Home Care in Boynton Beach FL

There are some foods that are simply synonymous with certain times of year and holidays, and making sure that you keep these foods part of your home care journey with your senior parent helps to preserve the meaning and nostalgia of these seasons much the same as they were throughout your life, stimulating your parent’s memory and ensuring that you can carry these traditions through to future generations.

As Easter approaches, one of the foods that many families will enjoy is ham. This can seem like a daunting meal to prepare when you are also handling the care tasks for your aging parent, but this recipe makes it completely approachable while offering a slight twist on the traditional flavor so that you can give the meal a bit of personality all your own. Be sure to wrap any leftovers and store them in the refrigerator so that your parent can enjoy sandwiches and other meals with her home care provider after the holiday.

What You Will Need

• 8 quarts of water
• 1 eight to ten pound shank end fresh ham with the bone in and skin on
• 2 cups of kosher salt
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 cup of firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 of a cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 of a cup of whole grain mustard
• 1 cup of fresh flat leaf parsley
• 12 fresh chopped sage leaves
• 9 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 of a teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon of kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon of fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 1 gallon of apple cider
• 4 large Spanish onions, cut into 1 inch wedges

What to Do

• Trim, cut and create 1 inch wedges of the Spanish onions and set aside
• Peel and chop the garlic cloves and set aside
• Chop the sage leaves and set aside
• One day before roasting, stir the water with the salt and brown sugar until dissolved in the large plastic container
• Add the cloves, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes and cinnamon stick to the plastic container
• Score the ham in a diamond pattern through the skin and fat
• Add the ham to the brine and weight with a plate to keep it submerged
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, no more than 8
• Remove from the refrigerator and drain, rinse and pat the ham dry
• Return the ham to the refrigerator
• One hour before roasting, remove the ham from the cold
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F
• In the food processor make a paste of the oilive oil, parsley, mustard, sage, garlic, red pepper, salt and black pepper
• Rub the paste over the ham
• In the large roasting pan, toss the onion wedges with 1 cup of the apple cider
• Set the ham on top of the onion wedges and cider
• Place in the oven to roast
• Roast for 30 minutes
• Reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F
• Roast about 4 hours, until the thickest part of the ham reads 165 degrees F
• After the first hour, wrap aluminum foil around the bone loosely, keeping it from burning
• In the saucepan, boil, then simmer the remaining apple cider for about 1 and 1/2 hours, until it is reduced to about 2 cups and is syrupy, skimming as needed
• During the last 1 and 1/2 hours of roasting the ham, brush with the glaze, doing so every 30 minutes afterward
• Transfer the cooked ham to the ovenproof platter
• Place the ovenproof platter in the oven with the heat turned off for 30 minutes to rest
• Loosely cover the onions in the ovenproof bowl
• Place the onions in the oven as well
• Strain the pan juices into a saucepan, skimming off fat
• Bring the juices to a boil
• Add the flour and butter to make a paste, whisking a bit at a time
• Boil until thickened
• Carve the ham, serving with the onions and the thick sauce

If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Professional Home Care in Boynton Beach, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff at Assisting Hands Home Care at 561­-829­-3080 Today.