Everything you need to know to make ham like a pro.
After spending the day outside, nothing beats opening the door to the wonderful aromas of home cooking. You can easily create that special warm feeling by baking a ham! It's affordable, super easy to prepare, and it just happens to be one of Quebecers' favourite foods!
Here are 5 tips on how to cook and serve ham.
1. How much do you need?
Count on 125 to 150 g (1/4 to 1/3 lb) per person for a boneless ham, and from 150 to 225 g (1/3 to 1/2 lb) for a ham with the bone in.
2. Easy on the salt!
Like a lot of people, you may be watching how much salt you eat. Here's a tip you'll like on how to get the excess salt out of ham: in a large pot, cover the ham with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes then drain. If the ham is really salty, just repeat the process.
3. The oven-baked classic
A tip from the pros: bake your ham slowly at 160°C (325°F) allowing about 1 hour per kilo (30 minutes per lb). First, remove the skin and coat the ham in glazing ingredients (a mixture of spices and brown sugar or maple syrup, for instance) or stud the meat with cloves. Go ahead
and baste as much as you like, but avoid using the pan drippings as they are just too salty. (You might also be inspired by our Ham with Beer and Spices recipe.)
4. Now trending... braised ham
Currently very "in", braised ham is cooked covered in 750 mL (3 cups) of liquid, typically water, broth, beer, white wine or apple juice. Remove cover for the last hour of cooking and baste frequently. Delicious!
5. Managing leftovers
Leftover ham keeps 7 days in the refrigerator, that is, if it doesn't disappear before then! Avoid freezing ham since it will become waterlogged and lose its flavour.
To use up any leftovers, why not try our Sweet Potato and Ham Quiche?
You could also try all of our varieties of hams.