Home › The Principles of Cookery › Ham, Baked

Ham, Baked

A baked ham is much more delicious than a boiled one, and will keep better. Put a ham into plenty of cold water for some hours. If very hard and salt, twenty-four hours will be necessary; for an ordinary York ham from eight to twelve hours is sufficient. Then soak it for an hour in lukewarm water, wash it, trim it neatly, and cut away all the rusty smoked parts. Cover it with a coarse paste made of flour and water, and take care to leave no loophole through which the gravy can escape. Bake in a moderate oven. Remove the paste and skin while the ham is still hot, cover it with raspings, and brown it before the fire. Time, according to the size. A very small ham will require fully three hours, and a large one five. The rule is to allow twenty-eight minutes to every pound up to twelve pounds, and a quarter of an hour for every pound beyond it. Probable cost, 1s. per pound.