NEW CASTLE —
Starting many years ago before refrigeration, pork would be cured for spring, and hams would be ready right around Easter. Thus, ham is often still today the centerpiece of many Easter dinners.
From the day of preparation to the week of leftovers, here are some ideas for preparing your ham dish this holiday.
First, you should know what type of ham you are purchasing. There are three types: City Ham, Country-Cured Ham and fresh ham.
City Hams are the most popular, either boiled or smoked, and are mostly likely what you will find in your local grocery store.
Country-Cured Hams originate from pigs that were fed berries and nuts to produce a better-tasting meat. These hams are dry-cured, smoked and aged at least 60 days.
Fresh ham is just that — fresh. These hams are uncured and raw.
Because most of us will be cooking a City Ham for Easter, the below recipes pertain to it.
Day-Of
Apricot and Honey Ham Glaze
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 cup apricot jam
- 1 tablespoon hot English mustard
- 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
Stir the ingredients together until well combined.
Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/apricot-and-honey-ham-glaze/detail.aspx
Pineapple Glaze
- 1 can sliced pineapple
- 1 jar Maraschino cherries (drained)
- 1 cup brown sugar
Place pineapple slices on ham with toothpicks before baking ham. Place cherries in center of pineapple slices also prior to baking.
Combine brown sugar and leftover pineapple juice and microwave for 5 minutes. Pour glaze over ham every 15 minutes during the final hour of baking.
Day-After
Not sure what to do with your leftover ham? Here's a list of recipes and ideas.
Ham and Bean Soup (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/basic-ham-and-bean-soup/detail.aspx)
Ham and Cheese Breakfast Quiche (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/ham-and-cheese-breakfast-quiche/detail.aspx)
Ham Broccoli Braid (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/ham-broccoli-braid/detail.aspx)
Split Pea and Ham Soup (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/split-pea-and-ham-soup-i/detail.aspx)
