To Boil Ham
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Soak the ham overnight in soft water.
Wrap a lock of sweet hay around the ham.
Cook and cool
Boil the ham in plenty of water for 3 to 4 hours, depending on size.
Let the ham cool gradually in the water.
Finish
The next day, remove the skin and trim any unsightly parts.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Ham
- Provides the meat that is cooked and served as the main dish.
- Sweet hay
- Wrapped around the ham to add a subtle aroma during cooking.
The step that matters
Let the ham cool gradually in the water. Cooling slowly in the cooking liquid lets the meat relax and reabsorb moisture, so it stays juicier and less dry than if it were removed straight from the pot.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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