Oven-Baked Ham
Christmas Recipes Pork Budget Recipes Oven Recipes
Pork roast prepared similarly to a confit. Instead of fat, I let the meat cook in its own juices and browned it at the end.
Fresh ham is a cross-cut slice from the pork leg. It's an inexpensive cut of pork. I like ham prepared traditionally by smoking and then grilling. But when it's fresh, it can't be grilled or fried because it becomes tough. Slow-cooking is the most suitable method for it. It will come out so tender that a knife becomes unnecessary.
Ingredients
1 slice of fresh pork ham with rind (about 3 fingers thick; with or without bone; around 1 kg)
1 small onion
4-5 garlic cloves
1-2 sprigs of thyme (or dried thyme)
ground black pepper, chili
4 tablespoons oil
4-6 potatoes (or 2 cups cooked beans; optional)
Brine
2 cups water
1 level tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Servings: 3-4
How to prepare oven-baked ham
- Place the ham in a dish. Mix the water with salt and sugar for the brine until dissolved. Pour over the ham, making sure it's completely covered by the brine. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, maximum 12.
- Remove the ham from the brine, rinse and dry well with paper towels. Season with black pepper and chili all over. Score the rind in several places.
- On the bottom of a heat-resistant dish that fits the meat snugly (not too wide), scatter onion slices and garlic cut in half lengthwise. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil on top. Place the meat over the vegetables and tuck thyme sprigs around it. Pour the remaining oil over the meat. Also pour 200ml water along the edge of the dish (don't wash the seasonings off the meat; enough water to reach halfway up the meat slice).
- Cover the dish (with a tight-fitting lid or aluminum foil) and bake at 150°C for 3 hours. After this time, the meat will release a lot of juice, almost covering it, a fork enters very easily, and the meat is pale - it will only get color in the next step.
- Remove the foil and bake again at 180°C for another 1 hour (until the meat is golden brown). During this time, baste the meat with the juices from the pan about every 20 minutes.
Optionally, if you don't have another side dish prepared, peel and slice the potatoes or drain the beans. Remove the meat from the pan and place the potatoes (1 hour before the end; sprinkle a little ground caraway among the potatoes) or beans (20 minutes before the end) in the juices left by the meat. - Serve the roast warm. If you didn't add potatoes or beans to the pan and kept it simple, the roast goes wonderfully with sautéed cabbage or gratin potatoes.
Ham on vegetables
Ham with thyme and water, ready for the oven
After 2.5 hours on low heat
