
This recipe is a modified recipe from Alton Brown. Ham is often served at Easter but don't just save it for the holiday. This recipe is easy and very good.
Includes both the butt and shank cuts of the leg. The whole ham can weigh 10 to 20 pounds.

Butt
The upper cut of the hog's hind leg. The butt end is meatier but contains more fat than the shank end of the whole ham and is harder to carve because it contains the hip and pelvic bone. If the cut is found labeled " butt half", it has not had the center ham slice removed. If the center slice has been cut from it, the cut will be labeled " butt portion".
The upper cut of the hog's hind leg. The butt end is meatier but contains more fat than the shank end of the whole ham and is harder to carve because it contains the hip and pelvic bone. If the cut is found labeled " butt half", it has not had the center ham slice removed. If the center slice has been cut from it, the cut will be labeled " butt portion".

Shank
Lower cut of the hog's hind leg. The shank end contains less fat, is not as meaty as the butt end, but it contains only one leg bone, making it easier to carve. It has a slightly sweeter flavor. If the cut is found labeled "shank half", it has not had the center ham slice removed. If the center slice has been cut from it, the cut will be labeled "shank portion".
Lower cut of the hog's hind leg. The shank end contains less fat, is not as meaty as the butt end, but it contains only one leg bone, making it easier to carve. It has a slightly sweeter flavor. If the cut is found labeled "shank half", it has not had the center ham slice removed. If the center slice has been cut from it, the cut will be labeled "shank portion".

Also referred to as center cut ham steak, this cut is approximately ½ to 1 inch thick and is sliced from the center of the ham where the butt end and shank end are separated. It is available cured and smoked. The center ham slice is the best cut from the ham.
Recipe
Ingredients:
(1) "City Ham" which is basically any brined ham that's packed in a plastic bag, held in a refrigerated case. The ham will be marked "ready to cook", " "ready to serve" or "partially cooked". Better city hams are also labeled "ham in natural juices". For this recipe use the butt or the shank both are fine.
1/4 c. brown mustard 62g (yellow mustard will work)
2 c. brown sugar (400g)
1 oz. bourbon (you can use rum or skip the alcohol all together)
2 c. fine whole grain bread crumbs (215g)
1 T. fresh grated ginger or (1 1/2 tsp dry ginger)
Directions:
Heat the oven to 250 degrees F.
-Remove the ham from the bag, rinse and drain thoroughly. Place ham, cut side down, in a roasting pan. Using a small knife score the ham from the bottom to the top. Spiraling clockwise as you cut. Careful only to cut through the skin and the first few layers of fat. Rotate the ham so that the scores are no more than 2 inches across. Now cut in the opposite direction all the way around. The idea is to create a diamond pattern all over the ham. Don't worry if it's not perfect.
Ingredients:
(1) "City Ham" which is basically any brined ham that's packed in a plastic bag, held in a refrigerated case. The ham will be marked "ready to cook", " "ready to serve" or "partially cooked". Better city hams are also labeled "ham in natural juices". For this recipe use the butt or the shank both are fine.
1/4 c. brown mustard 62g (yellow mustard will work)
2 c. brown sugar (400g)
1 oz. bourbon (you can use rum or skip the alcohol all together)
2 c. fine whole grain bread crumbs (215g)
1 T. fresh grated ginger or (1 1/2 tsp dry ginger)
Directions:
Heat the oven to 250 degrees F.
-Remove the ham from the bag, rinse and drain thoroughly. Place ham, cut side down, in a roasting pan. Using a small knife score the ham from the bottom to the top. Spiraling clockwise as you cut. Careful only to cut through the skin and the first few layers of fat. Rotate the ham so that the scores are no more than 2 inches across. Now cut in the opposite direction all the way around. The idea is to create a diamond pattern all over the ham. Don't worry if it's not perfect.
-Tent the ham with foil, and insert a thermometer. Cook for 3-4 hours or until the internal temperature at the deepest part of the meat is 130 degrees F.
-Remove from the oven and use tongs to pull away the diamonds which will remove most of the fat from the outside of the ham.
-Remove from the oven and use tongs to pull away the diamonds which will remove most of the fat from the outside of the ham.
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Dab the ham dry with a paper towel
-Apply a thick coat of the mustard with a brush, or your hands
-Mix the brown sugar and the ginger. With your hands sprinkle and press onto the ham covering the layer of mustard
- The next layer is the bread crumbs (get them moist before if that works better for you). Apply over the sugar and spritz with the bourbon or water to help the crumbs stay in place. Cover thickly over the whole ham. Spray to keep the crumbs on the ham. This is a bit of a mess and it will look like one huge bread crumb when done.
-Insert a thermometer (not in the same hole) and return the ham to the oven uncovered. Cook until the interior temperature reaches 140 degrees F. about 1 hour.
-Once done let it sit for 30 minutes before carving it.
Dab the ham dry with a paper towel
-Apply a thick coat of the mustard with a brush, or your hands
-Mix the brown sugar and the ginger. With your hands sprinkle and press onto the ham covering the layer of mustard
- The next layer is the bread crumbs (get them moist before if that works better for you). Apply over the sugar and spritz with the bourbon or water to help the crumbs stay in place. Cover thickly over the whole ham. Spray to keep the crumbs on the ham. This is a bit of a mess and it will look like one huge bread crumb when done.
-Insert a thermometer (not in the same hole) and return the ham to the oven uncovered. Cook until the interior temperature reaches 140 degrees F. about 1 hour.
-Once done let it sit for 30 minutes before carving it.