Francatelli Recipes for Dressed Hams, Chapter 8
Welcome to FabulousFusionFood's Francatelli Recipes for Dressed Hams — This page gives you the entire contents of the Eighth Chapter: Different Methods for Dressing Hams from Charles Elmé Francatelli's 1861 volume, The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant. Each recipe is given here in its original form, with a link underneath to the modern redaction, should you wish to replicate it. This is the first time that Francatelli's book has been made available in its entirety on the internet. Enjoy...
The text presented here is derived directly from Francatelli's book and redacted specifically for this website. Please do not copy or use the content of these pages without first gaining permission.
CHAPTER VIII.
DIFFERENT METHODS OF DRESSING HAMS.
No. 449.—HOW TO SELECT A HAM.
York hams are justly considered the choicest among English hams; indeed, I am inclined to say that, excepting peculiarity of taste, no kind of hams is superior to a thorough good, York ham : and, in order the better to assist you in the selection of good hams, allow me to call your attention to the following particulars: viz.,—while it is an established fact that the best breed of pigs is thin skinned and small boned, it does not necessarily follow that those of thicker rind are to be treated with contempt ; so far from this being the case, I will venture to assert that the superiority and general qualifications which go to establish the claims of hams for special selection, depend quite as much on their mode of curing as upon any other consideration. The determining points are these: a well-cured ham, to be in good condition for dressing, should be from six months to a year old, and smooth skinned; it should feel springy to the touch, and on being probed down the knuckle, and about the thigh-bone should smell sweet and savoury, and not at all rancid or strong. Depend upon it that whenever you have chosen hams possessing the before-mentioned qualities, you have been fortunate in selecting a delicacy worthy of making its appearance at the table of an epicure.
No. 450.—TO BOIL A YORK HAM.
If the ham be only three or four months old, there will be no occasion to soak it for any length of time, previously to its being cooked ; but if, on the contrary, the ham happens to be of older standing, say upwards of a year old, it must be soaked for twenty-four hours at least, in cold water, before it will be really fit for cooking. When the ham has been sufficiently soaked, take it out of the water, scrape off the slime and dirt, saw off the knuckle, pare away all the rough exterior from the under part ; and, having first sawed or merely chopped the pallet or broad part of the thigh-bone— just above the socket, remove this entirely. This operation requires some care and dexterity ; and, if the operation has to be performed by a woman, it had perhaps better be left undone, as, to my knowledge, ladies in general are nervous when handling a sharp knife under difficulties ; besides, it is proper to state that, from the hardness of the ham, and the slipperiness of the bones, the operation is attended with danger. Therefore, ladies, I would recommend that you should merely scrape and trim the ham, and put it in a large pan or pot with enough cold water to make it swim. Add a couple of carrots, onions, celery, a dozen cloves, mace, thyme and bay-leaves, and boil the ham very slowly indeed for about four or five hours, according to size and weight : and when the ham is done, allow it to become cold in its own liquor. When cold, remove the rind by gently slipping the ends of the fingers of both hands under the rind of the round thick end of the ham, and by this means detach it gradually without removing any of the fat. Trim the surface of the fat smoothly with a knife, place it on a baking-sheet in the oven for ten minutes, take it out, dab it over with a clean cloth to absorb all grease, and with a paste-brush dipped in liquid glaze, paint it all over to give it a uniform bright aspect. When thoroughly cold, garnish with aspic jelly or picked parsley.
Note.—A more economical way of finishing a cold ham is to shake some raspings all over the fat, instead of glazing it, and to decorate it all round the edge of the fat with a broad streak or band of chopped parsley, pressed on with the fingers and thumb.
I need hardly add that, when a ham is required to be eaten hot, after being trimmed, it must be placed in a baking-dish covered over with its rind, or greased paper : add just enough of its own liquor to reach up to the edge of the fat, made hot in the oven for about half an hour, and glazed, and garnished with Jardinière, Macédoine, spinach, broad beans, green peas, French beans, Brussels sprouts, &c.
No. 451.—TO DRESS A WESTPHALIA HAM.
These hams should be soaked for forty hours at least, and the water changed once in twenty-four hours, especially in summer time; when soaked, cleansed, and trimmed, they must be put on in cold water, and merely simmered for an hour, and when taken out of this water, and being placed in a brazing-pan, moistened with sufficient stock to cover them, germicide with carrots, onions, celery, a clove of garlic, twelve cloves, mace, Jamaica pepper, marjoram, thyme, and four bay-leaves. Boil, or rather let the ham simmer, very gently for about five hours, and when done and cold, trim, glaze, and finish it as directed in the preceding article.
