Stuffed Country Ham

Joined
Nov 26, 2016
Location
central NC

Pinterest
Easter Sunday is almost here and for many of us that means having ham for dinner. While looking for some recipes, I discovered, ''300 Years of Black Cooking in St. Mary’s County, Md.'' Published in 1976 by the St. Mary’s County bicentennial committee, it is no longer in print, but it described a Civil Era country ham stuffed with spring greens:

''Holidays were days when the jowls were taken out of the smokehouse and distributed to the slaves. Some slaves were allowed to tend small vegetable gardens from which they took such vegetables as greens (kale), cabbage, 'greasy greens' (wild watercress), turnip tops, or any green that was plentiful. The greens were chopped, and stuffed into pockets in the 'jowl' or jaw bones. This was tied up in a rag and boiled until it was tender. When cooled, this made a very tasty meal.''

The best parts of the pig, including the hams, were reserved for the masters, and according to the cookbook, the masters had their hams stuffed in the same fashion. It appears the custom of stuffing hams with greens has not spread far, only from St. Mary’s County to the rest of southern Maryland. ''Stuffed-ham season” was observed from Thanksgiving to Easter.

The combination of wilted greens is supposed to mellow the taste of country ham. The contrast of the green of the stuffing with the pink of the ham in each slice should also make for an attractive presentation.


Ingredients:

4 large green cabbages (about 3 pounds each)

3 pounds kale

6 medium onions

1 bunch celery

3 red hot peppercorns or 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons dry mustard or mustard seed

1 (18- to 20-pound) precooked country ham


Directions:

1. Wash the greens and chop cabbage, kale, celery and onions medium fine. Chop peppercorns finely. Put vegetables and seasonings in large pot with water almost to the top of the vegetables. Bring to a boil; stir. Cover pot and turn heat off. Let vegetables wilt for about 10 minutes. Drain and reserve cooking water. Cool vegetables until you can handle them.

2. Starting on the underside of the ham, make an ''X'' about 1 inch long and between 1/2 and 1 inch deep. Stuff ''X's'' with vegetables until no more will fit in. Continue making ''X's'' as close together as possible all over the ham and stuffing them until you can't find any more places to put holes.

3. Place the ham in a double thickness of cheesecloth. Place any remaining vegetables on top of the ham; tie the cheesecloth into a bag and place in pot with liquid drained from cooking the vegetables and any left in the pan in which the vegetables cooled. Use water to cover the ham with liquid.

4. Cover pot and bring liquid to boil. Reduce heat to soft boil and cook ham about 5 or 6 hours, until tender. Add water as needed to keep ham covered.

5. Cool in cooking liquid in a cool place. Then drain ham for an hour. Remove from bag and slice. Yield: 25 to 30 servings.


NOTES: Southern Maryland cooks use a corned or country ham, but it is possible to use a precooked ham with bone. Ham should be prepared a day ahead. Recipe may be halved, using a 10-pound ham.


Source: Alice Shorter "in a remote part of Maryland"
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Pinterest
Easter Sunday is almost here and for many of us that means having ham for dinner. While looking for some recipes, I discovered, ''300 Years of Black Cooking in St. Mary’s County, Md.'' Published in 1976 by the St. Mary’s County bicentennial committee, it is no longer in print, but it described a Civil Era country ham stuffed with spring greens:

''Holidays were days when the jowls were taken out of the smokehouse and distributed to the slaves. Some slaves were allowed to tend small vegetable gardens from which they took such vegetables as greens (kale), cabbage, 'greasy greens' (wild watercress), turnip tops, or any green that was plentiful. The greens were chopped, and stuffed into pockets in the 'jowl' or jaw bones. This was tied up in a rag and boiled until it was tender. When cooled, this made a very tasty meal.''

The best parts of the pig, including the hams, were reserved for the masters, and according to the cookbook, the masters had their hams stuffed in the same fashion. It appears the custom of stuffing hams with greens has not spread far, only from St. Mary’s County to the rest of southern Maryland. ''Stuffed-ham season” was observed from Thanksgiving to Easter.

The combination of wilted greens is supposed to mellow the taste of country ham. The contrast of the green of the stuffing with the pink of the ham in each slice should also make for an attractive presentation.


Ingredients:

4 large green cabbages (about 3 pounds each)

3 pounds kale

6 medium onions

1 bunch celery

3 red hot peppercorns or 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

Salt to taste

2 teaspoons dry mustard or mustard seed

1 (18- to 20-pound) precooked country ham


Directions:

1. Wash the greens and chop cabbage, kale, celery and onions medium fine. Chop peppercorns finely. Put vegetables and seasonings in large pot with water almost to the top of the vegetables. Bring to a boil; stir. Cover pot and turn heat off. Let vegetables wilt for about 10 minutes. Drain and reserve cooking water. Cool vegetables until you can handle them.

2. Starting on the underside of the ham, make an ''X'' about 1 inch long and between 1/2 and 1 inch deep. Stuff ''X's'' with vegetables until no more will fit in. Continue making ''X's'' as close together as possible all over the ham and stuffing them until you can't find any more places to put holes.

3. Place the ham in a double thickness of cheesecloth. Place any remaining vegetables on top of the ham; tie the cheesecloth into a bag and place in pot with liquid drained from cooking the vegetables and any left in the pan in which the vegetables cooled. Use water to cover the ham with liquid.

4. Cover pot and bring liquid to boil. Reduce heat to soft boil and cook ham about 5 or 6 hours, until tender. Add water as needed to keep ham covered.

5. Cool in cooking liquid in a cool place. Then drain ham for an hour. Remove from bag and slice. Yield: 25 to 30 servings.


NOTES: Southern Maryland cooks use a corned or country ham, but it is possible to use a precooked ham with bone. Ham should be prepared a day ahead. Recipe may be halved, using a 10-pound ham.


Source: Alice Shorter "in a remote part of Maryland"
This is rathher interesting as i have never heard of a stuffed country ham before.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I grew up with this. We'd have it for Easter AND Christmas. Grandpa was from St. Mary's county. It is incredibly delicious but VERY labor intensive. These days, when I want one, I get it from the country store in Tall Timbers. WJ Dent & Son. They ship them out (which isn't cheap) but I'm only a couple hours away and it's a nice drive, so I'm able to pick them up, thank heavens.

I have yet to meet anyone outside of southern Maryland who has ever heard of this wonderful dish.
 
I grew up with this. We'd have it for Easter AND Christmas. Grandpa was from St. Mary's county. It is incredibly delicious but VERY labor intensive. These days, when I want one, I get it from the country store in Tall Timbers. WJ Dent & Son. They ship them out (which isn't cheap) but I'm only a couple hours away and it's a nice drive, so I'm able to pick them up, thank heavens.

I have yet to meet anyone outside of southern Maryland who has ever heard of this wonderful dish.

It does sound delicious. I would love to give it a try!
 
I remember the "smokehouse" where my grandmother kept hams and other meats at her home in southeastern Ky. I don't remember any stuffing in the ham. Today, I prefer spiraled cut pre-cooked hams from the store which I just bought yesterday for Easter dinner. I do not like the taste of country ham.
 
Back
Top