Holiday recipes: Ham it up with these down-home creations

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BAKED COUNTRY HAMThere are countless ways to cook a whole country ham, but they boil down to baking or boiling/simmering in water. This simple method, which is sort of a combination of the two, is courtesy of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh's chef Scott Schmucker.In her book "A Love Affair with Southern Cooking: Recipes and Recollections," Jean Anderson notes that when you buy your ham, make sure you have a pot big enough for it, or have your butcher cut off the hock (or do it yourself with a hack saw).1 smoke-cured country ham1/2 cup brown sugar1 cup apple-cider vinegar2 cups waterWith a heavy brush, remove any mold or dark spots from ham (mold is natural due to the long aging process).Place ham into large pot and cover entirely with water and 1/4 cup of apple-cider vinegar.Soak 24 hours. Remove from and discard water, rinse ham and place back into pot.Cover with fresh water and 1/4 cup of apple-cider vinegar. Soak another 24 hours (this removes salt from the curing process)Place ham, fat side up, into a large brazier lined with aluminum foil. Leave enough foil overhanging pan to wrap over ham later.Coat the outside of ham with brown sugar. Pour 2 cups water and 1/2 cup apple-cider vinegar into foil.Carefully fold foil over top of ham, keeping water/vinegar inside, and seal foil.Place into a 325- to 350-degree oven. Cook until ham reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees (28 to 25 minutes per pound).If desired, uncover for final 30 minutes and cook at 425 degrees to crisp and brown fat.Serve with desired sauce.To carve:Trim off most of excess fat.With a meat slicer or carving knife, make very thin slices across the ham to the bone.Then slice along the bone to remove the thin cuts of ham.-- Chef Scott SchmuckerRED-EYE GRAVY2 pounds country ham, sliced1 tablespoon whiskey1 cup coffee, warm and strong1 tablespoon brown sugarIn saute pan or cast-iron skillet heat oil, then fry ham slices to golden brown. Remove ham to platter.Over medium heat add whiskey, coffee and brown sugar to the pan drippings.Bring to a simmer and deglaze bottom of pan.Simmer 3 to 5 minutes and serve over ham.Makes 1 cup of gravy.-- Chef Scott SchmuckerRAISIN SAUCE1 cup raisins1 tablespoon cider vinegar1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (lemon peel grated)1 tablespoon lemon juice1/2 cup brown sugar1-1/2 cups water2 tablespoons cornstarchPlace all ingredients into small saucepan except cornstarch and 1/4 cup of the water.Bring raisin mixture to a simmer.In a small cup or bowl, mix the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of cold water together.Slowly add cornstarch slurry into simmering raisin sauce, while stirring, until completely incorporated.Continue to simmer 5 minutes.Makes 2 cups.-- Chef Scott SchmuckerMARYLAND STUFFED HAMHere's an old recipe with some holiday flair that you can make with a regular "city ham," says Jean Anderson, who includes it in her new book, "A Love Affair with Southern Cooking."It's good served with sweet potatoes and other side dishes in the book. It also contains recipes for Country Ham and Hominy Hash and Snap Beans with Country Ham and Mustard.4 ounces tender young fresh spinach, trimmed of coarse stems, washed well, and patted dry1 cup loosely packed curly parsley leaves1/4 cup loosely packed tender young watercress leaves4 medium scallions, trimmed and chunked (include some green tops)1/4 teaspoon black pepper6- to 7-pound fully cooked, shank-end half ham1-1/2 cups dry white wine (for basting)Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.Finely chop the spinach in two batches by whizzing in a food processor for 10 seconds. As each batch is chopped, empty into a large bowl. Add the parsley, watercress, scallions and pepper to the processor bowl and churn 10 to 12 seconds until finely chopped. Add to the spinach and toss well to combine.Cut away and discard any tough rind on the ham, then trim the outer covering of fat until it is no more than 1/4-inch thick. Using a sharp paring knife, make deep X-shaped cuts over surface of the ham (each prong of the X should be about 1-1/2 inches long), spacing the X's about l-1/2 inches apart.Set the ham on a counter covered with waxed paper, then, using a teaspoon or your fingers, pack the spinach mixture firmly into each cut.This is messy business. Once the ham is completely stuffed, wipe its surface with dampened paper toweling to remove any spatters or spills of filling.Place the ham in an ungreased large shallow roasting pan and slide onto the middle oven shelf. Bake uncovered for 2-1/2 hours or until lightly browned, basting every half hour with the wine.Remove the ham from the oven and let stand for 30 minutes before carving.-- "A Love Affair with Southern Cooking" by Jean Anderson (William Morrow, $32.50)(Bob Batz Jr. can be reached at bbatz(at)post-gazette.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)