Keisha Shakespeare-Blackmore, Staff Reporter

Grand Appleton Christmas Ham prepared by Martin Maginley, executive chef Grand Lido Negril. - contributed

A Christmas dinner without ham is like ackee without saltfish. Over the years ham has become a key ingredient at Christmas dinners.

Technically, ham is the thigh and buttock of any animal that is slaughtered for meat. But the term is usually restricted to a cut of pork, the haunch of a pig or boar. Although it can be cooked and served fresh, most ham is cured in some fashion.

The whole tradition of curing and eating ham in the festive season started back in slavery. Back then, the ham was cured in a large bucket, or kreng-kreng, by smoking it over a slow fire. Pimento was heavily used in spicing the meat because meat was scarce. This tradition was an especially important family practice for those who could afford it

Today, the process is much easier and more commercialised. In Jamaica, there are two methods of curing ham, home style or commercial.

How to cure ham

The commercial method is the most popular because it is much easier. With this method ingredients such as sodium tripoliphosphate, zesty spice, salt and sugar, among others, are mixed together to form a solution.

1. Thaw the ham for 24 hours. Then use a meat pump or syringe to inject the mixture into the muscle tissues and joints of the ham leg or shoulder.

2. Wrap meat in a mesh 'stocking'. Place the meat in the remaining mixture for 12 hours in the cooling section of the refrigerator.

3. After cooking the ham for 12 hours in a smoke house, it can be eaten at this stage, but if you wish you can cook it some more. If so, remove the stocking then wrap it in aluminium foil and turn it skin side up on a rack over tray with water. The water is used to retain the moisture of the ham as it bakes.

4. Then set the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and let the ham bake for an hour per pound. After it is baked, the end bone will become loose and the skin can be easily removed.

Final stage

5. Dressing the ham: To dress the ham you have to slice the top of the ham in a diamond pattern and add cloves to each corner. Then base with a dressing of your choice, such as honey glaze, and decorate with cherries and pineapple slices. At this point the ham should be placed back in the oven for another 10 minutes to get that perfect brown colour.

Caribbean Glazed Ham

1 lb ham

1 bottle marmalade

2 tsp. orange rind

2 cups orange segment

5 medium ripe banana

2 tbs. lime juice

1/4 cup light packed brown sugar

15 whole cloves

2 tsp. vinegar

Method

1. Bake ham in preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius, 350 degrees Fahrenheit (15 minutes for each pound).

2. In a saucepan over low heat, heat marmalade until it is of a syrupy consistency.

3. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, remove marmalade from heat and blend in orange segments, banana slices and lime juice.

4. Spoon mixture over ham 15 minutes before baking is complete.

5. In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar and vinegar, brush this over ham. Bake ham for a further 15-20 minutes

- Courtesy of www.gracefoods.com

Source: Juley-Wynter-Roberston www.wikepedia.com