Coca-Cola "Ham"
Fresh "ham" comes from the pig's hind leg. (You buy fresh pork leg to brine, not
a cured, smoked ham.) Because a whole leg is quite large, it is usually cut into
two sections. The sirloin, or butt, end is harder to carve than our favorite,
the shank end. If you don't have room in your refrigerator, brine the pork in an
insulated cooler or a small new plastic garbage can and add five or six freezer
packs to the brine to keep it well cooled.
1 bone-in fresh half leg of pork with skin, 6 to 8 pounds, preferably shank end,
rinsed, or boneless pork loin (see notes)
Brine:
3 C. kosher salt or 1 1/2 C. table salt
3 2-liter bottles Coca-Cola Classic
2 heads garlic, cloves separated, lightly crushed and peeled
10 bay leaves
1/2 C. black peppercorns, crushed
Garlic and herb rub:
1 C. lightly packed fresh sage leaves
1/2 C. lightly packed fresh parsley leaves
8 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 T. kosher salt or 11/2 teaspoons table salt
1/2 T. ground black pepper
1/4 C. olive oil
Coca-Cola Glaze With Lime and Jalapeno (recipe follows)
Carefully slice through skin and fat with serrated knife, making 1-inch diamond
pattern. Be careful not to cut into meat.
To make brine: In large (about 16-quart) bucket or stockpot, dissolve salt in
Coke. Add garlic, bay leaves and crushed peppercorns. Submerge ham in brine and
refrigerate 8 to 24 hours.
Set large, disposable roasting pan on baking sheet for extra support; place flat
wire rack in roasting pan. Remove ham from brine; rinse under cold water and dry
thoroughly with paper towels.
Place ham cut-side down on rack. (If using sirloin end, place ham skin-side up.)
Let ham stand, uncovered, at room temperature 1 hour.
Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lowest position and preheat oven to 500°F.
To make rub: In work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, process
sage, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and oil until mixture forms smooth paste,
about 30 seconds. Rub all sides of ham with paste.
Roast ham at 500°F. for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. and
continue to roast, brushing ham with glaze every 45 minutes, until center of ham
registers 145 to 150°F. on instant-read thermometer, about 21/2 hours longer.
Tent ham loosely with foil and let stand until center of ham registers 155 to
160°F. on thermometer, 30 to 40 minutes. Carve (follow accompanying
illustration) and serve.
Notes: When ordering a fresh half leg of pork, tell butcher to leave fat and
skin on the outside intact, unscored.
To roast a 5-pound boneless pork loin, cook at the same temperature as the half
leg, allowing about 20 to 25 minute per pound. Take the roast out when it
reaches 155°F. Tent loosely with aluminum foil until it registers 160°F.
Coca-Cola Glaze With Lime and Jalapeno
1 C. Coca-Cola Classic
1/4 C. lime juice (2 limes)
2 C. firmly packed dark or light brown sugar
2 medium jalapeno chilies, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Bring Coca-Cola, lime juice, brown sugar and chilies to a boil in small
nonreactive saucepan over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until
syrupy and reduced to about 1 1/3 cups, 5 to 7 minutes. (Glaze will thicken as
it cools between bastings; heat over medium heat about 1 minute, stirring once
or twice, before using.)
Makes about 1 1/3 cups, enough to glaze ham.
Makes 10 servings.
-- From "The America's Test Kitchen Cookbook"
Razzle Dazzle Recipes
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