How to Make Chicken Ham

Ham is a cut of meat from the thigh of the hind leg of certain animals, especially pigs. However, we will use the whole chicken instead of pork’s hind leg just to make a variation. Chicken ham is made by soaking the whole chicken in a salt brine for a period of time depending on it’s weight and then cooking and/or smoking it.

Chicken Ham Recipe #1

You’ll need about 12-14 lbs Chicken for this recipe

Brine (curing solution)

Ingredients:

12oz salt
2 tbsp saltpetre
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/3 cup pimento grains
3 quarts boiled water (cooled)
1 small bottle of vinegar
Dried orange peel (pounded to a powder) or nutmeg (optional)

Method:

1. Prepare brine with water, salt, saltpetre, sugar and pimento grains in deep container.
2. Wipe chicken thoroughly with vinegar
3. Pierce chicken with sharp narrow blade knife, or using a syringe, inject brine into the flesh of the chicken.
4. Submerge in brine
5. Place in bottom of the refrigerator
6. Turn every 3-4 days for 2-3 weeks.
7. Remove wrap and place in freezer until ready for use.

Baked Chicken Ham

Ingredients:

Chicken ham (see recipe above)
Whole cloves
Pineapple slices
Red cherries

For Regular Brown Sugar Glaze

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup of pineapple juice
Or try this Orange Glaze
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp soy sauce

Method:

1. Thaw chicken ham in bottom of the refrigerator overnight.
2. Preheat oven at 178ºC or 325ºF.
3. Wrap chicken ham in foil
4. Place ham on wire rack in a shallow baking tin with a small amount of water.
5. Bake at 30 minutes per kg (2.2lbs equals 1 Kilogram)
6. After baking time, remove chicken ham from oven and make diamond-shaped cuts across the surface of the chicken ham.
7. Stud the cuts with cloves; brush on glaze.
8. Decorate with pineapple slices and cherries.
9. Return to oven for 10 minutes and bake until golden brown.

Chicken Ham #2

Ingredient:

Whole chicken

Stock of Saturated Salt Solution (SSSS):

2 cup Salt
8 cup Water
5 cup Boiled water

Pumping Injecting Solution:

1 cup SSSS
1/2 cup Boiled water
2 tsp Prague powder
2 tbsp Sugar (white)
1 tsp Ham spice
1/2 tablet Ascorbic acid (250 mg)

Pickling Solution:

6 cup SSSS
4 cup Boiled water
2 cup Salt
1 tsp Prague powder
8 tbsp Sugar (brown)

Cooking Mixture:

1 1/2 cup Pineapple juice
1 cup Water
1 pc Cloves
3/4 cup Beer
1 cup Sugar
2 pcs Bay leaves

Utensils:

mixing bowl chopping board
casserole tray
measuring cup turner/blow torch
measuring spoon carajay
syringe weighing scale
knife stove

Procedure:

1. Prepare the injecting solution.
2. Inject the solution into the lean portion of the chicken, and massage slightly.
3. Pour the Pickling Solution ingredients. Submerge the carcass into the mixture.
4. Cure for 2 days at room temperature, or 5 days under refrigeration.
5. Wash off excess salt several times and drain. Parboil it in casserole for 2 minutes and discard the cooking water.
6. Cook in Cooking Mixture Solution ingredients until tender.
7. Drain and rub with brown sugar, then bake in the oven at 232°C (450°F) until golden brown.

Source: jamaicaobserver.com, mis.dost.gov.ph, wikipedia