Boiled Ham

Have a coarse hand brush for cleaning hams, as it is impossible to get them clean by simply washing them. Cover with cold water, add one-half teacupful of molasses, and simmer slowly. A ham weighing twelve pounds, will require five hours boiling. After it is boiled, take off the skin and rub it all over with an egg, then strew bread crumbs over it; baste with butter, and set it in the oven until it is baked a light brown. A ham has an excellent flavor if boiled as follows: Before cooking, soak in vinegar and water, then boil in water with two heads of celery, two or three turnips, same of onions (if wished), and a handful of sweet herbs; put the ham in cold water and let it heat very gradually; allow an hour's boiling to every four pounds.

Broiled Ham

Cut the ham in slices of medium thickness, place on a hot gridiron, and broil until the fat flows out and the meat is slightly browned, take from the gridiron with a knife and fork, drop into a pan of cold water, then return again to the gridiron, repeat several times, and the ham is done; place on a hot platter, add a few lumps of butter and serve at once. If too fat trim off a part; it is almost impossible to broil the fat part without burning, but this does not impair the taste. Pickled pork and breakfast bacon may be broiled in the same way.

Fried Ham

Place the slices in boiling water and cook till tender; put in a frying-pan and brown, and dish on a platter; fry some eggs by dipping gravy over them till done, instead of turning; take up carefully and lay them on the slices of ham. This is a tempting dish, and if nicely prepared, quite ornamental.

How To Cure Hams

Make a pickle of salt and water, with one ounce of saltpetre and half a pint molasses or one-fourth pound brown sugar for each ham of ordinary size; pack hams as closely as possible in barrel, sprinkle on a little salt, and pour over them the pickle, boiling hot. Let them remain two weeks, take out, drain a few days, and smoke according to taste. Corn-cobs or sawdust are best for this purpose. To keep hams after curing, wrap in brown paper, and place in a tight bag so as to secure from flies.