Boiled Ham
Ingredients
Directions
Place the ham in a large pot and cover it with water.
Add coarse sea salt to taste.
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Cook the ham for several hours until tender.
Remove from heat and let it cool before slicing.
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
- Is the main protein, becoming tender and flavorful as it simmers slowly in the liquid.
- Coarse sea salt
- Seasons the cooking water so the ham absorbs flavor as it cooks.
The step that matters
Simmering gently instead of boiling. A rolling boil toughens the meat's proteins and can make the outside dry and stringy. Keeping the water at a gentle simmer lets connective tissue break down slowly, leaving the ham tender and juicy.
“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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