ROASTED FRESH HAM WITH CITRUS AND RYE

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Roasted Fresh Ham with Citrus and Rye image

Provided by Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

Categories     Roast     Christmas     Dinner     Orange     Meat     Ham     Rye     Sage     Christmas Eve     Bon Appétit     Sugar Conscious     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     No Sugar Added

Yield Makes 14 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 12-pound fresh ham, cut from the shank end
1/2 cup chopped fresh sage
1/4 cup kosher salt plus more for seasoning
2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 whole star anise
1/3 cup rye whiskey or bourbon
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (optional)
1 tablespoon chilled unsalted butter
Ingredient info: Fresh ham is available by special order from your butcher.

Steps:

  • Using a utility knife or a sharp knife, carefully score skin of ham at 3/4"-1" intervals in a crosshatch pattern, taking care to cut just through skin and fat, not into the meat.
  • Whisk sage, 1/4 cup salt, orange zest, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Rub salt mixture all over ham. Transfer ham and any excess salt mixture to a jumbo (2-gallon) resealable plastic bag. Place ham in bag on a large rimmed baking sheet and chill, turning ham every day to ensure even curing, for 4 days.
  • Remove ham from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Let ham stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
  • Arrange a rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 500°F. Place ham, shank bone up, on a rack in a roasting pan.
  • Roast ham until skin turns deep golden brown and starts to puff, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F. Carefully add 1 cup water to pan (it may spatter) and roast, rotating pan once, for 1 hour.
  • Add 2 cups water to pan. Scatter star anise around ham; continue to roast, rotating pan every 45 minutes and adding more water if needed to maintain 1/4" liquid in bottom of pan, until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of ham registers 140°F, 1 1/2-2 hours more. If skin does not crisp within last 30 minutes of cooking, increase heat to 450°F and roast about 5 minutes longer (watch closely).
  • Transfer ham to a carving board; let rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 1/2 hours (the ham's internal temperature will increase as it rests to about 150°F). Pour juices from roasting pan through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup; set juices aside and discard solids in strainer.
  • Set roasting pan over two burners; add rye. Cook over high heat, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan, until rye is reduced by half, about 1 minute. Pour rye through same sieve into the measuring cup with ham juices. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes (this will make skimming the fat from the surface much easier).
  • Skim fat from surface of juices; discard. Transfer juices (you should have about 1 cup) to a medium saucepan. Add orange juice and broth or 1 cup water. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes.
  • Remove pan from heat; stir in butter. Season sauce with salt, if needed. Carve ham. Pass sauce alongside.

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