Ok, so about a day and a half later, it was time to get back to the ham. During its long and salty bath, the leg had certainly changed color somewhat.
One thing for sure…it didn’t quite look appetizing yet!
Yup, still just a big hunk of leg.
Into the roasting pan it goes! See you in six and a half hours.
It had to keep roasting until the thickest part of the leg was 150 degrees inside, so after about four hours I had to periodically check the temp inside.
And drumroll…..
It’s finished and it’s coming out!
Yes, it looks a lot more appetizing now, wouldn’t you say?
It definitely looked the part.
So how was it? It was delicious. It actually didn’t taste like ham in the traditional sense; its consistency was almost like turkey, but way more juicy and flavorful than any turkey. Much softer too. In addition, I’d made a jus using the drippings in the pan, and that truly brought it to life. Mmm, salty goodness!
So I think it was a success. Everyone seemed to enjoy it – especially Dad and Uncle! As it was 22 pounds, it also looks like I’ll be eating ham sandwiches for the next month.
i admire your ham-hard work ed! i didn\’t quite cook a 22lb hunk of meat, but my 10lb-er roast was pretty intense too! i actually had to split in in half and roast it as 2 (i did not have a big enough pan). maybe you guys\’ can come over for some roast beef sandwiches & bring over some of your ham sandwiches too!! :)