Chile-Brined Fresh Ham
Recipe from Food & Wine

Butcher Ryan Farr of 4505 Meats in San Francisco likes to brine fresh ham in a chile-spiked liquid. The pork skin turns wonderfully crackly in the oven.


Chile-Brined Fresh Ham
Con Poulos

by 1  person


add your rating
add a comment
Servings: 10 to 12
Prep Time: 4 hrs 30 mins
Total Time: 5 hrs
 
savings in
 
Ingredients
  • 4  cups
    kosher salt
    see savings
    On Sale
  • 2  cups
    sugar
    see savings
    On Sale
  • 6  quarts
    cold water
    see savings
    On Sale
  • 1  cup
    black peppercorns, crushed
    see savings
    On Sale
  • 5  ounces
    Thai or serrano chiles, stemmed and finely chopped
    see savings
    On Sale
  • whole cloves
    see savings
    On Sale
  • 4  cups
    ice cubes
    see savings
    On Sale
  • 1  18-pound
    bone-in fresh ham, with skin
    see savings
    On Sale
  • 2  cups
    low-sodium chicken broth
    see savings
    On Sale

Directions
1.
In a large saucepan, combine the salt and sugar with 2 quarts of the water. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Pour the brine into a very large pot. Stir in the peppercorns, chiles and cloves. Add the remaining 4 quarts of water and the ice and stir until the ice has melted and the brine is at room temperature. Add the ham, skin side up; the skin does not have to be submerged. Brine the ham in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
2.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the ham from the brine and brush off the peppercorns and cloves. Set the ham skin side up in a roasting pan and let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature.
3.
Roast the ham for 1 hour; turn the pan and add 1 cup of water halfway through. Reduce the oven to 300 degrees and roast the ham for 2 1/2 hours longer, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 150 degrees. Transfer the ham to a carving board and let rest for 30 minutes.
4.
Strain the pan juices into a saucepan; skim off the fat. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cut the skin off of the ham and break it into pieces. Thinly slice the meat and serve with the jus and crisp skin.

Add Your Review
Related Recipe
 Articles
Easter Kids Dinner: Hoppin' Ham Bunny
..., and their squeals of joy brought a smile to my face! Take that leftovers! What You'll Need: ham (your favorite... To Make Hoppin' Ham Bunny Dinner: Spoon out the mac-and-cheese and arrange at the bottom of the plate. Cut... a rectangle and 2 bunny-ear-shaped pieces of ham and put in place. Arrange green beans for the grass... read more...
Glaze On: 10 Sweet and Savory Easter Ham Recipes
... much better than ham. Since hams are cooked or cured when you buy them, you're essentially roasting... to get creative. A good ham is rich and salty, and addictive combination that works well with a variety..., or maple syrup. Fruits -- especially sweet, golden pineapple -- also pair beautifully with ham... read more...
3 Things to Make With...Leftover Ham
... dish. 3. Ham and Cabbage Hash Fresh carrots, cabbage, onion and potatoes combine with ham (and a dash...: The best thing about having ham for Easter dinner? Well, ham. But the second best thing? Leftover ham..., thick-sliced ham on a hoagie roll makes for a great sandwich, but after putting in all that work making... read more...
Food Blogs We Love
see more blogs