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Home-Cured Holiday Ham
Home-Cured Holiday Ham
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Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
150 minutes
Total Time:
3770 minutes
Transform pork shoulder into flavorful homemade cured ham with Chef John's fantastic multi-day brine recipe.
Ingredients:
  • 18 ounces kosher salt
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 7 teaspoons pink salt #1 (curing salt)
  • 1 tablespoon pickling spice, or to taste
  • 6 quarts water, divided
  • 1 (7 pound) fresh, bone-in pork shoulder ("picnic") arm roast, with the skin still on
  • 1 cup water, or as needed
  • 2 whole star anise
  • 0.25 cup Dijon mustard
  • 0.25 cup maple syrup
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1 pinch salt
Instructions:
  • Combine kosher salt, brown sugar, pink salt, and pickling spice in a large container suitable for brining the ham.
  • Boil 2 quarts water and pour over brine ingredients, whisking to dissolve. Add 1 gallon cold water to cool the mixture.
  • With a sharp knife, create a diamond-shaped pattern on the skin side of the pork roast by cutting into the fat beneath the skin without piercing the meat, scoring about 1 inch apart in both directions.
  • Gently submerge roast, skin-side up, into brine. Place a plate on top to keep it fully immersed. Refrigerate based on weight (1 day per 2 pounds of pork). Remember to flip the roast halfway through brining.
  • Take the roast out of the brining liquid and discard it. Place the roast back in the brining container and cover it with fresh cold water to rinse off the salt. Let it soak for a few minutes to overnight, depending on your preferred saltiness level. Remove the roast from the water and pat it dry with paper towels.
  • Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
  • Pour in 1 cup of water and drop in 2 whole star anise into a roasting pan. Gently position the roast on a rack inside the pan.
  • Roast the ham in the preheated oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 130 to 135 degrees F (55 to 58 degrees C), approximately 2 hours. Remember to add a splash more water if it has nearly evaporated.
  • Turn up oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C and keep roasting ham until skin is browned, crispy, and internal temperature reaches 145 to 150 degrees F (63 to 66 degrees C).
  • Prepare the irresistible glaze by combining mustard, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and salt in a bowl. Brush the delectable glaze onto the baked ham and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
  • Savor and relish!

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