To Boil a Ham
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
If using an old ham, soak it in soft water for 16 hours before boiling.
Place the ham in a large pot with cold water.
Boil
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a slow boil.
Boil the ham for 4.5 hours, adjusting time for larger or smaller hams.
Skim the surface of the water regularly.
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 cut being cooked, so its size and age determine how long it needs in the water.
- Soft water
- Serves as the cooking liquid that gently heats and tenderises the ham during the long simmer.
The step that matters
Keep the water at a slow boil. A rolling boil toughens the outer meat and breaks up the surface, while a gentle simmer cooks the ham evenly and keeps it moist. Skimming removes foam that would otherwise cloud the liquid and the meat's surface.
“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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