Why it works: Ham and bread are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,536 recipes. Both carry 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, which smells popcorn, roasted. The science ↓
To Boil a Ham
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a quick oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare the ham
Wash the ham well.
If the ham is very salty, soak it overnight in clear water.
Weigh the ham and allow 15 minutes of cooking for every pound.
Boil the ham
Place the ham in a large kettle, cover it with cold water, and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
After one hour, turn off the water.
Add fresh boiling water to the kettle.
For every 10 pounds of meat, add ½ cup of sugar to the second water.
Continue boiling for the remaining cooking time.
Remove the ham when done, but do not skin it until it is cold.
If serving hot, skin the ham immediately and remove any discolored portions.
For a half ham or cut ham, keep the cut side up in the kettle.
Finish and serve
Sprinkle grated bread crumbs over the ham.
Brown the ham in a 400°F (200°C) oven.
Alternatively, brush the ham with beaten egg, cover with bread crumbs, and brown it nicely.
Dust the ham with black pepper for an attractive presentation.
Cut the ham into thin slices for serving.
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
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Ham + breadtop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,536 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (popcorn, roasted).
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Bread + eggtop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together22,662 recipes
Shared aroma: (e)-2-octenal (fatty, green).
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Bread + peppertop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,964 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
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Ham + eggtop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,526 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
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Sugar + eggtop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Ham
- Is the main cut being cooked, so its size sets the cooking time and its salt level sets the soaking need.
- Sugar
- Added to the second water to sweeten the ham and mellow its saltiness.
- Bread crumbs
- Form a crisp, browned crust on the outside of the ham during finishing.
- Egg
- Binds the bread crumb coating and helps it brown evenly.
The step that matters
Do not skin the ham until it is cold, unless serving hot. The fat layer under the skin protects the meat from drying out while it cools. Skinning it too early exposes the surface, which can dry and toughen the meat.
“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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