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Ham, Boiled

Soak the ham in several waters. If very hard and salt, twenty-four hours or more will be required; if not, from eight to twelve hours will suffice. Lukewarm water will soften it more quickly than cold. Scrub it well, and scrape off the rusty, discoloured parts, but do not cut the skin if it can be avoided. Put it into a large pot with plenty of cold water. If a bunch of sweet herbs, two or three carrots, and a bay-leaf are added, the flavour will be improved. Let it be brought to a boil very slowly skim it carefully, and simmer very gently until sufficiently cooked. If it is not intended to be kept any length of time and still not to be cut until cold, it may be left in the water for an hour after it is done enough: this will improve the taste of the ham, but it will render it less likely to keep. Lift it out by the knuckle to avoid sticking a fork into it. Take off the skin, strew over it some browned crumbs of bread, roll a frill of white paper round the knuckle, and send it to table on a dry, warm dish. If the ham is to be glazed, the bread-raspings must be omitted. Preserve the skin, and place it over the ham when it is put into the larder, as it will keep in the moisture. Time, for a new ham, twenty-five minutes to the pound is sufficient, counting from the time the water boils; for an old one, twenty-eight minutes. Add a quarter of an hour for every pound over twelve. A piece of ham six pounds in weight, three hours.