ok this is not a fruit or vegetable but Papa wants me to try to roast

[HiDelight]

a HUGE FRESH HAM WITH SKIN ON IT!!! ..omg! this thing is not part of my culture of cooking LOL!!! he was so proud he found it a couple of weeks ago before we got the flu ... the big old Lithuanian from Wisconsin came home with this thing under his arm and offered to try ..but can only make a good grilled cheeses so I am thinking this might be something for me to take on ..but how ..can you guys help me???

I am still too ill to deal with it right this second obviously .....but perking up so I can at least haul that sucker out of it the freezer (maybe tomorrow for Sunday dinner?) and start asking all who will give me guidance here ...

He looked at me and I looked at him and he said "I want big food soon" I agree food is sounding much better ...

I have prepared Asian and Italian pork belly dishes ... so I undertand you can do great things with pork skin and fat ..but I am just not sure of this thing ..it is like a GIANT ham hock on steroids!!!

so please if you know your pork and know what he is maybe thinking when he says "I want it all crispy on the outside and deliciously tender and shreddy on the inside"

help?

also while you are guiding me.... I am thinking this is going to be rich so cranberries are in season and for sure I think a chutney or just a nice relish ...how about other fruits like apples or vegetable sides can I prepare with this massive beast of a piece of meat ..not my husband ... but the ham although sometimes my husband is a ham ...

you guys coming over to help eat this or what????

for those of you who do not endulge just ignore me I love fresh well prepared vegetables more than meat myself but am a tried and true omnivore

 

[Greensage45]

Is this ham or is this a leg of pork?

In other words is this smoked?

Ron

 

[Greensage45]

I am back,

I just found this great site....Tons of recipes for :

About the Cut

Fresh pork leg, also known as fresh ham, is the uncured hind leg of the hog.

Here is the site with the recipes:

The Grilled San Antonio Leg of Pork sounds delish!

http://www.theotherwhitemeat.com/SearchResults.aspx#/Keyword=leg of pork

I guess this covers that except "When do we come over for Dinner?"

Ron

Cooking Method: Roasting
COOKING BASICS: 1) Preheat oven to 325 to 350 degrees F. (for pork tenderloin, roast at 450 degrees F.). 2) Trim much of the exterior fat from the roast; if roast has no fat cover, rub the surface with 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil. Season roast with herbs and other seasonings, if desired. 3) Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. 4) Do not cover; place in oven and roast to an internal temperature of 150 to 155 degrees F. for medium doneness. 5) Remove roast from oven. Allow it to "rest" for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. This resting period allows juices to redistribute. Internal temperature will rise approximately another 5 degrees F.

 

[HiDelight]

ok you are about 1500miles away so if you leave now maybe it will be done when you guys get here?

 

[Greensage45]

I didn't get too far into reading on the recipes, but the more I get to thinking about this the more it seems that injecting the meat is a good way of getting the flavorings deep inside. Otherwise no amount of marinating will suffice.

Does that make sense?

I have one of those basters that is stainless steel and it came with this huge needle attachment....I thought to myself "what could I use that for?"...I was thinking a Turkey, a Pig's hindquarter never crossed my mind. I think I would faint.

Remember Heidi, in one of my emails I said that Pork freaks me out LOL ...it really does! (i best quit)

Ron

 

[obsessed]

ok I got two ideas

One chicharones..... get a knife and skin it then take the skin and deep fry it (health has nothing to do with it). Then eat with everything. Put some in beans.... in some green chile sauce... use instead of chips....scramble an egg....

If you want you can do it in the oven... I guess..... set it to like 350 to 400 and walk away till it is crispy but the oven will be really messy...

Then take the skinned leg and stick some garlic cloves in it and drop it in the deep fryer for Carnitas. Yummy.... the outside will be crispy and the inside so soft. Shred it and make a taco with some green chile and cilantro and onions with a lime and radish on the side...

It has been 4 years since I had a real carnita taco. I miss Los Angeles.

