32 Ham Recipes to Master
32 Ham Recipes to Master
Fideos with Shrimp, Ham and Clams
Fideos are thin, often toasted noodles that are used in a paella-like Spanish dish called fideuá. Chris Ainsworth cooks his fideos over the grill with a saffron-scented ham-hock broth and head-on prawns, but the recipe is also good with standard shrimp.
Honey-baked Ham
Honey-baked hams are impressive, and who doesn't love the leftovers? You can order a honey-baked ham, but we like to make our own DIY version. First it's basted with apple juice, then it's glazed with a sweet-spicy mix of brown sugar, honey, honey mustard, black pepper and cayenne. For a sweeter ham, omit the cayenne. For a more savory one, use Dijon mustard in place of the honey mustard and add a pinch more of both black pepper and cayenne.
Honey-Bourbon-Glazed Ham
The sweet, sticky glaze on this juicy ham is subtly spiced with fennel, coriander and star anise.
Smoky Glazed Ham with Red Pepper Jelly
Chef Jonathon Sawyer's secret to a successful holiday feast is doing most of his preparation ahead of time, for what he calls "easy game-day execution." He makes the sauce that becomes a sweet-sticky glaze and the spicy pepper jelly a few days in advance; then, on Christmas day, all he has to do is bake the ham.
Dr. Pepper-Glazed Ham with Prunes
Most smoked hams are sold fully cooked, so "why bake them again?" meat master Bruce Aidells asks, before answering his own question: to improve the texture and add a homemade glaze--in this case, one made with Dr Pepper soda and prunes--for extra flavor. After the ham is cooked, Aidells reduces the pan juices and tosses in prunes to make a sauce. "Glazes flavor only the outside of the ham," he says. "But you can spoon pan sauces over every slice."
Crispy Fresh Ham with Rum Sauce
Fresh hams, or whole uncured pork legs or half legs, need to be special ordered from your butcher, but they are great for large parties and guarantee delicious leftovers. Linda Japngie, who creates imaginative Latin American cuisine as chef at New York City's Ixta, slow-roasts them to crispy perfection.
Smoked Ham with Apple-Riesling Sauce
F&W's Marcia Kiesel loves the juicy ham from Karl Ehmer Quality Meats (karlehmer.com).
Lemon-and-Pickled-Pepper-Glazed Ham
Any pickled pepper will work in this recipe but Grace Parisi loves hot Peppadew peppers for their fruity flavor and sweet-and-sour brine. Since the heat level of pickled peppers can vary wildly, you might want to add them gradually while making the glaze.
Chile-Brined Fresh Ham
Butcher Ryan Farr likes to brine fresh ham in a chile-spiked liquid. The pork skin turns wonderfully crackly in the oven.
Pomegranate-Jalape?o-Glazed Ham
At Akasha in L.A., chef Akasha Richmond prepares a sweet-and-spicy glaze for ham using house-made pomegranate-jalapeno jelly. An easier alternative: doctoring store-bought jalapeno jelly with pomegranate juice.
Spiced Smoked Ham with Mango-Cranberry Chutney
Choose a smoked ham with a substantial layer of exterior fat. Use only half of the spice rub if the fat layer is less than an eighth inch thick.
Spicy Pineapple-Glazed Ham
Pineapple mustard and plenty of jalape?os give this ham a perfectly sweet and spicy flavor.
Pea Porridge with Fresh Cheese and Ham
Chefs Bowman Brown and Viet Pham make this creamy, tangy porridge from sweet peas and yogurt.
Ham and Potato Chip Tortilla
Adding jalape?o potato chips to a simple egg tortilla (a Spanish omelet) gives it a salty, spicy zing. Serve extra chips on the side.
Ham, Leek and Gouda Soufflés
Make-ahead Tip: The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight. The soufflés can be assembled up to 1 hour ahead. The cooked soufflés can be reheated in the oven.
Giardiniera with Ham and White Beans
Grace Parisi quickly soaks baby cauliflower in vinegar and sugar, then combines it with snap peas, white beans, ham and sunflower seeds to create a unique main-course dish.
Ham and Cheese on Rye Bread Salad
In this fun take on the sandwich classic, Grace Parisi creates a delectable ham salad mixed with crunchy rye bread croutons and bits of Gruyère cheese, tossed in a mustardy dressing with celery and chives. She sometimes likes to wrap the bread salad in Bibb lettuce leaves for an inside-out sandwich.