Note.—Bear in mind that it is most essential, in order to give hams a fair chance of perfection, that they must allowed to remain in their own liquor until cold, as by that means they retain all their juices.
No. 452.—TO DRESS A SPANISH HAM.
Spanish hams are known under three different denominations: viz.,—Grenada, Montanches, and Bayonne hams. All these hams require at least forty·eight hours' soaking, and must be cooked with great care and attention, otherwise they are spoilt, and are consequently not worth eating. When about to dress one of these hams, first soak it well, thoroughly scrape and cleanse it, and gently boil it in cold water for an hour ; next, put it in a braising·pan with a mirepoix, No. 300 ; moisten with a pint of wine, and enough stock to cover it, and simmer gently for about four hours ; allow the ham to become cold in its own liquor, and finish it as directed in No. 450.
No. 453.—HOW TO ROAST HAMS.
Trim, soak, cleanse, and parboil a ham for one hour in water ; and then set it to soak for about a day in a mirepoix, No. 300, which has been moistened with a bottle of port or madeira. When about to roast the ham, take it out of the mirepoix, wrap it up in two large sheets of oiled paper, with all the ingredients drained from the moisture or liquor of the mirepoix, and put them round the ham inside the paper; cover the whole over with water-paste similarly to a haunch of venison ; secure this with sheets of greased paper fastened on with string ; then place the ham thus prepared in a cradle-spit, and roast it before a moderate fire for about three hours, basting it frequently. At the end of this time take the ham out of the paste it has been roasting in, being careful to make a hole in the paste, so as to enable you to pour out the essence or gravy which surrounds it, and use this gravy and the fore-mentioned mirepoix liquor to add to some tomata sauce, to be boiled together for the purpose of saucing the ham with when it has been glazed and dished up. These hams may be garnished similarly to any of the preceding.
No. 454.—BAKED HAMS.
Trim, soak, cleanse, and bone the ham, and having parboiled it for one hour in water, place it in a deep baking-dish ; add a wine mirepoix, No. 300 ; cover it first with oiled paper, and then with water and flour crust, just as you would a meat pie ; put it in a moderate oven to bake for about three hours, taking care to replenish the moisture with stock, so as not to leave the ham dry in its baking-dish. When done, finish and dish up as in the preceding case.
Note.—Baked hams are nearly as delicious as rosted, and give infintiely less trouble in their preparation.
The text presented here is derived directly from Francatelli's book and redacted specifically for this website. Please do not copy or use the content of these pages without first gaining permission.
Francatelli's Chapter 8: Different Methods of Dressing Hams
CHAPTER VIII.
DIFFERENT METHODS OF DRESSING HAMS.
York hams are justly considered the choicest among English hams; indeed, I am inclined to say that, excepting peculiarity of taste, no kind of hams is superior to a thorough good, York ham : and, in order the better to assist you in the selection of good hams, allow me to call your attention to the following particulars: viz.,—while it is an established fact that the best breed of pigs is thin skinned and small boned, it does not necessarily follow that those of thicker rind are to be treated with contempt ; so far from this being the case, I will venture to assert that the superiority and general qualifications which go to establish the claims of hams for special selection, depend quite as much on their mode of curing as upon any other consideration. The determining points are these: a well-cured ham, to be in good condition for dressing, should be from six months to a year old, and smooth skinned; it should feel springy to the touch, and on being probed down the knuckle, and about the thigh-bone should smell sweet and savoury, and not at all rancid or strong. Depend upon it that whenever you have chosen hams possessing the before-mentioned qualities, you have been fortunate in selecting a delicacy worthy of making its appearance at the table of an epicure.
