Holiday Ham Guide

ham is the main subject of any table preparing for Easter. it is usually the staple of the dinner.Yet many traditional sit downs are ruined by a bad.ice of meat.The solution is finding the right joint for what you can plan and manage. It was the subject of an article in today's New York Times Dining section.The pics was. Written byJuliaMoskin,one of the to pros of cooking and culinary food writing. her article will guide readers through the intricate maze that is selecting a holiday ham. Most people buy what is known as"city hams" which are hams that have been only brined with water and salt.This produces a wet cured, lightly smoked pre baked ham.However these may not come up to par.Most tend toe dry not juicy and require a lot of liquid ,whether itbe pineapple juice or ginger ale to give them a chewier, more palatable texture. Ms Moskin recommends going for country hamsThese are tremendously more expensive(think five pounds at $245dollars for some of the more gourmet ones) however the taste is worth it. A country ham is one that has been lovingly cured with real wood smoke and pure maple syrup.The pigs all have been pasture raised too and produce a better taste.Still most of these natural ones need to be soaked for a few hours as do,the city hams to allow for tender meat You can try her mother's remedy of also braising the meat for two hours in wine and water with a follow up trip to the oven.This produces a lovely ,crisp skin.,especially with a glaze of mustard and b town sugar,along with a coating of breadcrumbs. Holiday hams needn't be a headache.You can go for the city which will require more work.You can also try the country hams, better flavor but more money.Either way you'll have a tasty Easter dinner.There will be some bother but again, it's worth it.