Grilled Ham and Cheese with Strawberry-Red-Wine Jam
The secret to Chris Kronner's delectable sandwiches is the jam spiked with Pinot Noir. Kronner got the idea when he was helping Elisabeth Prueitt test jam recipes while they drank wine.
Serrano Ham and Arugula Salad with Pomegranate Salsa
This vibrant dish, layered with arugula, bright white slices of ricotta salata and strips of salty serrano ham, is the sort of composed salad that Suzanne Goin uses to showcase seasonal ingredients. Another of her favorite winter salads is made with blood oranges, dates and Parmesan cheese.
Ham, Soppressata and Two-Cheese Stromboli
This hearty stromboli, stuffed with several kinds of Italian meats and cheeses, is easy to reheat—or enjoy cold—for a late-night snack.
Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
The combination of pecorino and Parmesan gives these potatoes a great cheesy depth.
Ham and Sausage Strata
The strata needs to be refrigerated for at least 4 hours or overnight before baking, so plan accordingly.
Deviled Eggs With Country Ham
Chef Ford Fry's deviled eggs get their terrific flavor from goat cheese, Dijon mustard and cornichons, plus a topping of country ham from Benton's in Madisonville, Tennessee.
Slow Cooker Chickpea and Ham Hock Stew
Marcia Kiesel credits split pea soup, one of her favorites, as the inspiration for this hearty stew. Like split peas, chickpeas need to simmer for a long time, making them great for a slow cooker.
Grilled Apricots with Burrata, Country Ham and Arugula
Depending on the season, Travis Lett also makes this salad with plums, peaches and pears.
White-Bean-and-Ham Stew
This hearty stew called garbure, from southwestern France, is loaded with vegetables, beans and meat, the exact ingredients depending on availability. Jacques Pépin's version includes ham hocks and cabbage and is topped with toasted bread smothered in melted Gruyère cheese. Traditionally, anyone eating the stew would add some red wine to the last few spoonfuls of broth and sip it straight from the bowl.
Breakfast Biscuit Sandwiches
A giant step up from a fast-food breakfast sandwich, this biscuit is topped with eggs, cheese and country ham, jam optional. These tender biscuits have a salty edge. If you prefer, decrease the amount of salt in the recipe to 1 1/2 tablespoons.
Soft Scrambled Eggs with Ham and Truffles
Light and fluffy, these eggs are gently seasoned and generously perfumed by fresh black truffles. For the perfect creamy, tender bite, pull the eggs off of the heat before they set; they will continue to cook after they leave the stove.
Apple-Ham Quiche
Thin apple and ham slices are rolled together and set in a tender, herby custard sprinkled with sharp white cheddar. For a quicker weeknight dinner, use a frozen 9-inch deep-dish pie shell, blind baked according to package instructions.
Grilled Pineapples with Barbecue-Spiced Breadcrumbs and Country Ham
Slow-grilling whole unpeeled pineapples concentrates their flavor and tenderizes the fruit, which pairs wonderfully with salty country ham and crispy panko seasoned with barbecue spices. Peel the fruit with a large serrated knife, and serve it hot, thinly sliced like ham.
Ham Steaks in Madeira Sauce
Julia Child was a longtime Food & Wine contributor—and a champion of ham. She feared most cooks outside of the South didn’t care much about the beautiful hunk of meat if it wasn’t breakfast, and she was determined to change that. For this recipe, she was inspired by a dish called jambon à la morvandelle, the signature dish of Alexandre Dumaine, one of France’s most famous chefs in the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s. “Although supermarket ham will do, real country ham will give you a dish more like Dumaine’s fabled creation,” wrote Child. Child called the dish, featuring ham steaks basted in a mushroom and Madeira sauce, one of her “fast entrées for fancy people.” She recommended serving them with steamed spinach and mashed potatoes.
Grilled Figs with Ham, Walnuts, and Mint Cream
Frank Stitt, owner of Highlands Bar & Grill in Birmingham, Alabama, started his culinary education by working for the late great cookbook author Richard Olney in Provence, France. This appetizer—in which ripe figs are stuffed with walnuts, wrapped in ham and kissed with the heat of a grill—is a riff on devils on horseback inspired by Olney’s love of seasonal ingredients.
Ham recipes include smoky glazed ham and a gooey ham and two-cheese stromboli. Plus more ham recipes.