 

[Hattie the Hen]

I have cooked hams all my life & it is really easy & nothing to be frightened of. The only thing thats important is to know is how salty it is now because if it has been brined for a long time you need to soak it in changes os water overnight. This happened a lot when I was a lot younger but nowadays is pretty rare !! does it have any instructions on it's wrapper -- I guess if it's frozen you can't see them anyway. Well defrost it well ahead of time -- give it an extra day so you would have time to soak it if necessary! I like to cook it in a bath of apple cider with vegetables-- celery, masses of parsley stalks, thyme ,rosemary, bayleaves, a few crushed juniper berries ( I like to add Setzuan pepper & fresh ginger & myrtle, but that is just me), carrots, garlis , leeks & onions. This stock is great afterwards for soups etc, Put the whole lot of stuff in a large pot & bring to a rolling boil & skim any scum off the top & contiue to do this for 5 minutes then turn right down until you can only see the odd bubble blurping to the surface. cover & leave to cook through -- How long depends on weight of the ham.

now you can either eat it just like that -- ie." Boiled Ham" or you take it out of the pot & let it drain . Then score the fat on the outside in a diamond pattern & pat on brown sticky sugar ( or honey) & push a whole clove into the centre of each diamond. You then place it into a hot pre-heated oven to crisp up, turning & basting often. Serve with Cumberland, Apple or Cranberry Sauce & lots of freshlt cooked vegetables. I love it with mashed potatoes or tiny new ones -- both of which I would cook in the stock from boiling the ham. YUM. yum..!!!!!!!

Under no circumstances cut off any fat As a ham is basically a dense hard-working part of the pig & needs the fat there in the cooking to keep the meat moist & really tasty. Also DO not ADD any salt to the stock. In fact if you taste the stock half way through cooking & it tastes too salty cook lots of potatoes in the pot along with the ham.

Somewhere I have the cooking-times per pound but being me I have always guessed.....!! HiDelight says her father wants it soft & shreddy inside & crispy outside so after cooking it for the right time in the liquor I would leave it to cool down a bit in the pot until it was just warm to the touch (easier to handle too when cutting the diamonds etc).

Do not worry about the size of it as long as you can beg or borrow a large enough pot.
I used to cook 2 or 3 of these a week when I had my retaurant & before that for my father's pub.

The cold left overs are delicious in salads & sandwiches & as the basis of many other cooked dishes.

Good Luck HiD, I'm always around with my laptop to talk you through the process. It's a great gift to have been given -- lucky you....!!

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[HiDelight]

Ron you fear pork?

Obsessed oh honey you are so talking my kind of food ..carnitas would have been it ..warm corn tortillas green chile and a big pot of pintos ...yes that would have been right the direction I would have been going in ..with lard included and a big Dos Equis!


but alas it is for HIM this time ..much as I would like to think I am all things superior in this house when it comes to cooking and food he had that "Face" and I could not resisit ..he rarely asks me for anything and he would for sure tuck into the carntitas ...he loves them ..but I knew he wanted something HE wanted today ..so alas I am at his service

anyway Hattie bless your heart I love you woman! sent me this link! and we consulted "over the Atlantic" about a few changes to make like cooking it longer and taking size into account and the fact mine has a bone in it

she was right this is EXACTLY what the old man wants

Bless you Hattie you read him right!
you guys check this out ...I am making sage roasted potatoes and carrots with a frozen cranberry relish and am basting the beast in cider
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/roastporkandcracklin_92517.shtml

I put a beautiful looking apple pear rustic tart in the oven ..it is pouring rain the house smells like roast pork ..apples...sage and the pie spices ...

my husband looks at peace for the first time in ages ...

I am going to shut out every sad or bad issue in the world and just

enjoy this moment ..you guys thanks for joining me

 

[Southern Gardener]

..it is pouring rain the house smells like roast pork ..apples...sage and the pie spices ...

Oh wow, that sounds like Heaven!

 

[HiDelight]

..it is pouring rain the house smells like roast pork ..apples...sage and the pie spices ...

Oh wow, that sounds like Heaven!

I will save you a plate

it is amazing I have to admit I keep walking outside so I can come back in again and smell it!

you guys please treat yoursleves well and make a wonderful meal this weekend..wow talk about therapeutic


each layer of fragrance leaves an impression of goodness in your brain ..I swear ..mind altering