Firstly, my
favourite, a real ‘from scratch’ recipe starting with a leg of fresh pork, and using
traditional early Australian cooking utensils – a kerosene tin and the
washhouse copper (with a fire underneath – not one of your fancy gas or
electric ones.) Unfortunately, it is a
bit late now to make it by this method in time for this Christmas, as you need
to start at least three weeks before. Make sure you put the recipe aside for
next year.
The Christmas Ham.
Take a new kerosene
tin, cut off the top, and thoroughly cleanse. Make a pickle of 1 lb. salt, 2oz.
salt petre, 1 lb. brown sugar, 1 packet spice, l oz. carbonate soda, and 1
teaspoon of pepper to 1 quart of water. Boil all together until dissolved. A
ham weighing 10 lb., win require about three or four quarts of pickle. Get a
leg of absolutely fresh pork from a reliable butcher, and get him to cut out
the knuckle bone from the thick end. Immerse as soon as possible in the
prepared cold brine, cover well, and keep under with a weight. At the end of a
week lift the meat out and reboil the brine, strain through a fine sieve, and
let it become cold. Again immerse the ham. Repeat for three weeks, then take
out the ham, wipe thoroughly, and hang to dry in a cool draughty place for a
day or so.
When you are
ready to cook the ham try the following method, and you will be delighted with
the result: Fill the washhouse copper to the top late in afternoon, bring the
water to boiling point, and let it boil fast for 10 minutes. Now draw off a
full bucket of boiling water, and replace with one of cold water. Put in the
ham, and put a bag over the copper, then the lid, then another bag. Now draw the
fire out and leave undisturbed until early next morning, when the ham will be
perfectly cooked, and very juicy. A ham cooked by this method only loses about
4oz. to 6oz. to a 10lb. weight ham. The housewife who does not object to the
little extra work in the preparation of this ham will have a tender and juicy
joint to place before an appreciative family, as well as a much lighter expense
than when purchasing a ham from the grocer.
From Mrs. V.
H. Wooster, c/o the Post Office, Charters Towers, N.Q.
The Queenslander
(Brisbane, Qld.) November 15, 1928.
To Cook a Ham.
Simmer it in
water to which a large cupful of coarse brown sugar and a pint of sherry have
been added. It is incomparably superior in taste to one that has been cooked in
the ordinary way.
Burra Record (SA) Aug 6, 1882
Baked Christmas Ham.
Soak your
ham overnight in cold water. In the morning drain and wipe dry. Meantime make a
paste of just flour and water (judge the quantity of paste to make by the size
of your ham), then roll out paste about ½ inch thick, and place, ham in the
centre of paste, and completely cover it with tbe large piece of the paste,
pinch edges together to keep the steam in. Nowplace in a nice oven (on bottom of
oven),
and allow it
to cook half an hour to the pound. When cold, crack the paste (which will have
got hard) and place on a dish ready for use. Ham cooked in this manner is far
superior to boiled ham, as it retains the juice and goodness, which you lose by
boiling.
The first
prize-winning recipe, submitted by Mrs. R. H, Barnes. The Sunday Times (Perth, WA) December 18, 1910.
Christmas Ham.
Wash a 10 lb
or 12 lb ham, and plunge into a large pot of boiling water, which must cover
the meat completely. Add one tablespoon cloves, a stick cinnamon, and one clove
garlic, one cup vinegar, and one cup sugar. Leave over a low heat for three and
a half hours. The water must not boil after the ham is in the pot. Leave in the
pot until it is cold. Skin and put in a baking dish and put in one cup brown
sugar and one tablespoon mustard. Cloves can be dotted on the fat if liked. Add
one cup vinegar an one cup water. Don’t baste until the ham is browned.
Sauce for
Ham: One teaspoon mustard, pinch powdered cloves and cinnamon, and two
tablespoons vingetar and ½ cup of apple jelly. Heat until jelly is melted, and
pour over ham.
Cairns Post (Qld. Dec 10,1953)
Ham with Pineapple.
Ingredients:
One ham, one
cup brown sugar, two cups pineapple juice, one teaspoon mixed spice, whole
cloves, sliced pineapple.
Method:
Parboil ham
by placing in cold water. Bring to boil, and simmer gently two hours. Remove
skin, and stick surface of ham with whole cloves. Make a syrup of pineapple
juice, sugar, and spice. Pour this over the ham. Bake in a moderate oven,
allowing half an hour to every lb. Baste frequently during cooking. Garnish
with pineapple slices, which are baked with ham during the last half hour.
Cairns Post (Qld. Dec 10,1953)
Quotation for the Day.
I do not
like green eggs and ham, I do not like them Sam I am!
Dr. Seuss
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