiches.

Water Cooking (Preferred):

After you have prepared your country ham, place it skin-side down in vessel and cover with cool water. Bring water to 190°F (simmering, not boiling). Cook about 25 minutes per lb. or until 163°F internal temperature. Add water as needed to keep ham covered.

BOILED COUNTRY HAM – whole or half ham

The country ham has lost a considerable amount of moisture--so we like to simmer--instead of bake. Have your meat department cut off approximately 3 inches of the hock to allow the ham to be easily covered with water in the cooking vessel.

Place ham skin side down in vessel and cover with cool water. Bring water to 190˚F (simmering, not boiling). Cook approximately 25 minutes per pound or until 163˚F internal temperature. Add water as needed to keep ham covered.

Unlike Italian and Spanish hams, country hams often are hickory smoked for added flavor, aroma and heightened appearance. Some that aren't smoked are rubbed with cure, wrapped in butcher paper and remain that way until consumed. Others still are neither smoked nor wrapped, just cured and dried.

What state is known for country ham? ›

All of our Country Ham is aged for at least 90 days to ensure the authentic country ham flavor you know & love and this offering is fully cooked, too. Now is the time, to try our cooked, ready to eat, boneless country ham from the deli and sliced to order.

Some cuts expose a few white spots with a limestone-like consistency, which are the result of prolonged curing. These show that the ham is of the highest quality. Technically they are crystals of an amino acid called tyrosine.

You may expect your country ham to have a higher salt content than the tenderized or "honey baked" type of ham. It is the salt, of course, that allows the ham to age for months without refrigeration. This is typical of all country hams.

What gives sliced ham that iridescent sheen? The shiny, greenish, rainbow like color on sliced ham is a sign of oxidation that occurs when the meat is exposed to the metal on a knife or slicer. The nitrate-modified iron content of the meat undergoes a chemical change that alters the hams pigmentation.

To serve a country ham whole as one would for a large Easter meal, it is important, due to its intense saltiness, to properly prepare it. That includes washing and soaking the ham in cold water anywhere from 12 to 36 hours, depending on taste and the size of the ham, to draw out the salt.

Place ham (skin side up) in a deep open roaster. Roaster should be deep enough for water to completely cover the ham. Pre-heat oven at 350°F, add hot water to within two inches of top of roaster containing ham, cook for 10 minutes at 350°F then reduce heat to 250°F and cook for 20 minutes per pound.

Our family's favorite way to cook Clifty Farm Country Ham slices. For obtaining milder flavor, cook ham slowly in frying pan with equal parts carbonated cola* and water. Use enough liquid to cover the bottom of the pan; however, too much will cause it to burn.