The vacation desk typically arms the highlight straight to the cured ham—the shiny, blush-pink showboat whose sweetness and rosy inside virtually beg for applause. Whether or not it is Christmas, New 12 months’s Day, or Easter, the cured ham struts in prefer it owns the place. However I am right here to argue {that a} recent ham—correctly seasoned, deeply burnished, and roasted till juicy—is infinitely higher.

It delivers all of the grandeur and carve-table pleasure you need from a centerpiece roast, but it surely’s much less anticipated, extra pork-forward, and sometimes way more reasonably priced than cuts like beef tenderloin or prime rib that dominate this time of 12 months. The catch is that it solely shines once you season it completely and cook dinner it with intention. Fortunately, that comes down to a couple key steps that our colleague Julia Levy from our Birmingham, Alabama, check kitchen has perfected in her recipe under.

Choose the Proper Lower

Not like its cured cousin, recent ham (generally labeled “inexperienced ham” in butcher-speak, relying on the place you reside) is solely a bone-in pork roast from the hind leg. In case your butcher appears to be like puzzled, specify recent, uncured, skin-on ham. These phrases matter. You may see shank-end and sirloin-end choices; we favor the shank finish as a result of it is simpler to carve and presents extra predictable cooking. That mentioned, any recent ham will work so long as you begin with sufficient mass—an 8- to 10-pound roast hits the candy spot for even cooking and dramatic presentation. 

Prep and Season Like You Imply It

Contemporary ham is not wealthy and fatty like pork shoulder—it is comparatively lean—so the way you prep it immediately impacts juiciness. Purchase it skin-on and take away the pores and skin your self. This ensures a thick fats cap that you would be able to trim right down to a tidy 1/4- to 1/2-inch layer of fats your self. That fats cap is your built-in self-basting mechanism, insulating the lean meat. Crosshatching is not only for present: Scoring permits the fats to render extra effectively, creates crisp, bronzed edges, and lets salt work its manner deeper into the meat.

Seasoning a roast this measurement is not a sprinkle-and-go scenario. Julia depends on our go-to Critical Eats dry-brining strategy, which makes use of time and diffusion to season the meat all through. Salt strikes slowly however persistently from the outside towards the middle, dissolving muscle proteins alongside the way in which so the ham retains extra moisture because it cooks. Slicing a small inside pocket additional provides the seasoning mix a direct path inward; the pocket is not seen as soon as the ham roasts, however the taste it delivers is plain. Together with the salt and sugar, Julia layers in aromatics—garlic, orange zest, thyme, rosemary, fennel—for a festive, vibrant taste.

Roast for Juiciness, Not for Pulled Pork

A standard mistake is treating recent ham like pork shoulder and blasting it with warmth till it is fall-apart tender. Do not. This minimize would not have the identical connective tissue to resist excessive ultimate temperatures. In case you take it to 160°F or past, it dries out quick. As an alternative, roast low and gradual till the meat reaches about 130°F, then end with a high-heat glaze stage to carry it to roughly 140°F earlier than resting. Because it sits, carryover warmth nudges it as much as a ultimate inner temperature of about 150–155°F—completely cooked, nonetheless juicy, now not pink.

Add a Candy Glaze—however Not Too Quickly

The glaze—maple syrup, bourbon, Dijon, black pepper—goes on solely on the finish, as soon as the meat is almost achieved. Earlier, and it might burn; later, and it would not have time to set. This two-stage glazing creates a lacquered, burnished floor with out compromising tenderness.

Serving the Ham

As soon as the ham has rested, carving is simple. Slice throughout the grain into neat, 1/4-inch items and switch them to a platter. No matter you do, if there are any remaining pan drippings, do not toss them. The oranges that roasted below the ham fragrance the drippings with a refined citrus heat, and spooning that liquid over the sliced meat proper earlier than serving provides moisture and brightness.