Homemade Cooked Ham

4.95/5 (35)

Prep Time: 1 10

Cook Time: 2 45

Resting time: 5

Total Time: 5 3 55

Course: Ham

Cuisine: French

Servings: kg of ham

Make the brine by bringing 1.8 kg salt, 200 g sugar, chili peppers, onions, shallots, bay leaves, thyme, cloves and 10 L water to a boil
Let the brine cool
Plunge the meat into the cooled brine and make sure it is completely submerged
Leave to rest in the refrigerator at 4°C for 3 days
Desalt the meat by soaking it in a water bath for a day, changing the water several times
Open a ham net and hold it open with a stainless steel mixing bowl
Place the rind from the ham steaks in the net (optional)
Cut up the remaining meat
Add the cut meat to form a round shape
Close the net and pack the meat down, squeezing it as tightly as possible. Ask someone to help tie it while you compress the meat to get a perfect ball
Make a broth with carrots, leeks, turnips, onions, shallots, thyme and bay leaves
Cook the meat in the broth at 80°C, making sure the internal temperature of the meat does not exceed 66°C. Cook for about 2 hours 45 minutes for a 3 kg ham
Let the ham cool on a wire rack
Refrigerate the ham for a day
Remove the netting and enjoy
Slice and vacuum-seal for freezing if desired

Use a suitable container so the meat can be completely submerged in the brine. Place weights on the meat to keep it submerged.

Strain the brine so you can reuse it for future batches.

Press the ham while it cools to keep it from coming apart in the center.

The ham will keep for a week in the fridge, or longer if vacuum-sealed.

Did you make this recipe?Tag @marcwiner on Instagram!