Country Ham

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Show: Good EatsEpisode: Ham I Am

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (18)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(18)

Cook Time:
4 hr 30 min
Level:
--
Yield:
20 portions

Times:

Prep: 48 hr 0 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 4 hr 30 min
Total:: 52 hr 30 min

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Ingredients

1 country (dry cured) ham
1 liter Dr. Pepper
1 cup sweet pickle juice, optional

Directions

Unwrap ham and scrub off any surface mold (if you hung in a sack for 6 months you'd have mold too). Carefully remove hock with hand saw. (If this idea makes you eye your first aid kit, ask your butcher to do it. But make sure you keep the hock, it's the best friend collard greens ever had.)

Place ham in cooler and cover with clean water. (As long as it's not too dirty you can use what southerners call the "hose pipe"). Stash the cooler in the bushes. If it's summer, throw in some ice. If it's freezing out, keep the cooler inside. Change the water twice a day for two days turning the ham each time.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place ham in a large disposable turkey-roasting pan and add enough Dr. Pepper to come about halfway up the side of the ham. Add pickle juice if you've got it and tent completely with heavy-duty foil. Cook for 1/2 hour then reduce heat to 325 degrees F, and cook another 1 1/2 hours.

Turn the ham over, insert an oven safe thermometer (probe-style is best) and cook another 1 1/2 hours, or until the deepest part of the ham hits 140 degrees F (approximately 15 to 20 minutes per pound total).

Let rest 1/2 hour then slice paper-thin. Serve with biscuits or soft yeast rolls.

Cooks note: Even after soaking, country ham is quite salty, so thin slicing is mandatory. If you're a bacon fan, however, cut a thicker (1/4-inch) slice and fry it up for breakfast.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Country Ham
Shirley Leicester, NC 10-16-2009
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This Ham taste so good
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Alton you are the king of cooking this ham is havenly my family & I love it and we also love your show Good Eats we also... loved watching your 10th annv show we love you.Read more
recipe Country Ham
Scott Raleigh, NC 04-23-2009
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Another Winner
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Alton has outdone himself again with this recipe. It's simple and results in a delicious and tender ham. I would... suggest that your results will ultimately depend on the quality of ham you start with. In my opinion the absolute best dry cured county ham is from Johnston County Hams in Smithfield - http://www.countrycuredhams.com. Read more
recipe Country Ham
meilnda jennings, LA 04-06-2009
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USED DR PEPPER IN MINE FOR YEARS
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

THIS IS THE WAY I MAKE MY HAM EXCEPT THE NIGHT BEFORE, I MARINATE MINE WITH BROWN SUGAR AND WATER, THE NEXT MORNING BEFORE... PREPARING I MIX BROWN SUGAR AND DR PEPPER AND AND INJECT THE INSIDE OF THE HAM AND PUT BACK IN REFRIGERATOR FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE COOKING. THIS RECIPE COMES OUT SO JUICY AND AWESOME. ALSO TRY PUTTING PINEAPPLES AND CHERRIES ON THE HAM AS WELL AND COOK. TASTES GREATRead more
recipe Country Ham
Shelly Cedar Grove, WI 01-05-2009
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Ham this tender should be a sin!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

We made this recipe with a smoked ham and it was the most tender ham we have ever had. You couldn't even use a fork to pick... up a piece, because it fell apart. We had many compliments from our guests. And when you reheat the leftovers (yes, there were leftovers only because we made enough food to feed 50 when we were only expecting 25), it continues to be extremely moist, but not watery. The only recommedation is if you are using the disposable pan (which we recommend since its one less dish to clean up before you can enjoy the party) is to put a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan under for support when moving the ham. THUMBS UP!!! Read more
recipe Country Ham
nd san antonio, TX 11-28-2008
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Makes an awesome Whole Ham Also
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I used this recipe with a traditional whole smoked ham (not salt cured like the country ham) - and it turned out awesome -... the 20 lb. ham took about 4.5 hours to cook. I took the temp to 425 for 45 minutes to start, as my ham was big, and turned it at the 2 hour mark - so sweet, so moist - the hit of thanksgiving (the neighbor overcooked and dried the turkey) - man, was I glad i found this recipe - I'll probably put about a teaspoon of tobasco in it next time for a bit of a kick - 5 STARS all the wayRead more
recipe Country Ham
James York, PA 04-15-2008
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Alton Brown Country Ham
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Very good recipe, first time country ham and was delicious. Thank You Alton!