Country Ham Recipe

Soak the ham to remove excess salt

Place the whole bone-in country ham in a very large pot, container, or brining bag. Pour 2 gallons of cold water over the ham so it is completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate. For a medium-salty 5 lb ham, soak 12–18 hours, changing the water every 6 hours. For a saltier ham or to remove more salt, soak up to 24–36 hours, changing water every 6–8 hours. This step reduces surface salt and brine concentration inside the ham.

Preheat and prepare for roasting

Remove the ham from the soaking water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Position a rack in a large roasting pan so the ham sits above the pan bottom; add a small layer of water (about 1/2 cup) to the pan to create steam and catch drips.

Score and season ham

If the ham has a thick rind of skin, remove or trim it leaving a thin layer of fat. Using a sharp knife, lightly score the fat in a diamond pattern about 1/4–1/2 inch deep, making cuts about 1–1.5 inches apart. Stud the intersections or diamonds with whole cloves if desired (about 2 tablespoons). Sprinkle the crushed black peppercorns evenly over the fat and tuck thyme sprigs around the ham in the roasting pan.

Roast the ham

Place the ham, fat-side up, on the rack in the roasting pan. Tent loosely with foil. Roast in the preheated oven until the internal temperature reaches 120–125°F (49–52°C) if you plan to finish with a glaze and further heating, or 140–150°F (60–66°C) if you prefer it fully heated through. For a 5 lb ham, plan on about 12–15 minutes per pound to reach 120–125°F (approximately 60–75 minutes). Check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part without touching bone. Remove foil during the last 20–30 minutes if you want the exterior to brown more.

Prepare glaze

While the ham roasts, combine 1 cup maple syrup, 1 cup apple cider or apple juice, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1 cup water, and 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring until the brown sugar and butter melt and the glaze becomes slightly syrupy, about 8–10 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Reduce heat to low to keep warm.

Glaze and finish

When the ham's internal temperature is about 10–15°F below your target (around 110–115°F for a 120–125°F finish), brush a generous layer of the warm glaze over the ham. Return ham to oven and continue roasting, glazing every 8–10 minutes for the last 20–30 minutes, until the glaze is caramelized and the internal temperature reaches your desired target (120–125°F for a gently heated ham or 140–150°F for fully hot). Watch closely near the end so the sugar does not burn; if the exterior begins to darken too quickly, tent loosely with foil.

Rest and carve

Remove the ham from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Let it rest, tented loosely with foil, for 15–20 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Reserve any pan juices; skim fat and reduce over medium heat with the reserved glaze or apple cider to make a simple jus if desired (simmer 5–8 minutes to concentrate flavor).

Serve

Carve the ham into thin slices across the grain, cutting close to the bone for the most tender pieces. Arrange slices on a platter and drizzle lightly with the reduced glaze/jus. Serve with cornbread or crusty bread and additional warm glaze on the side. Estimated yield: serves 8 slices (about 8 servings).