To Boil a Ham

Ingredients

• ham
• cold water
• 1 bunch herbs
• 3 or 4 carrots
• fine bread raspings or hard-toasted crust

Instructions

1. Soak the ham in cold water before boiling; for highly salted, hard, and old hams, soak for a day and night or longer; for those cured by standard receipts, soak about twelve hours or from early morning until the day of boiling.
2. Change the water several times during the soaking period.
3. Scrape or brush the ham as clean as possible.
4. Pare away lightly any blackened or rusty parts, but do not cut into the flesh unless absolutely necessary for appearance.
5. Lay the ham into a ham-kettle or similar vessel and cover it plentifully with cold water.
6. Bring the water very slowly to a boil.
7. Carefully remove the scum that rises in great abundance.
8. Once the water is clear of scum, draw the pan back to the edge of the stove so the ham simmers softly and steadily, never allowing it to boil fast.
9. Add a bunch of herbs and three or four carrots directly after skimming the water.
10. Simmer until the ham is tender and can be probed very easily with a sharp skewer or larding-pin.
11. Lift the ham out and strip off the skin.
12. If an oven is available, place the ham on a drainer and set it in the oven for a few minutes.
13. Strew fine bread raspings over it, or grate a hard-toasted crust, or sift prepared bread over it—unless the ham is to be glazed, in which case do not use these finishes.