Harper's cook book encyclopædia

Cold boiled ham, cut into pieces about twice the size of an oyster, and dipped into batter, frying in a hot oven just long enough to cook the batter, makes a very good relish for tea. Allow for the batter two or three eggs to half a pint of milk, and flour sufficient to make it stiff enough ; if preferred, the pieces of ham can be dipped in the yolk and white of an egg beaten together until light, and then rolled in cracker finely pulverized. Another way : — Select a ham from 12 to IS lbs. in weight that has been well cured with saltpetre. Let it soak in cold water all night. In the morning, put the ham into a large iron boiler, covering it well with fresh, cold water, and set it to cook on the back of the stove, where the heat will be steady but moderate. If the water should need replenishing, refill with hot water. When the meat leaves the bone easily, it is sufficiently done. The best way to serve a ham is to draw off the skin, brush the top of the ham with yolk of egg, sprinkle thickly with finely rasped breadcrumbs or cracker-dust flavored with pepper. Put it in a baking-pan in the oven and let it brown. Serve in a large, flat meat-dish. Garnish with small sprigs of parsley. Ham, Broiled. — Slice the ham in pieces rather thicker than when to be eaten cold. Have a griddle heated thoroughly. Place these slices well peppered in it. Use enough of the fat of the ham to prevent burning and to supply gravy. Time to cook, five minutes. If liked, a little made mustard may be added Another way : — If the ham is too salt, cut into thin slices ; pour boiling water over them, letting it remain ten minutes ; wipe the ham a little, and place it on the gridiron. This takes out the salt. Ham that has been boiled broils nicer than the uncooked meat. Ham Croquettes. — Chop i lb. of lean, cold boiled ham, mix with the yolks of two eggs, a spoonful of salt and powdered sage each, a salt-spoonful of pepper, lb. of stale breadcrumbs soaked in cold water until soft and then squeezed dry. Wet the hands in cold water, and make the mixture into small croquettes, dip in cracker- meal, seasoned with salt and pepper, and fry in boiling fat. When the croquettes are brown, take up carefully with a skimmer, lay on brown paper to drain, and serve very hot. Hams, Easter (Maryland style). — The ham is cut out of the bag, washed carefully, put into cold water, and allowed to gently simmer until it is about half done. When taken out, the ham is set aside until it is cool, and then skinned. The stuffing is prepared by taking a “ good parcel ” of cabbage sprouts, a handful of parsley, a small piece of stale bread, and chopping them all together with plenty of black pepper. Deep gashes are then made in the ham with a sharp knife, about an inch apart, from the hock down the whole length of the ham, and these gashes are tightly stuffed to the very bone with the greens. A wooden skewer is the best aid here. After that the ham is baked until done — an hour or so will probably be enough. In Ham and Eggs Ham, Roast