1. Food & Drink

Video:How to Boil Ham

with Matt Ediger

Learn how to boil ham correctly by following these instructions. Here, see step-by-step directions for how to boil ham at home.

Transcript:How to Boil Ham

Hi, I'm Matt Ediger for about.com and this how to boil a ham.

Why Boil Ham?

Boiling a ham can be a new trick for an old standby. We can add a southern flair to this dish by the addition of collard greens instead of the traditional cabbage.

Ingredients to Boil Ham

For this recipe you will need the following:
  • A small ham under ten pounds is recommended
  • A small head of cabbage or collard greens
  • A can of beans of your choice, we’ll be using kidney beans

Tip for Boiling Ham

If you've bought a salted ham make sure to soak it overnight to remove some of the salt content before boiling.

Instructions for How to Boil Ham

The cooking procedures are as follows: Wash and scrape the ham, be careful not to pierce the meat as this will let out juices. Next place it into the pot and fill with water until the ham is covered by three inches of water. Place the ham onto the stove and boil it slowly for about 25 minutes per pound. You will need to skim the surface regularly and keep and eye on the level of water you should always keep the ham covered. Before boiling is completed preheat your oven to 350 and ready your beans, cabbage or collard greens Once boiling is finished remove the ham and place it onto a baking pan, then place it into your preheated oven for 30 minutes to complete the cooking process. If you’d like you can brush the ham with a couple of beaten eggs and some breadcrumbs. Boil the vegetables for the length of time the ham is in the oven. Once out of the oven it may be necessary to skin the ham. Let if cool off before doing so. You can garnish the ham in whatever way you’d like. Now you have a new relatively easy dish to serve at family functions.

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