Coca-Cola Ham
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
3½ hours, plus 8 hours brining and 1 hour standing
Yield
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Roast
1 ham bone-in with skin, 6 to 8 pounds, preferably shank end, rinsedBrine
3 cups kosher salt or 1 ½ cups table salt, for brining6 liters Coca-Cola, for brining2 heads garlic, cloves separated, lightly crushed and peeled10 bay leaves ½ cup whole black peppercorns, crushedGarlic and Herb Rub
1 cup fresh sage leaves, packed lightly½ cup fresh parsley leaves 8 medium cloves garlic 1 tablespoon kosher salt or 1 ½ teaspoons table salt½ tablespoon ground black pepper ¼ cup olive oilGlaze
1 cup apple cider 2 cups packed brown sugar (light or dark)5 whole clovesBefore You Begin
See related recipes for other glaze suggestions.
Instructions
- Following illustration below, carefully slice through skin and fat with serrated knife, making 1-inch diamond pattern. Be careful not to cut into meat.
- In large (about 16-quart) bucket or stockpot, dissolve salt and coca-cola. Add garlic, bay leaves and black pepper. Submerge ham in brine and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours.
- Set large disposable roasting pan on baking sheet for extra support; place flat wire rack in roasting pan. Remove ham from brine; rinse under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Place ham, wide cut-side down, on rack. (If using sirloin end, place ham skin-side up.) Let ham stand, uncovered, at room temperature 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 500 degrees. In workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, process sage, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, and oil until mixture forms smooth paste, about 30 seconds. Rub all sides of ham with paste.
- Roast ham at 500 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to roast, brushing ham with glaze every 45 minutes, until center of ham registers 145 to 150 degrees on instant-read thermometer (see illustrations below), about 2 1/2 hours longer. Tent ham loosely with foil and let stand until center of ham registers 155 to 160 degrees on thermometer, 30 to 40 minutes. Carve (see illustrations below) and serve.
- Bring cider, brown sugar, and cloves to boil in small nonreactive saucepan over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until syrupy and reduced to about 1 1/3 cups, 5 to 7 minutes. (Glaze will thicken as it cools between bastings; cook over medium heat about 1 minutes, stirring one or twice, before using.)
for glaze
Time
3½ hours, plus 8 hours brining and 1 hour standingYield
Serves 8 to 10Ingredients
Roast
1 ham bone-in with skin, 6 to 8 pounds, preferably shank end, rinsed
Brine
3 cups kosher salt or 1 ½ cups table salt, for brining
6 liters Coca-Cola, for brining
2 heads garlic, cloves separated, lightly crushed and peeled
10 bay leaves
½ cup whole black peppercorns, crushed
Garlic and Herb Rub
1 cup fresh sage leaves, packed lightly
½ cup fresh parsley leaves
8 medium cloves garlic
1 tablespoon kosher salt or 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
½ tablespoon ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
Glaze
1 cup apple cider
2 cups packed brown sugar (light or dark)
5 whole cloves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Roast
1 ham bone-in with skin, 6 to 8 pounds, preferably shank end, rinsed
Brine
3 cups kosher salt or 1 ½ cups table salt, for brining
6 liters Coca-Cola, for brining
2 heads garlic, cloves separated, lightly crushed and peeled
10 bay leaves
½ cup whole black peppercorns, crushed
Garlic and Herb Rub
1 cup fresh sage leaves, packed lightly
½ cup fresh parsley leaves
8 medium cloves garlic
1 tablespoon kosher salt or 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
½ tablespoon ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
Glaze
1 cup apple cider
2 cups packed brown sugar (light or dark)
5 whole cloves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Roast
1 ham bone-in with skin, 6 to 8 pounds, preferably shank end, rinsed
Brine
3 cups kosher salt or 1 ½ cups table salt, for brining
6 liters Coca-Cola, for brining
2 heads garlic, cloves separated, lightly crushed and peeled
10 bay leaves
½ cup whole black peppercorns, crushed
Garlic and Herb Rub
1 cup fresh sage leaves, packed lightly
½ cup fresh parsley leaves
8 medium cloves garlic
1 tablespoon kosher salt or 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
½ tablespoon ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
Glaze
1 cup apple cider
2 cups packed brown sugar (light or dark)
5 whole cloves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a flavorful, succulent fresh ham recipe worthy of a holiday table, we purchased a shank end with the skin on and scored the fat. Then we brined the ham in a solution flavored with brown sugar, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. Starting the ham at high heat and finishing at low heat gave us a crisp, flavorful skin and tender meat. We finished our fresh ham recipe with a sweet—but not too sweet—glaze.
Before You Begin
See related recipes for other glaze suggestions.
Instructions
- Following illustration below, carefully slice through skin and fat with serrated knife, making 1-inch diamond pattern. Be careful not to cut into meat.
- In large (about 16-quart) bucket or stockpot, dissolve salt and coca-cola. Add garlic, bay leaves and black pepper. Submerge ham in brine and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours.
- Set large disposable roasting pan on baking sheet for extra support; place flat wire rack in roasting pan. Remove ham from brine; rinse under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Place ham, wide cut-side down, on rack. (If using sirloin end, place ham skin-side up.) Let ham stand, uncovered, at room temperature 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 500 degrees. In workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, process sage, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, and oil until mixture forms smooth paste, about 30 seconds. Rub all sides of ham with paste.
- Roast ham at 500 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to roast, brushing ham with glaze every 45 minutes, until center of ham registers 145 to 150 degrees on instant-read thermometer (see illustrations below), about 2 1/2 hours longer. Tent ham loosely with foil and let stand until center of ham registers 155 to 160 degrees on thermometer, 30 to 40 minutes. Carve (see illustrations below) and serve.
- Bring cider, brown sugar, and cloves to boil in small nonreactive saucepan over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until syrupy and reduced to about 1 1/3 cups, 5 to 7 minutes. (Glaze will thicken as it cools between bastings; cook over medium heat about 1 minutes, stirring one or twice, before using.)
for glaze
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments