Joulukinkku (Christmas Ham) Recipe #3

This recipe comes by way of Beatrice A. Ojakangas, who introduced it in The Finnish Cookbook (1964), as "directions for preparing a fresh ham...taken from an old Finnish cookbook."

Start 2 weeks before Christmas Eve (you still have just about enough time to make it!!!).

1. You need one fresh ham with skin on.
2. Make gashes over entire surface of ham.
3. Rub with mixture of equal portions of salt, sugar and saltpeter.
4. Force the salt from the bony end of the ham as far as possible into the meaty portion.
5. Allow to stand in a cool place overnight.
6. On following day, place ham in 20% salt solution.
7. Let stand in salt solution for 2 weeks.
8. Check water and turn ham over several times during this period.
9. After 2 weeks, remove ham from water, and drain - discarding water.
10. Make a very thick dough using rye flour and water.
11. Roll dough out to 3.4 inch thickness.
    
12. Completely encase the ham with the rolled out rye crust.
13. Make sure ham is well sealed with crust.
14. Bake in slow oven for 1 hour for 1st two pounds, and 45 minutes for each additional pound.
15. When ham is done, remove rye crust and remove skin with a sharp knife.
16. Spread the surface of ham with a 1/8th inch coating of Finnish-style mustard (see below).
17. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and brown sugar, patting them down firmly.
18. (At this point, I would add cloves, as in recipe #2).
19. Brown ham in moderate oven for about 30 minutes.
20. After removing ham from oven, you could garnish with cooked prunes.
    
21. Each pound of ham serves about 3 people.

I actually made my ham this way several Christmases - when I could get hold of a nice "fresh" ham from a reputable butcher. Must say it was absolutely delicious! So juicy and flavorful!

Finnish-Style Mustard

In our house, it was my dad who always made the Finnish mustard, which we used not only to baste the ham, but also as an accompaniment to it, together with lingonberry sauce.

4 tablespoons powdered dry mustard
2-4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons boiling water
1 tablespoon vinegar

1. In small bowl, combine mustard, sugar and salt.
2. Mix water and vinegar together and stir into dry ingredients.
3. Place over hot water (double boiler).
4. Stir slowly to make a smooth paste, but do NOT beat.
5. Cook until smooth and thickened.
6. The mustard will be slightly 'runny'.
   

Makes about 1/3 cup.