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Roast Fresh Ham Or Leg Of Pork

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Roast Fresh Ham Or Leg Of Pork

Cuisine:World

Course:Dinner

20m prep 4h cook 4h ready

15 to 20 servings A whole pork leg, also known as fresh uncured ham, is perfect for feeding a large crowd and great for holidays. Cooking times are approximate because the weight of fresh hams is variable. Plan on about 1 pound per person, less if there are numerous side dishes. Ask your butcher to remove most of the skin, leaving it around the shank. Or, if you wish to present cracklings with the meat, leave it on and score at 1-inch intervals as for Latin Roasted Picnic Shoulder. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

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Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • One 15- to 20-pound bone-in fresh ham
  • 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried sage, thyme, crumbled rosemary, or a combination
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 3 cups dry white wine
  • 1
    • Fat from the pan drippings or butter to make 2 tablespoons
    • 1 to 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (the larger amount for a thicker sauce)
    • The degreased pan juices plus enough stock, wine, beer, cream, milk, or water to make 1 cup
    • Salt and black pepper
    • (Minced fresh or crumbled dried herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, or sage)
    • (Finely grated lemon zest or lemon juice)
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Remove the meat or poultry from the pan, place it on a platter, and keep warm. Pour off all the pan juices, leaving behind or adding: Fat from the pan drippings or butter to make 2 tablespoons
    2. Place the pan over medium-low heat (melt the butter, if using). Gradually whisk in: 1 to 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (the larger amount for a thicker sauce)
    3. Cook, whisking constantly, until the roux is smooth and the flour is nutty and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in: The degreased pan juices plus enough stock, wine, beer, cream, milk, or water to make 1 cup
    4. Simmer gently until thickened, up to 10 minutes. Season to taste with: Salt and black pepper; (Minced fresh or crumbled dried herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, or sage); (Finely grated lemon zest or lemon juice)
    5. Strain the gravy, if desired, and reheat before serving.
  • 1
    • ½ cup cold heavy cream
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice or distilled white or cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh or drained prepared horseradish
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • Pinch of cayenne pepper
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • 3 to 4 tablespoons grated peeled fresh or drained prepared horseradish, to taste
    • 1 to 2 teaspoons cider vinegar or lemon juice, to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
    • (Pinch of sugar)
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Beat in a medium bowl to stiff peaks: ½ cup cold heavy cream
    2. Gradually, beat in: 3 tablespoons lemon juice or distilled white or cider vinegar; 2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh or drained prepared horseradish; ¼ teaspoon salt; Pinch of cayenne pepper
    3. Chill for at least 30 and for up to 60 minutes. Stir gently before serving.
    4. About 1 ¾ cups
    5. A richer sauce perfect for serving with Crudités, slathering on pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, or serving with roasted beets or parsnips.
    6. Stir together thoroughly in a medium bowl: 1 cup mayonnaise, store-bought or homemade; ½ cup sour cream; 3 to 4 tablespoons grated peeled fresh or drained prepared horseradish, to taste
    7. Add: 1 to 2 teaspoons cider vinegar or lemon juice, to taste; ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste; (Pinch of sugar)

Let's Prepare

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Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • One 15- to 20-pound bone-in fresh ham
  • 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried sage, thyme, crumbled rosemary, or a combination
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 3 cups dry white wine
  • 1 (Quadruple recipe Basic Pan Gravy)
  • 1 (Horseradish Sauce, Scandinavian Mustard-Dill Sauce, Bavarian Apple and Horseradish Sauce)

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    If the butcher has not done so, remove the skin up to, but not including, the shank from: One 15- to 20-pound bone-in fresh ham

  2. Step 2.

    Place the ham in a large roasting pan. Mix together in a small bowl: 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon salt; 2 teaspoons dried sage, thyme, crumbled rosemary, or a combination; 2 teaspoons black pepper

  3. Step 3.

    Rub this mixture over the entire surface of the pork. Place the pork in the oven and roast for 1 hour. Pour into the roasting pan: 3 cups dry white wine

  4. Step 4.

    Return to the oven and roast, basting every 30 minutes until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers 140°F (the temperature will rise about 10 degrees out of the oven). Add water if necessary so the pan juices do not scorch. This may take 3 ½ hours or more for very large hams; start checking smaller hams at 2 hours. Transfer the ham to a large platter, cover loosely with foil, and let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, if desired, add enough stock or broth to the pan juices to make 4 cups and prepare: (Quadruple recipe Basic Pan Gravy)

  5. Step 5.

    To carve the meat, cut it into slices starting at the shank end, keeping the knife perpendicular to the bone. Then make one long slice along the bone to separate the slices from the leg. Arrange the slices on a platter and serve with the pan gravy, if using, or one or more of the following sauces (be sure that you have at least 3 cups of sauce to serve with the ham): (Horseradish Sauce, Scandinavian Mustard-Dill Sauce, Bavarian Apple and Horseradish Sauce)

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