If the ham be only three or four months old, there will be no occasion to soak it for any length of time, previously to its being cooked ; but if, on the contrary, the ham happens to be of older standing, say upwards of a year old, it must be soaked for twenty-four hours at least, in cold water, before it will be really fit for cooking. When the ham has been sufficiently soaked, take it out of the water, scrape off the slime and dirt, saw off the knuckle, pare away all the rough exterior from the under part ; and, having first sawed or merely chopped the pallet or broad part of the thigh-bone— just above the socket, remove this entirely. This operation requires some care and dexterity ; and, if the operation has to be performed by a woman, it had perhaps better be left undone, as, to my knowledge, ladies in general are nervous when handling a sharp knife under difficulties ; besides, it is proper to state that, from the hardness of the ham, and the slipperiness of the bones, the operation is attended with danger. Therefore, ladies, I would recommend that you should merely scrape and trim the ham, and put it in a large pan or pot with enough cold water to make it swim. Add a couple of carrots, onions, celery, a dozen cloves, mace, thyme and bay-leaves, and boil the ham very slowly indeed for about four or five hours, according to size and weight : and when the ham is done, allow it to become cold in its own liquor. When cold, remove the rind by gently slipping the ends of the fingers of both hands under the rind of the round thick end of the ham, and by this means detach it gradually without removing any of the fat. Trim the surface of the fat smoothly with a knife, place it on a baking-sheet in the oven for ten minutes, take it out, dab it over with a clean cloth to absorb all grease, and with a paste-brush dipped in liquid glaze, paint it all over to give it a uniform bright aspect. When thoroughly cold, garnish with aspic jelly or picked parsley.
Note.—A more economical way of finishing a cold ham is to shake some raspings all over the fat, instead of glazing it, and to decorate it all round the edge of the fat with a broad streak or band of chopped parsley, pressed on with the fingers and thumb.
I need hardly add that, when a ham is required to be eaten hot, after being trimmed, it must be placed in a baking-dish covered over with its rind, or greased paper : add just enough of its own liquor to reach up to the edge of the fat, made hot in the oven for about half an hour, and glazed, and garnished with Jardinière, Macédoine, spinach, broad beans, green peas, French beans, Brussels sprouts, &c.
These hams should be soaked for forty hours at least, and the water changed once in twenty-four hours, especially in summer time; when soaked, cleansed, and trimmed, they must be put on in cold water, and merely simmered for an hour, and when taken out of this water, and being placed in a brazing-pan, moistened with sufficient stock to cover them, germicide with carrots, onions, celery, a clove of garlic, twelve cloves, mace, Jamaica pepper, marjoram, thyme, and four bay-leaves. Boil, or rather let the ham simmer, very gently for about five hours, and when done and cold, trim, glaze, and finish it as directed in the preceding article.
Note.—Bear in mind that it is most essential, in order to give hams a fair chance of perfection, that they must allowed to remain in their own liquor until cold, as by that means they retain all their juices.
Spanish hams are known under three different denominations: viz.,—Grenada, Montanches, and Bayonne hams. All these hams require at least forty·eight hours' soaking, and must be cooked with great care and attention, otherwise they are spoilt, and are consequently not worth eating. When about to dress one of these hams, first soak it well, thoroughly scrape and cleanse it, and gently boil it in cold water for an hour ; next, put it in a braising·pan with a mirepoix, No. 300 ; moisten with a pint of wine, and enough stock to cover it, and simmer gently for about four hours ; allow the ham to become cold in its own liquor, and finish it as directed in No. 450.
Trim, soak, cleanse, and parboil a ham for one hour in water ; and then set it to soak for about a day in a mirepoix, No. 300, which has been moistened with a bottle of port or madeira. When about to roast the ham, take it out of the mirepoix, wrap it up in two large sheets of oiled paper, with all the ingredients drained from the moisture or liquor of the mirepoix, and put them round the ham inside the paper; cover the whole over with water-paste similarly to a haunch of venison ; secure this with sheets of greased paper fastened on with string ; then place the ham thus prepared in a cradle-spit, and roast it before a moderate fire for about three hours, basting it frequently. At the end of this time take the ham out of the paste it has been roasting in, being careful to make a hole in the paste, so as to enable you to pour out the essence or gravy which surrounds it, and use this gravy and the fore-mentioned mirepoix liquor to add to some tomata sauce, to be boiled together for the purpose of saucing the ham with when it has been glazed and dished up. These hams may be garnished similarly to any of the preceding.
Trim, soak, cleanse, and bone the ham, and having parboiled it for one hour in water, place it in a deep baking-dish ; add a wine mirepoix, No. 300 ; cover it first with oiled paper, and then with water and flour crust, just as you would a meat pie ; put it in a moderate oven to bake for about three hours, taking care to replenish the moisture with stock, so as not to leave the ham dry in its baking-dish. When done, finish and dish up as in the preceding case.
Note.—Baked hams are nearly as delicious as rosted, and give infintiely less trouble in their preparation.