Ham in Coke with Cabbage

The boyfriend isn't a very religious man, but he is a firm believer in pork products. More specifically ham. I'm pretty sure he would have ham everyday if he could. For several Christmases now I've had the privilege of sampling the yearly Smithfield Ham while visiting the BF's family near Smithfield, VA. While this Ham in Coke might not be as festive or revered, it's easy enough to make on the weekend and you won't have to wait until Christmas either.

Ham with some halved shallots as we were out of onions.

Then add some coke!
Just about a whole bottle of coke and then let it simmer on the stove top for about 2 hours or until your ham reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Any more, and you'll be left with some dry ham.

Cooked!


Then you want to cut the fat in a diamond pattern and stud each diamond with a clove.

Pat on the rub made of molasses, brown sugar and ground mustard.

The left over ham stock is real tasty for making cabbage. So shred up about 1 head of red cabbage.

Add 2 tbls of red wine vinegar to the stock and bring it to the boil.

Add in the shredded cabbage and cook until tender.

After 15 minutes in the oven, your ham is ready for slicing!

So slice away
And enjoy it with some of the cabbage

Yum!

Ham in Coke with Cabbage
Adapted from Nigella Lawson's Feast: Food to Celebrate

• 5-6lb boneless mild cure ham
• approx 6 12oz can Coke
• 1 onion
• approx. 16 whole cloves
• 3-4 tblsp molasses
• 3 tblsp brown sugar
• 1 tblsp ground mustard
• 1 head red cabbage
• 2 tblsp red wine vinegar
  

Put the ham into a large pot. Add the Coke and the onion, halved, to the ham and if the liquid doesn't cover it then add some water. Put on the heat and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and partially cover the pan. Cook for approx. 2-21/4 hours.

When you are ready to glaze the ham, preheat the oven to 45o degrees F. Remove the ham from the liquid, reserving the liquid for later, and sit the ham on a board. Strip off the rind, and a little of the fat layer if it it's very thick and cut a diamond pattern into the remaining fat with a knife in lines about 3/4 inch apart. Stud each diamond with a clove.

Smear the molasses over the ham and cake on the brown sugar and ground mustard. Sit the ham in a roasting pan on a layer of alumina foil , as the sugar will burn in the oven as it drips off. Put the ham in the oven for about 15 minutes. Take the ham out of the oven and return it to the carving board to rest before your carve it.

To make the cabbage, bring the ham stock back to the boil, add 2 tblsp red wine vinegar and 1 head red cabbage, shredded. Cook for about 30 minutes at a simmer until the cabbage is just soft.