Mrs. Annette Brothers of Institute (La Grange, NC) introduced me years ago to her wonderfully tender country ham. I grew up eating medium thick slices of country ham which were tough in texture and hard to eat when biting into a biscuit filled with country ham. She shared her secret as the country ham steams itself and proves very tender. It carves very easily once cool and can be snacked upon for days and is a perfect pairing to breakfast or in the middle of buttermilk & sweet potato biscuits. Alonzo Edwards of Snow Hill once said “A true southern gentleman can slice a country ham paper thin!”
We prefer Clifty’s brand country ham. I’ve also heard of people throwing out a country ham upon finding mold after unwrapping it’s packaging. Mold is normal and to be expected! Yes you can Google for further information but much like mold on cheese, its ok. Just scrub the ham with a brush or often your fingertips or rag will work as well.
What You’ll need:
- 1- 14 pound uncooked country ham
- 3-4 cups of water
- French’s Yellow Mustard
- Brown Sugar
Directions:
- Cut hock off country ham and soak ham overnight in water if desired. It may be desired if the ham is an older ham.
- Place ham in a dish, fat side up. Pour the 3-4 cups of water in the dish and seal with foil.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes per pound. For a 14 pound ham, cook for 4 1/2 hours.
- Remove the ham from the oven, discarding the foil. Let the ham cool enough to handle with your hands. Peel off the fat/skin and coat the ham in the yellow mustard. Rub brown sugar all over the ham, coating well.
- Return the ham to a 400-degree oven until the brown sugar bubbles and caramelizes on the ham. Continuously watch the ham so the sugar will not burn.
- Remove from oven, let cool and slice into thin pieces.
Article Provided By: Allison Thomas
