Country Ham - time to cook!

[squirtthecat]

I never thought of cooking a whole country ham.
I always figured you would just slice and quick fry it.
How is it?

I have no idea!  :D   We'll find out in a couple hours...

The apple smoked turkey/pork/spinach meatballs are tasty, though.

[squirtthecat]

Ham is cooked.  Removed skin/fat.




Sliced and bagged up.

[pensrock]

Well?????  ???
Is it good? Don't tell me you sliced it up and did not take a sample or two.  :)

[squirtthecat]

Well?????  ???
Is it good? Don't tell me you sliced it up and did not take a sample or two.  :)

I had some...    It had good flavor - but I couldn't eat much more than a few bites.
Salt overload.

[squirtthecat]

Well, I can say I tried one.   The Dr Pepper method worked fine (was nice and moist inside).

Just too much salt for me..

[pensrock]

Country ham is salty. I think that is why I have only seen it served with breakfast. Only a small slice at a time.

[KyNola]

What part Hal doesn't take, I'll happily take and share it with Pens! :D

Seriously, try a slice for breakfast.  To aid in helping to tame down he saltiness, try chopping a slice and put it in a bunch of eggs and scramble them.  Don't salt the eggs as the ham will provide plenty.  Nice buttered toast, YUM!

Another great dish to use country ham in is to make country ham salad, just like chicken salad only use the ground ham.  Ask Hal about the country ham salad they used to make at Myrick's grocery in Paducah.  He'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

Have fun with it!

KyNola

[squirtthecat]

Oh, I will!  It won't go to waste...

Turkey is on the 070 now.   Gonna do some asparagus on the gasser as well.

[KyNola]

Love grilled asparagus.  Fresh lemon juice and olive oil.  Sprinkle of kosher salt and black pepper and on to the grill.  YUM!

[pensrock]

I have not tried it but I think a thin slice of ham with lettuce/tomato sandwich would be really good.  :)

[Caneyscud]

or just slice it up and put it on biscuits.

My FIL used to do 200 - 300 country hams a year.  Salted them down in an old hollowed out log.  That ain't mold, that's just proof it's been aged.  I've aged a few well-over a year - and boy they get tastier.  My FIL died decades ago, and we thought his recipe was lost.  However, 20 years ago when we move my MIL to Nashville - down the street, we found his recipe written out in pencil on the bottom of a drawer in the dresser.  I'll cherish that drawer bottom for a long time.  

Growing up in CenTex, never had one until I came here - and I've been hooked since.  They have a country ham contest at the state fair that I never miss - man the smells coming out of that - WOWzers!

My favorite way to enjoy a country ham is to slice, pan fry and put on a biscuit and a little red-eye gravy

Second favorite - slice, pan fry and put on two slices of toasted Texas Toast with some horseradish mayo and some lettuce.

Next is to bake it, but I have a recipe that will kick that Dr. Pepper one back to Waco.  I'll dig it up for you - hopefully tonight.  It really reduces the salt and make is quite tasty.  

Grits and ham is very good also.

I like country ham salad, but I enjoy putting dice country ham into either potato salad or (my favorite) into a cornbread salad.  

Over in E.Tenn, I've had a country ham pie that was mighty tasty as well as some Au Gratin type potato dish with country ham.

I've got a country ham quiche recipe I've been wanting to try, but haven't received permission yet!


The trimmings are used to season up greens or beans.  

[squirtthecat]

Sounds good, Caney!

I packed up a pound or so for my buddy Hal.  And the rest came in to the office cafeteria.  The lady that runs it is going to experiment with some country ham & beans, maybe a ham and scalloped potato dish, etc.   I think if it was mixed with something else (something desperately needing salt), it would be perfect..

It was definitely a fun smoke.

[Tenpoint5]

Looks like it turned out really good Squirt!!

[squirtthecat]

Looks like it turned out really good Squirt!!

It was very pretty...   Just a little over the top on the saltiness side for our tastes.

I took the rest to work, and I left Hal a little present on the way home. 



He can slice/dice it up as he sees fit, and nibble on it while watching (we hope) Butler stomp on Duke later tonight.

[hal4uk]

How anything could taste that good coming out of a PINK cooler, I'll never understand...
Dadgum!!!  It's DELICIOUS.  I'm thinkin' midnight eggs & ham... 
ARRRRRRRRR!!!!