Country Ham Spoon Bread Recipes

TURKEY WITH COUNTRY HAM STUFFING

Steps:

• Place bread cubes in a single layer in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Place in a large bowl; set aside. , In a large skillet, cook ham in butter for 5-10 minutes or until edges are crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and place over bread cubes. , In the same skillet, saute the onion, celery, sage, thyme and pepper until vegetables are tender; toss with bread and ham. Stir in enough broth to moisten. , Just before baking, stuff the turkey. Skewer openings; tie drumsticks together. Place on a rack in a roasting pan. Bake at 325° for 4-1/2 to 5 hours or until the thermometer reads 185°. , When the turkey begins to brown, cover lightly with a tent of aluminum foil and baste if needed. Cover turkey and let stand for 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving turkey.

COUNTRY HAM WITH GLAZING RECIPE

Steps:

• PREPARATION: Begin preparation two days before cooking. Most dry-cured hams have some mold that has formed on the outer surface during the curing and drying process. This mold is not harmful, but should be removed before cooking. To remove the mold from the surface of the ham, wash the ham in warm water and use a stiff scrub brush to remove it. After scrubbing, rinse well with water. Once the mold has been removed, place the ham in a pot large enough to cover the ham with water. Fill the pot with cold water so the ham is covered and let stand at room temperature. If salt crystals appear on the ham, the water should be changed every 4 to 6 hours, and the ham can be soaked for up to 72 hours. If salt crystals do not appear, only change every 6 to 10 hours and soak up to 12 hours. Soaking reduces the saltiness of the ham, so it is important to plan for this step in preparing a country ham. Even after soaking, a country ham will be saltier than the wet-cured hams that are generally purchased in your local food stores. COOKING: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. An oven-cooking bag will provide more even cooking and shorten the cooking time. Add the flour to the oven-cooking bag and shake in the bag to spread it around. The flour helps prevent the bag from bursting while cooking. Place the ham in the bag skin side up. Place the ham and bag in a large roasting pan at least 2" deep. Add apple juice to the bag and close the bag securely with the nylon tie provided with the bag. Water, other fruit juices, wine, or carbonated soda can be used in place of the apple juice. After the bag is tied securely, trim the tied end approximately 1" from the tie. The bag should not touch the top or sides of the oven. Make six 1/2" slits in the top of the bag to allow steam to escape. Place the ham in the preheated oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches 155°F. To keep the bag from melting, be sure the cooking bag is not touching the top or sides of the oven. When ham is done, remove it from the bag and discard drippings. Allow ham to stand for 15 minutes. The internal temperature of the ham should reach 160°F during this period. Remove skin and most of the fat, leaving a 1/4-inch layer of on the ham. GLAZING: Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Score the fat by making diagonal cuts in one direction approximately 3/4 inch apart. Then make diagonal cuts in the opposite direction to form a diamond pattern. Insert a clove in each of the diamond shapes cut in the ham. Make the glaze by adding brown sugar and pineapple (slightly drained) together and stir until well mixed. Spoon or brush glaze over the ham. Return the ham to the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Watch carefully because the glaze can burn easily. Ham is done when the glaze has caramelized and turned golden brown. Remove from the oven and carve.

COUNTRY HAM SPOON BREAD

Steps:

• Lightly coat the inside of a 2-quart casserole with butter, set aside.
• In a large pan, add the milk; bring to a boil.
• Gradually add the cornmeal to the milk and stir quickly with a spoon as you slowly pour the cornmeal inches.
• Lower the heat to low setting and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture is thick--10 minutes or so.
• Take the pan off the burner.
• Add in the butter and baking powder; stir until the butter is all melted.
• Set pan aside to cool.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks until light and frothy.
• Stir egg yolks into the cooled cornmeal mixture.
• Add the ham; stir to combine.
• In a big mixing bowl, add the egg whites.
• Beat using an electric mixer until stiff peaks form; fold egg whites into the cornmeal mixture (should see no trace of egg whites).
• Transfer mixture to the prepared casserole dish.
• Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or so, or until pick comes out clean.
• Best when served hot.