Vande Rose Farms Applewood Smoked Artisan Uncured Ham

Bonnie: Uncured ham? I’d eaten uncured bacon, but had never handled uncured ham.

Having just started tweeting, I thought I’d ask the fellow foodies who I was following on Twitter: “Received an artisan uncured ham. How would YOU prepare it? All suggestions welcome!”

“Is it fresh pork or more like prosciutto?” asked a NY Times food writer who tweets. Others also were confused.

My question had stumped other tweeters too, so I reached out to the source: Bruce Aidells, who had developed this ham for Vande Rose, an Oskaloosa, Iowa, company.

“It’s a no-nonsense product made the way (hams) have been made for generations, without the addition of modern pumping methods, chemicals and other unnecessary additives.”

I liked that.

“Your confusion (about what an uncured ham is),” wrote Bruce, “is the result of some USDA lawyers allowed to make labeling decisions. Somehow because these hams are made with nitrite from a vegetable source — celery juice — they have chosen to call them uncured.

“Anyhow, you and I who speak normal English would probably not use such a term. Treat your ham like any smoked ham.”

I did just that. In fact I cooked it using a recipe I adapted from one that Bruce Aidells sent me. My company loved it.

My only complaint: This ham is way too lean to use for making split pea soup, which is what I cook whenever I have leftover ham on a bone. You can, though, add some diced leftover ham for flavoring just before the final heating when serving — just don’t overcook. When making split pea soup, I’ll stick to using smoked ham hocks or necks as the flavoring base.

Maple-Glazed Ham: Position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees F. If necessary, trim away external fat to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Place half a boneless ham, fat side up, in a roasting pan; score the fat in a 2-inch diamond pattern, 1/4-inch deep over the top surface.

Combine 2 c apple cider and 1/4 c maple syrup; add to pan along with enough water to have 1/4-inch depth of liquid. Add more water during the cooking period to keep it at that level. Bake about 15 minutes per pound.

When the internal temperature of the ham is about 110 degrees F, combine the 1/3 c Dijon mustard, 1/4 c maple syrup, 1/4 c agave syrup (or brown sugar), 2 T apple cider vinegar, 1 T molasses and a pinch of ground cloves; smear generously over the top surfaces of the ham. Increase heat to 425 degrees F and bake an additional 10 – 15 minutes until the internal temperature reached about 120 degrees F. Remove ham from oven and let rest on cutting board.

Pour pan juices into a large Pyrex measuring cup or gravy separator and spoon off and discard fat. Pour the juices into a saucepan; cook over medium-high heat to reduce to the consistency of maple syrup. Serve as a sauce for the sliced ham.

Bryan: Vande Rose Farms is not your average meat packer. This boutique farm has been raising award-winning Duroc hogs on its family farms for more than 100 years.

A growing number of Americans are finding out that our system of food has become overly industrialized. The facts are: Most store-bought pork doesn’t even bother to display the breed of the pig, let alone the land, environment or feed the animal was reared on. We, as a society, have become quite removed from our food and its origins. The growing organic-food and locavore movements show that our country is ready to be one with our food again, and farms like Vande Rose remind us that there is an artistry, a connection with our land, that when observed, creates a stronger bond between our sustenance and ourselves. It doesn’t hurt to add that they do all of this while turning out a far superior product than their competition!

Vande Rose begins with the actual animal (novel, I know). The Duroc is an American hog breed dating back to the early 1800s. The modern Duroc pig is actually the Midwestern child of very East Coast parents; begat of the New Jersey Red and the New York Duroc (both of which have their original roots in Western Europe). The Duroc hog is known as a quality breed, but is particularly prized for its display of exceptional marbling, moisture content and rich flavor.

Despite its wonderful qualities, the Duroc is not a widely used breeding hog. Large-scale producers shy away from this unusual animal, as it is harder to raise and care for than other breeds. Vande Rose Farms is fully committed to the production of top-grade pork; feeding its hogs a diet of natural grains, grown on their own farms, with absolutely no added growth promoters or antibiotics. The resulting wholesome, all-natural pork shows the beauty of the Duroc breed while promoting sustainable, responsible and consistent production practices. Their ideals alone provide wonderful reasons to enjoy Vande Rose products, but the taste is an even better reason!

“I don’t even really like ham,” I muttered to myself as I removed the plastic from the sizable ham — 12 lbs, maybe. Well, I thought I didn’t really like ham, but this is something different. This is a truly a masterful product! As I was not too well versed in the preparation of ham, I opted to use Bonnie’s maple glaze recipe and I encourage you to do the same. What a success! A few friends, some mashed sweet potatoes, a pile of roasted asparagus and red peppers and a few bottles of Rioja. (What else with cured pork?) This ham is the centerpiece for your next dinner party. It is too simple — glaze, cook and eat — and only 150 calories per serving (shocking, I know). If you’re a ham fan, it’s a must try!

Eric: I think I’ve written it in an earlier posting, but to quote Homer Simpson, the pig is a “wonderful, magical animal.” Although it yields a variety of particular and delicious cuts, this week the focus is on smoked artisan ham, more specifically, the brined and smoked hind leg of the Duroc pig.

“What’s so particular about this ham?” was the first question out of my mouth when opening the package and revealing the 10-lb behemoth that lay in front of me. And rightly so. My brother already mentioned the growing ignorance (or lack of education) most Americans have with regard to the food they eat – the carbon footprint of our food is nearly untraceable, and for the most part, people just don’t care as long as it’s convenient. So what’s so particular about this ham? For one, the pig is raised on a diet of natural grains, and probably eats healthier than most humans. The second, and most important reason, is that the applewood smoked ham doesn’t contain any nitrates. What this translates into is that the pig was not raised on a cocktail of chemicals, and therefore won’t be pumping any into your body with each bite.

The real question is, if it’s not Thanksgiving or Christmas, why would you need a 10-lb ham? This was my dilemma. I had originally tried the applewood smoked ham at my mother’s house, so the sample that was sent to me resided in my fridge for nearly a month before I figured out what I could do with it. The difficulty in having such a large portion of ham is consuming it quickly since freezing any leftovers (at least in my opinion) really takes away from the quality and taste. Luckily, the day arose in which my workplace was having a potluck—so the oven was turned on to 325-degrees F, the maple glaze was prepared and for nearly two hours my apartment was filled with the smell of an amazingly tender piece of ham. Most people at the office laughed when they saw me carrying the see-through plastic bag filled with ham, but their laughter soon turned into complete satisfaction as the mustard jar opened and the ham started to pass around the room. Not every piece was finished, but the wealth was spread, and most people wrapped some to take home.