3 Day Ham
This celebrated ham is a holiday favourite, prepared over three days with minimal hands-on effort. A whole bone-in ham is brined in molasses and vinegar, then slow-cooked in a canner before being glazed with a brown sugar and pickle juice paste. It is then baked in foil for 6 to 8 hours at 250 degrees, resulting in a succulent centrepiece for family gatherings. The process requires a large canner and a quilt for insulation.
Ingredients
- 1 (20 lb) whole bone-in ham
- 2 cups molasses
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 lb brown sugar
- sweet pickle juice
Method
- Ask your butcher to remove the ham shank so the joint will fit inside your canner.
- Day 1: Position the ham in the canner and set it on your counter. Pour in 1 cup of molasses and 1 cup of vinegar. Fill the canner with cold water and leave it.
- Day 2: Drain all the liquid from the canner. Add the remaining 1 cup of molasses and refill with cold water. Set the canner on the stove and bring the liquid to a rolling boil. Take it off the heat. Seal the lid's edges with duct or masking tape to retain warmth. Lay out a quilt or sleeping bag, place the canner in the centre, and wrap it up securely. Leave it alone.
- Day 3. Pour away all the liquid. Trim all the fat from the ham down to the meat using a knife or your hands. Combine 1 lb of brown sugar with sufficient sweet pickle juice to form a thick paste.
- Line a large dripper pan with a long strip of foil, then place a second strip crosswise. Set the ham in the middle and coat it with the sugar paste. Bring the two ends of one foil strip up and fold them over the ham. Repeat with the opposite strip, ensuring the ham is fully wrapped. Bake at 250 degrees for 6 to 8 hours. Slice and serve, using the cooking juices as a sauce if you like.
Nutrition (per serving)
Sodium587100 mg
Recipe details
CategoryHam
AuthorConnorsmom
