Heating and glazing ham: Cover ham tightly with aluminum foil and place in 325 F oven for 12 minutes per pound. Do not overheat. Remove ham from oven approximately 1/2 hour before end of cooking time. Empty contents of glaze packet into a small saucepan. Add 2 Tablespoons of warm water and mix.

Heat glaze mixture on high, stirring constantly. Using glaze brush, apply glaze immediately by brushing it evenly over the surface of the ham. (For a thicker coating, allow glazed ham to cool 2 to 3 minutes before applying it to ham.) Bake glazed ham uncovered at 325 F for 25-30 minutes. Remove glazed ham from the oven and serve. Enjoy!

There are approximately 6 slices in one 8 oz. box.  We normally cut each slice into 4 pieces for 4 tea biscuits—so one box should make 24 small tea biscuits.  24 x 4 boxes = 96 small tea biscuits. It would be about half of that for the large homemade biscuits.

Country Ham Cooking Instructions

Preparation:

1. Soak ham in water, deep enough that it covers the whole ham. Change the water every six hours or so for 24–28 hours. The length of soaking time is important and should be influenced by your taste for salt. The longer the soaking time, the milder the salt taste.
   
2. Rinse ham thoroughly with a stiff brush to remove all pepper and mold.

Top of Stove Cooking Method:

1. Place the ham in a large roasting pan, skin side down and cover with cool water.
   
2. Bring water to 180 F (not quite simmering) and cook to 160 F internal temperature (or about 25 minutes per Lb.) Add water to keep ham covered.
   
3. Remove ham from pan and while it is warm, remove the skin carefully without tearing the fat. If desired, dot the surface with cloves, and then sprinkle with brown sugar and bread crumbs. Place it back in the pan and bake in oven for 15 minutes at 400 F or long enough to brown it nicely.

Oven Cooking Method:

• Wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil, joining the edges carefully to form a vessel with the bottom layer. Within the foil, add 5 cups water (you can use apple juice or 7-Up) and place in oven with a tray or pan underneath it for support.
  
• Preheat the oven to 400 F. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn the oven OFF for 3 hours. Then reheat it to 400 F again and bake for another 20 minutes. Turn the oven OFF and let the ham remain in the oven for 6-8 hours or longer (overnight is satisfactory.) ** Important:  Do NOT open the oven door until the above cooking cycle is completed, including the last 6-8 hours.**

HAM is BEST served at room temperature and sliced paper thin.

How to cut the saltly taste in a Country Ham

A country ham cured by the dry salt cured method will always be salty to some degree. Don't think you can take all the salt out.....it's the nature, taste, flavor and curing of that particular type of ham. To lighten the salt, some people have found it helpful to cook the ham in 7 UP, apple juice, Cola, etc. The sweetness of those things sort of counters the salt but will not remove it completely.

Country Ham and Red Eye Gravy

4 servings

2 1/4 inch thick slices cured Smithfield ham
1/2 cup brewed coffee

Slowly fry ham slices on both sides, in a cast iron skillet until lightly browned on each side. Transfer the slices to a heated plate. Add coffee to the skillet and, over high heat, boil it down, scraping the deglazings on the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Reduce the liquid to almost a glaze and spoon over ham slices. Serve with something mild and traditional like scrambled eggs and grits.