Coca-Cola Ham Recipe

Origin: America      Period: Traditional

This is a recipe for curing your own ham in a Coca-Cola based brine. Ham itself is the hind leg of a pig and you need to buy a fresh whole leg. To prepare it's easiest if you cut the leg into two parts, the sirloin (top of the leg) and the shank. You need a large refrigerator to keep the meat cool whilst brining, but you can also bring the meat in an insulated cooler as long as you continually add freezer packes to keep the meat well chilled.

Ingredients:

1 (3.5kg) bone-in fresh half leg of pork with skin, preferably shank end, rinsed, or boneless pork loin

For the Brine:
300g sea salt
3 (2-liter) bottles of Coca-Cola Classic
2 heads of garlic, cloves separated, lightly crushed and peeled
10 bay leaves
75g black peppercorns, crushed

For the Garlic and Herb Rub:
80g fresh sage leaves
40g fresh parsley leaves
8 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
60ml olive oil Coca-Cola Glaze with Lime and Jalapeno glaze

Coca-Cola Ham Preparation:

Method:

Carefully slice through skin and fat with serrated knife, making a 2.5cm diamond pattern (but be careful not to cut into the meat). Now take a large clean bucket or stock pot (at least 15l) add the Coke and dissolve salt in this. Now add the garlic, bay leaves and crushed peppercorns. Submerge the ham in this brine mix and refrigerate for at least 12 and preferably 24 hours.

Remove the meat from the brine then rinse under cold water and set on a wire rack in a large roasting pan on a baking tray (this gives extra support and makes it easier to handle). Make sure you set the meat with the cut side down. Allow the meat to warm to room temperature for 1 hour before proceeding.

In the meantime prepare the rub. Combine the sage, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper and olive oil in a food process and pulse until smooth. Rub the resultant paste all over the ham then transfer the meat to an oven pre-heated to 220°C and roast for 20 minutes. At this time reduce the oven temperature to 170°C and continue roasting for about 150 minutes longer (or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat) measures 60°C. During this time, brush the ham with the Coca-Cola Glaze with Lime and Jalapeno glaze.

When done, remove the ham to a cutting block, tent loosely with foil and allow to rest for 30 minutes before carving and serving.

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