Dutch- oven Baked Ham--There is no Such Thing

For some strange unexplained reason many cooks, especially in North America, attempt to prepare casserole dishes in a baking or roasting pan and they attempt to roast in a casserole.

Whenever you use a Casserole or Dutch-oven to prepare meat or any other product--other than bread (technically, any bread produced in a covered casserole is also braised but because it is usually combined with, or on top of, another ingredient; we do not consider it as being such)--that contains liquid, your automatically braise that product. The beauty of using a Romertopf or other clay casserole is that the natural juices are all kept in the meat and casserole; they will combine with any glaze used to produce a delicious sauce that can and should be served with either your fresh or cured ham.

Dutch Oven Or Casserole Braised  Ham

• Juice and zest (zest is the coloured part, only, of citrus fruits)  of 2 Oranges
• 1 Cup Orange Marmalade
• 1/4 cup firmly packed Dark Brown Sugar
• 1Tbsp. Crushed Black Pepper Corns
• 1 Tbsp. whole Pepper Corns
• 2 tsp. Dijon Style or Whole grain Mustard
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• 8 - 9 lbs. Fresh,Smoked; or other; cured Ham
• Parsley sprigs to garnish; if desired 

Directions:


Glaze: In a sauce pan, place the orange juice, zest, marmalade, brown sugar, crushed peppercorns, mustard and cinnamon. Cook at medium heat, stirring occasionally, until blended. When done set a side.
Meat: 

1. Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the ham diagonally, making a diamond shaped cuts.
2.  Place the ham in your casserole (preferably unglazed Romertopf clay) or Dutch Oven. Push the whole pepper corns into the diamond cuts. Brush the glaze over the ham. Reserve any leftover glaze. 
3. Cover with lid and cook. You could brush with glaze about every 1/2 hour but if using a Romertopf this is unnecessary. The problem with lifting your lid that often will make the ham take longer to cook through. It will take your casserole about 10 to 15 minutes to get the heat back up after you take off the lid.
4.  Cook till ham is heated through (in the case of fresh ham, well done--it will of coarse, take longer). When you smell it or see steam coming from under the lid....now its done!!!! If cooking a fresh ham, it is still best to use a meat thermometer).
5.  Slice the ham and garnish, if desired,to serve. Especially when using a Romertopf, I slice the ham and leave it in the casserole.

©Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan 1995. All rights reserved