Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1896-08-23
TO BOIL A HAM.
A Process That Is Not Commonly Undsr-
 stood.

A Process That Is Not Oomhohl2 On@oA-
 stood.
 It sometimes happens that cold boiled ham is a most convenient arti- cle to have in the house in summer. Properly speaking, 8 boiled or praised ham should never be served hot, except in winter season. A well-cured, well- cooked piece of cold boiled ham, how ever, is as digestible as any cold meat. except tender chicken, and it makes the most delicious of potted meats and of rechauffes, and the tenderest, most piquant-flavored of sandwiches. All these small dishes belong peculiarly to summer, because they are articles easi- ly prepared in the cool of the morning, or at any spare time, and do not require long labor in a hot kitchen.
 Few housekeepers understand how to boil ham properly. There are three distinct processes to be observed. First, the soaking and scrubbing of the meat; second, the boiling proper, and, finally, the preparation of the ham for the table. The first process is too often per funetofily performed. The ham IS usu- ally washed off and left to soak over night without any regard to the time ii has been cured. New, fresh cured hams require soaking but a night, or even five or six hours will sometimes suffice, but an old ham may we'll soak from 36 to 4S hours, according to Its age. A sweet sugar-cured domestic ham of last falls curing, which would now be about year old, requires about 12 hours soaking A genuine Vest phalia ham would probably need AS hours soaking The foreign ham Is superior only in price to our best Ken lucky ham or to the output of some of the fancy farms which make a speciality of feeding and curing pork in asuperior manner.
 Begin by scrubbing and scraping the ham. using miniature brush of stiff bristles. Such a brush may be pur- chased at any counter of household mo- tions for five or eight cents, and sev- eral brushes ought to be on hand. When the ham is as clean as it can be made re- move the thigh bone with 9 keen-edged bonine knife, skewer it in shape and put 1t in cold water to soak. Save the thigh bone to add to the stock, and give a slight piquant flavor too often missed in our otherwise well-favored Ameri- can soups and sauces. When the ham is we'll soaked it will yield readily 10 the pressure of the hand. When the ham has stood six hours in water in summer change it and continue to change the water every six hours until it is fit to boil. In winter once in 12 hours is often enough to change the water. Each time you change the water serape off the sliny surface quite sure to be present if the ham is a real Westphalia.
 When the ham is ready to boil rinse and serape it off carefully for the last time, and plunge it into clear, cold water. Let it come slowly to the boil ing point. It is upon the care of the cook at this second period that sue cess depends. The ham must be sim mered, never boiled hard. Ii must be cooked in abundance of water and in a tightly covered kettle. A soup digester is the best kettle in which to cook a small, lean ham, weighing from seven to eight pounds. This is the proper size for boiling.
 Let the ham cook slowly for about five hours, or until it is tender and the bone left in it is loose, It should now be removed from the fire and uncov- cred and set where it will cool in the liquor in which it was cooked. When the water is cold, take out the ham; it is ready to be skinned and prepared for the table in a multitude of ways.
 The most common method is to sprinkle it with very little sugar, then with a few bread crumbs. Dot the sur face of the ham with spots of pepper the size of a three-cent piece, and roast it in very quick oven for about half an hour.-N. Y. Tribune.