Kurobuta Ham with Sweet & Savory Breadcrumbs
Category
Ham
Servings
6 to 8
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
3 hours
This is a super tasty ham for any
holiday or occasion. Breadcrumbs mixed with chopped prunes and bacon encase the
ham with smoky pork flavor and the sweetness. This combination is the perfect
accompaniment to create a super moist ham with lots of flavor.
You can make the breadcrumbs up to a week
before to save on prep time, or you can easily get it done while the ham is
roasting in the oven. You want to have enough breadcrumb mixture to pack it
generously over the entire ham. If you have leftover breadcrumb mixture, place
in an airtight container, and keep it in the fridge. It’s delicious sprinkled
on top of cooked vegetables, lamb, pasta, etc.
Sarah Kelly
Ingredients
-
1 Kurobuta whole bone-in ham
-
3 cups of water
-
8 cups cubes of challah or brioche bread- about 1 large loaf
-
1 lb. Kurobuta bacon
-
2 cups pitted prunes
-
½ lb. butter, plus more if needed
-
¾ cups mustard, preferably Dijon
-
2 cups brown sugar
Directions
Set oven to 325°F.
Whisk the mustard and brown sugar in a bowl and set aside.
Place ham fat side up in a large roasting pan. Score the top fat cap of the ham with a knife in a cross hatch pattern without cutting too deep into the meat, aim just for the fat cap.
Add 3 cups water to the bottom of the pan. Cover with foil and cook for 2 hours.
Remove ham from oven and uncover ham. Brush with half the mustard and brown sugar glaze, cover and cook for 1/2 more hour or until the internal temperature is about 130 to 135°F. The finished temperature of the ham should be 140°F.
Take the cover off and cook for an additional ½ hour to let the glaze firm up.
Turn oven to 400°F.
Spread the rest of the glaze over the pan. Firmly press the breadcrumb mixture all over the top and sides of the ham, using the glaze to adhere the breadcrumbs.
Leave uncovered and cook for 15 minutes. Pull ham from oven and let rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
Dice the bacon into the smallest pieces possible. PRO TIP: Throw the bacon in the freezer for an hour before cutting to make this easier.
Chop the pitted prunes into the smallest size you can without mushing them up.
Cube the brioche into large pieces.
Cook the bacon in a large sauté pan until crisp and done but not overcooked as you will be cooking again in oven. Take bacon out of pan with a slotted spoon keeping the fat in the pan.
Add ⅓ of the butter to pan, on medium heat. Add the bread cubes in batches browning on all sides. Continue to remove finished pieces and place on a sheet tray. Continue the process until all the bread cubes are toasted.
Let cool completely, then pulse the toasted bread in a food processor to a medium grind.
Move breadcrumbs to a bowl and toss with the cooked bacon and prunes. Store any leftover mix in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.