Cooking Ham – Instructions
When it comes to cooking ham – instructions on the back of the package may not be the easiest to follow. If you have had no luck with this piece of meat in the past, this guide will make your life a bit easier.
If you are going to use a frozen piece of meat, there are numerous ways that you can unthaw it. Whatever you do, do not leave your meat to unthaw on the kitchen counter. Why? The outside of the meat can reach a temperature that is above 40 degrees (F), while the inside of the meat is still frozen. Once any piece of meat reaches this temperature, you risk a bacteria invasion. Instead, consider one of the following methods prior to cooking ham – instructions on how to thaw this meat properly are listed below.
The best way to unthaw this piece of meat is to place it in the refrigerator -- though this method will take awhile (4-6 hours per pound), it will ensure that your ham is thawed safely. Place the meat on the lowest part of the fridge, and place a tray underneath the meat in order to catch any juice that may leak during thawing. Once the meat has thawed, it can be left in the fridge for 3-5 days. Now, on to that cooking part...
When cooking ham – instructions are easy to follow for any type of ham – keep in mind the type of ham that you have purchase. If you have an already cooked piece of meat, simply place it in a pot of boiling water for thirty minutes. If you have a dry-cured piece of meat, soak it in water for one hour to get rid of the extra salt. If you have a fresh piece, simply place it inside of a roasting dish, cover it with a bit of water, add vegetables, and allow it to cook for about one hour or until it is thoroughly cooked.
This type of meat is one of the easiest to prepare, but it is also one of the most rewarding meals for all that will be enjoying it. You can easily place this meat inside of a slow oven (200 degrees), and allow it to cook for 3-4 hours for a great slow-cooked meal, or you can place it inside of a faster oven (350 degrees) to make a meal in a flash.
Before cooking ham – instructions listed on the package will provide a rough guideline – just remember to figure out what sort of meat it is. After that, the rest is as easy as popping it in the oven.