How to Cook a Virginia Ham

Cooking a Virginia ham is time-consuming, yet not difficult. Most of the time spent is in soaking the ham. It is very important to soak the ham for a minimum of 24 hours before cooking to make the ham tender and juicy. Part of the cooking process is boiling the ham in liquid. You can use a variety of different liquids, from cola to water. In this recipe for cooking a Virginia ham, we use pineapple juice.

Things You'll Need

• Virginia ham
• Pineapple juice
• Black cloves
• White vinegar
• Brown sugar

Instructions

1. Rinse the Virginia ham completely. Fill your clean kitchen sink with cold water. Place the ham in the sink and let it soak for 24 to 36 hours. Remove the ham and wash again.

2. Place the Virginia ham in a large roaster. Cover with 1 gallon of pineapple juice. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes per pound.

3. Remove the ham and peel off its skin. Let the ham cool slightly so that you do not burn yourself when peeling. Use a knife to carve off excess fat, if necessary.

4. Put the ham in large baking pan with the fat side up. Push cloves in the ham about 1 inch apart. Cover the top side completely with the cloves.

5. Mix 1 cup of brown sugar with enough white vinegar to form a paste. Spread the paste over the ham.

6. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the ham for 30 minutes. Remove the Virginia ham from the oven and let it cool. Carve the ham when it has thoroughly cooled down. Garnish with pineapple, if desired.

Tips & Warnings

• If desired, top the sliced ham with crushed pineapple or pineapple rings and broil it in the oven for 5 minutes before serving.

• Be careful when handling a hot ham. Use oven mitts to remove the ham from the oven.