Boned Fresh Ham

Ingredients

• 10 pounds fresh ham
• butter
• salt
• pepper
• vinegar
• breadcrumbs
• pork fat
• 1 sprig celery
• 1/2 apple
• paprika
• sage
• thyme
• lemon peel
• bacon fat or soft butter
• flour
• sugar
• sweet cider or claret

Instructions

1. Remove the bone from the fresh ham, but reserve it. Break the bone into pieces and boil in water to barely cover for three hours, then set aside.
2. Wipe the ham well inside and out. Rub the inside lightly with butter and season with salt, pepper, and a little vinegar. Rub salt well over the outside and let stand on ice for several hours.
3. Make the stuffing by combining grated breadcrumbs, minced pork fat, celery chopped fine, half an apple chopped fine, salt, pepper, paprika, a pinch of sage powder, and the least shred of thyme and lemon peel. (Alternatively, a chestnut stuffing or one based on grated sweet potato may be used.) Fill the bone cavity firmly but not too full.
4. Skewer or sew together the cut edges of the ham, then tie around twice with narrow tape. Score the skin well, rub with soft butter or bacon fat, dredge lightly with flour, then lightly with black and red pepper, and finally with sugar.
5. Lay the ham on a low rack in a pan. Fill in sweet cider or sound claret until it stands halfway up the ham. Cover with a close-fitting upper pan and place in a hot oven. Cook for two hours, lifting the pan now and then to baste the meat.
6. Uncover and cook until the skin is very crisp. Serve on a hot dish with candied sweet potatoes laid around.
7. For the gravy: Add boiling water to the liquor in the pan, shake well, and pour into a gravy boat. Alternatively, pour off the grease, sprinkle with flour and let it brown on the stovetop, then add the strained liquor from the boiled bone. Cook three minutes and serve in the gravy boat. The bone liquor can also be reserved for making pea or cabbage soup.
8. When carving, cut through and through so that each portion includes some of the stuffing.