Best Ham With Green Herb Paste Recipes

DOUBLE MUSTARD AND HERB CRUSTED HAM

Steps:

• Let the ham sit at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Trim off any skin from the ham if needed. Score the ham through the fat in a diagonal crosshatch pattern without cutting into the meat. Place the ham, flat-side down, on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour 1/4 inch of water into the bottom of the pan. Roast the ham until it reaches an internal temperature of about 130 degrees F, about 2 1/2 hours or 15 minutes per pound.
• Meanwhile, mix the mustards and honey together in a small bowl. Mix together the breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme and olive oil together in another bowl.
• Remove the ham from the oven when it has reached 130 degrees F internally. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Spoon or brush the mustard mixture all over the ham. Carefully pat the crumbs all over the ham. Add water as needed to the bottom of the pan. Return the ham to the oven and roast until the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 25 minutes more.

FRESH EASTER HAM WITH HERBS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the thyme, parsley and rosemary. Using a sharp knife, score the entire surface of the ham in a crosshatch pattern, cutting down just through the skin to the flesh underneath. Rub the outside of the ham all over with the herb mixture, pressing it gently into the crosshatch spaces between the skin. Sprinkle the ham with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate and come to room temperature, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the herb-crusted ham in a roasting pan. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone, approximately 25 minutes per pound, or 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven to a rack. Tent the ham loosely with aluminum foil and let stand until the center of the ham registers 155 degrees to 160 degrees F on the instant-read thermometer, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Transfer to a cutting board and carve. Serve with roasted sweet potatoes.

HERB CRUSTED FRESH HAM (PAULA DEEN)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the thyme, rosemary, tarragon, and lavender. Season the ham with salt and pepper.
• Rub the herb mixture all over the ham and set aside to marinate and come to room temperature, 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the herb-crusted ham in a roasting pan.
• Bake approximately 25 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone. Remove from the oven to a rack.
• Tent the ham loosely with aluminum foil and let stand until the center of the ham registers 160 to 165 degrees F. on the instant-read thermometer, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove ham from roasting pan.
• Transfer the drippings into a small saucepan to make the au jus.
• Add the chicken stock, dash of salt, and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium to keep warm until serving.
• Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Once the ham has rested, transfer to a cutting board, carve, and serve with the au jus on the side.

HERB-BRAISED HAM

Steps:

• Put ham in deep 10- to 20-quart pot and cover with cold water (don't worry if bone sticks out). Bring to a boil, then drain ham.
• Put oven rack in lower third of oven (remove any other racks) and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Wash leeks in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well. Cook leeks, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme sprigs, parsley stems, nutmeg, peppercorns, and cloves in 2 tablespoons butter in wide 7- to 10-quart heavy pot (see "special equipment," above) over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add wine and bring to a boil, then add ham, skin side down, and water (liquid will not cover ham) and return to a boil.
• Cover pot tightly with lid or, if ham sticks up over top of pot, with heavy-duty foil. Braise ham in oven 1 hour.
• Turn ham skin side up and continue to braise in oven, covered, until thermometer inserted into center of ham (do not touch bone) registers 120°F, about 1 hour more (if ham was labeled "fully cooked"), or 160°F, about 2 hours more (if ham was labeled "partially cooked").
• While ham braises, mash together flour and remaining 3 tablespoons butter with a fork to make a beurre manié.
• Transfer ham to a platter and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 45 minutes.
• While ham stands, pour braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a 3-quart saucepan, pressing on and discarding solids, and skim off any fat. Bring braising liquid to a simmer and whisk in beurre manié 1/2 tablespoon at a time (sauce will become lumpy). Continue to simmer, whisking, until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chopped thyme and parsley.
• Remove skin from ham, then slice meat and serve with sauce.

HERB CRUSTED FRESH HAM

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the thyme, rosemary, tarragon, and lavender. Season the ham with salt and pepper. Rub the herb mixture all over the ham and set aside to marinate and come to room temperature, 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the herb-crusted ham in a roasting pan. Bake approximately 25 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone.
• Remove from the oven to a rack. Tent the ham loosely with aluminum foil and let stand until the center of the ham registers 160 to 165 degrees F. on the instant-read thermometer, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove ham from roasting pan. Transfer the drippings into a small saucepan to make the jus. Add the chicken stock, dash of salt, and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium to keep warm until serving. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Once the ham has rested, transfer to a cutting board, carve, and serve with the jus on the side.

FRESH HAM WITH GREEN-HERB PASTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees with rack positioned as low as possible. To make the green-herb paste, combine garlic, rosemary, oregano, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to combine. With machine running, add olive oil through feed tube, and process until just combined but some texture still remains. Green-herb paste can be made 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container, refrigerated, until you're ready to cook the ham.
• To make the ham, you will need a large roasting pan; we used a 14-by-18-inch one. If you can cook a 20-pound turkey in the pan, the ham will fit; just make sure the pan fits in your oven. Arrange onion rounds in the bottom of the pan. Place 8 rosemary sprigs and 2 dozen bay leaves on top of the onions; this onion-herb bed will keep the ham from burning and will make an aromatic gravy.
• While ham is still cold, score the skin and fat: Using a sharp slicing knife, cut large diamonds, spaced about 2 1/2 inches apart, through both the skin and the fat. The uncooked meat should be moist and reddish pink, and the fat should be very white and smooth. Don't be alarmed by the amount of fat under the skin; it melts, shrinks, and crisps while cooking, making the meat tender. Using a paring knife, make a slit in the meat at each intersection; insert a sliver or two of garlic and a tuft of rosemary into each.
• Transfer ham, scored-side up, to pan. Using your fingers, rub 1/2 cup green-herb paste into the cut areas, over the skin and over the exposed end piece. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
• Tie ham crosswise in 2 or 3 places with kitchen twine. Make a bay wreath around the shank bone: Tie a piece of twine around the bone; tuck remaining bay leaves under the twine. Let ham sit at room temperature until no longer cold to the touch, about 30 minutes; if it goes into the oven too cold, it won't cook through. Cook ham 1 hour. Slide out the pan on the rack. Slowly pour 3/4 cup wine over ham; rub more paste into cut areas as they expand and release juices. Bake 3 1/2 to 5 hours more, basting with wine every hour and rubbing in more paste as needed, until an instant-read thermometer registers between 145 degrees and 155 degrees when it is inserted into 2 different sections of the center; be careful not to insert the thermometer next to the bone, or the reading will be incorrect. Cooking times will vary with the size of the ham, the weight of the pan, and the heat of the oven, so an instant-read thermometer is essential. While roasting, reverse orientation of pan for even browning, and tent ham with foil if the outside is cooking too quickly. Remove ham from oven, and let rest; the internal temperature will rise 5 degrees to 10 degrees more.
• When cool enough to handle, transfer ham to a platter garnished with rosemary and dandelion greens; remove twine. For easiest slicing, let ham rest 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard onions and rosemary; pour remaining liquid into a fat separator. Place pan over high heat. Add 1/2 cup water; once liquid bubbles, scrape bottom with a wooden spoon to dislodge any cooked-on bits. Cook until mixture reduces slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove fat from reserved liquid, and add liquid to pan. Heat through, strain, and serve with the ham.