Roast Fresh Ham, Tudor Style

Categories: Pork

Serves: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

1 Fresh ham or fresh pork
-shoulder, whole or half,
Bone in or boneless
2 lg Onions, chopped
2 lg Carrots, chopped
2 Stalks celery, including
-leaves, chopped
3 Cloves garlic, chopped
1 ts Brown caraway seeds
1 ts Black caraway seeds (if not
-available, use brown)
1 ts Celery seed
2 ts Ground cinnamon
1/2 ts Ground cloves, or 1 teaspoon
-whole cloves
1 tb Whole allspice, or 1
-teaspoon ground allspice
1 tb Grated orange zest
1 tb Black peppercorns
1 lg Bay leaf
Salt, to taste (optional)
1 1/2 c Red table wine
1/2 c Red wine vinegar
1/2 c Olive oil
1/2 c Cognac (optional)

Instructions:
Trim every bit of fat possible off the meat and discard. Place the meat in
a large non-metal container.

Mix all of the other ingredients together and pour over the meat. Marinate
the meat in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to 8 days. Turn the
meat several times during marination so that no section is allowed to
become dry.

When ready to roast, transfer the meat to a large heavy roaster pan (an
enameled iron roaster with a lid would be ideal). Remove the bay leaf,
peppercorns, whole allspice and whole cloves (if used) from the marinade
and pour the marinade over the meat.

Roast the meat in a 350 F oven, basting frequently. Allow 30 to 40 minutes
per pound. The inside temperature should be 165 F to 175F as measured with
a meat thermometer. Remove the cover during the last 1/2 hour. You should
be able to "cut with a fork" when done. If the pan becomes too dry, add
additional red wine and/or water, 1/2 cup at a time. You will want at least
1 cup of liquid remaining in the panwhen the roast is done.

Transfer the roast to a carving platter and allow it to cool slightly
before carving. If desired, serve surrounded with small baked apples or
spiced crab apples.

HUNTER'S SAUCE: Strain the liquid and vegetables from the roasting pan.
Transfer the vegetables to a food processor or blender. Return the liquid
to the roasting pan and skim off as much fat as possible. Add 1/2 cup of
hot water to the pan and bring to a boil over high heat, scraping up the
particles adhering to the pan. Reduce the liquid to 1 cup.

Puree the vegetables in the food processor or blender. Add the reduced
cooking liquid and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and
bring to a boil, stirring constantly. If the sauce is too thick, thin to
the desired consistency with hot water. Serve in a silver or pewter
pitcher, bowl or sauceboat.

[The Baltimore Sun; Dec 22, 1991]

Posted by Fred Peters.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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