A celebration of any size on New Year’s can be difficult for the cook. Unlike the steeped-in-tradition Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts, your guests rarely sit at one table simultaneously for this event. Add in the cocktails and countdowns and managing a menu to satisfy everyone can be a challenge. With a large ham for a crowd you can serve it any number of ways to fit the occasion, table seating or not. Sliced thin and made into bite-sized sandwiches or used to top appetizers like my favourite devilled eggs, the portion need not be huge to get a burst of ‘firecracker’ flavour. If you do manage to gather a flock it can just as easily be the main dish to whatever strange array of side dishes you force your guests to bring along.
Ham and pineapple are a well known combination albeit a bit dull. I wake up a first glaze to make things interesting with heat then add in a second sweet coating to caramelize and crisp in a hotter oven for the finish. Don’t be afraid of the extra hot chiles here because the long slow cooking will mellow them out enough for even the most timid of tastes. The recipe works with pre-cooked and/or smoked shanks just as well as with uncooked joints. You’ll simply need to simmer the latter in (spiced) water for a time to get to the point of glazing.
Firecracker Ham with Pineapple & Fresh (Hot) Chiles
One large ham or pork cut (butt or shank), 3-4 kg, bone-in
1 large carrot
1 rib celery
1 large onion
4 – 5 cloves fresh garlic
Hot chiles to taste, e.g. 2 habaneros or 6 thai bird’s eye
1 teaspoon white peppercorn, freshly ground
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cloves, freshly ground
1/4 of a whole nutmeg, grated freshly
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust according to the salt already in the pork)
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup (ish) of any rum handy
1 cup pineapple flesh
1/2 cup brown sugar
Yield: One large ham for a party
If starting with uncooked pork, submerge the cut in water and bring to a low simmer with any selection of aromatics desired. Simmer on low heat for two hours until a centre temperature above 50C (120F) is reached. Remove any skin leaving the fat cap intact and allow to cool before proceeding as below.
Remove the pre-cooked or smoked ham from any packaging/netting and place on a large roasting tray using the celery and carrot to raise the pork off the bottom of the pan. Make the first glaze by combining the remaining ingredients except for pineapple flesh and sugar in a food processor and blending until smooth. Add 1/2″ water to the bottom of the baking tray and cover the pork with the glaze liberally. Seal the pan tightly with foil. Bake at 135C (275F) for 60 – 90 minutes until an internal temperature at the centre reaches 55C (130F).
Blend the pineapple flesh and sugar into a thick slurry using the same food processor. Remove the foil cover and coat the ham with the pineapple slurry thickly. Raise the oven temperature to 180C (350F) and bake uncovered until the glaze is dark and thickened, about another hour, and the internal temperature at the centre reaches 65C (150F). Remove and cover with foil and heavy towels to rest at least thirty minutes before slicing, chopping, or otherwise devouring.
Note: The juices collected during cooking can be reduced to make a sauce however be careful of salt levels as some pre-cooked meats can render quite a lot of salt during their reheating. Some juices that are too salty will be (sadly) unusable without a lot of thinning and manipulation.
