Irish ham is cured and smoked over peat or juniper, giving it a spicy, evergreen flavor. It requires soaking overnight before cooking and is often served with savory basting sauces. It can be expensive, but country-style hams make a good substitute. Serving it in thin slices with water-rich foods can help reduce its strong flavor.
Irish ham tends to refer to ham made in Belfast or Limerick. It is usually part or most of a pork leg, which can be deboned. It’s not hard to see why many people sing its praises, even ordering it from Ireland for the authentic taste. Unlike other types of hams, Irish ham is cured or brined, then smoked over peat or juniper. This gives it a spicy, evergreen flavor that many find simply delightful.
You may be able to find imported Irish ham in specialty markets, particularly if they import from Ireland or the UK. Sometimes, particularly around Easter and Christmas, butchers may order some, or you can talk to your butcher about ordering one. This type of ham requires some work to prepare. It must be soaked overnight before being cooked. If you’re buying a small portion of Irish ham and not a whole one, you can usually omit this soaking process. Even if cured and smoked, ham is raw, so it absolutely must be cooked completely before serving.
Although in the United States, coiled hams and the like tend to garnish or baste a ham with sweet flavors, most recipes for Irish ham lean toward savory basting sauces. You’ll find numerous recipes, many of which include beer, mustard, and/or whiskey. You can definitely use a sweeter stuffed sauce like one containing brown sugar or honey if that’s your preference.
If you’re having trouble finding Irish ham, you can always turn to the internet, probably the best source for buying them. They can be expensive; expect to pay around five US dollars (USD) to a pound for them. Alternatively, while you may miss the peat smoke and juniper flavor, most country-style hams will make a good substitute for Irish ham. Country hams and Irish hams take a bit of work to prepare as they require soaking overnight in most cases. Some also complain that the brining process leaves the hams too salty.
If well soaked, the ham should have a less salty taste and serving it in thin slices can help reduce its strong flavour. It may also help to serve ham with water-rich foods such as fruit. Although saltier flavors tend to be preferred with this type of ham, those who dislike a salty flavor may prefer the ham if it is garnished with fruit such as pineapple.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
