Anybody have advice on cooking a fresh ham?

[Roaming]

I have a fresh ham I got from a butcher and when I unwrapped the packing there were no instructions! It's one of those little boneless ones, and it's smoked. Anybody have advice on how to bake it and baste it? I've seen pictures of hams with the little cloves stuffed in them and pineapple but that's my only clue.

[demnan]

1. Food.com

the web site for the TV Network has a wide array of recipes, look there.

I buy my hams cooked and sliced, I'm lazy.

http://food.com/

[BigMcLargehuge]

2. sure

cook it at about 350 at about 20 minutes per pound (sort of like turkey) in a baking dish with a cover, if you don't have a cover use aluminum foil to make one. You can dress it with cloves and pineapple if you like (I don't... I hate picking the cloves out), or glaze it during the last 20 minutes or so of cooking with the cover off. There are lots of ham glazes at the supermaket and they are all about the same in my experience.

[peekaloo]

3. I'm lazy but

if you buy one of those turkey/ham cooking bags there's usually recipes included and instructions on cooking times.

The ham I cooked came out moist and delicious.

Just a thought.

[hackwriter]

4. Fresh ham = pork roast

Fresh ham is a particular cut of pork. It is not pink and smoked like we usually think about ham. Usually what you see studded with cloves is the smoked ham.

If you're talking about a "fresh smoked ham" as opposed to the shrink-wrapped processed stuff you get at the supermarket, you can simply cut some criss-cross shallow slits in the ham and put cloves inside each square, then glaze with whatever glaze you want. I think Cross makes a ham glaze, or you can use pineapple juice, marmalade, or whatever you like.

If it's a fresh ham (i.e. not smoked), my favorite thing to use is Kikkoman Teriyaki baste and glaze. Not very Easterish, but tasty. Or you can just rub with sage and thyme and roast.

[MissMillie]

6. ix-nay on the cloves

YUCK--why ruin a perfectly good ham?

[loftycity]

5. The pineapple is good

You are going to have to bake the ham about 10 minutes per pound covered loose with tin foil.
Half way through the baking take out the ham and attach the pineapple with toothpicks and use a few cloves if you want.If you have a small ham you are going to this before you bake.
Return to oven and check in about 15 minutes if its carmelizing up.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

7. My mother uses Dijon mustard as a glaze

and it's yummy.

Like the other posters above, I have used pineapple and teriyaki on occasion. Another possibility is a balsamic/orange glaze (I've used that on boneless roast turkey and chicken before, and it tastes YUMMY).

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

8. Leave the...

Fat and skin on the thing! It is an automatic "baster" and will make this ham moist and delightful.

For extra flavor, make up one Emeril's flavorings/seasonings from the recipes on food.com. If you like spicy, I recommend Rustic Rub. Put it on the night before, let the roast sit covered in the fridge, and them pop the thing in the oven.

[bearfan454]

9. You are correct about the fat and rind

It's too dry if you don't.

[Padraig18]

10. Apricot jam & Dijon glaze.

Trust me, you'll love it! :D

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

11. CHECK THIS LINK

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ea/episode/0,1976,FOOD_9956_17457,00.html