Jacques Pepin's inspired "Christmas Ham" with Peach/Fruit Preserves and Basil Sauce (served with Brazilian Yuka Root Farofa and Japanese Garlic Rice)

 

This Original Recipe uses fresh peaches that are not easily found during Christmas season in USA, that is why I have replaced the fresh peaches for fresh pears and added preserved/dried peaches, pears, apples and apricots. 

I got the recipe from the book Jacques Pepin Celebrates but I recently found it online here: https://www.tfrecipes.com/jacques-pepin-baked-ham/ 

Time to prepare:

• 3 hours for ham in sous vide at 170-180F (or in pre-boiling water)  
• 30 min in oven at 350F
• 1 hour at 325F
• 30 min in oven after sprinkling sugar on top and decorating with rings of canned pineapples and plum in the middle 

Ingredients: 

- 1 fully cooked ham, 12-16 pounds. I use the spiraled ham or any other ham

Peach Mustard Glaze:

• 1/2 cup peach preserves
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp dried mostard
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp ground allpice
• 2 tbsp confectioner's sugar
• 1 cup of water, for deglazing drippings from baked ham
• 3 cups demi-glace (Brown stock or meat bouillon )  

Peach sauce: 

• (Note: Recently I have been replacing the fresh fruit by dried peachs (and or nectaries) and pears
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 pounds large ripe peaches (around 10), each pitted (but not peeled), cut in 8 wedges
• 1/3 cup of sugar    
• 4 ounces of dried peaches, cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 4 cups combined demi-glace and deglazed ham drippings (or no drippings depening on time) 
• Some of the canned pineapple and or peach juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp potato starch dissolved in 1 tbsp water (for thickening)
• 1 cup of julienne basil leaves

Ham Cooking

• Put the ham on a stock pot and fill with cold water, bring to 170 to 180F (below the boil point; if boiled ham will crack) Cook for 3 hours  (I did a suis vide using the same packaging as the ham had before). Let it cool in cooking water.
• Remove ham from water, remove skin from ham (if any) and trim the surface of meat where it is brown and skin like around the shank bone. When skin has been removed, trim off all but a thin layer of white fat from the surface of the ham. 
• Run a point knife in a crisscross pattern on the fat on top of the ham, this will help the glaze to adhere to meat

For the peach mustard-glaze

• Mix preserves, pepper, mustard, balsamic vinegar and allspice. Spread this on top of the ham, place in roasting pan, and bake at 325-degree for 30 mins. Reduce heat to 325F and continue cooking for 1 hour. Sprinkle the sugar and cook for another 30 min until glazed
• Transfer the ham to a platter and set it up on a warm place while you make the peach sauce. Discard the accumulated fat on roasting pan and add 1 cup of water to the drippings in the pan, stirring to loosen and mix the solidified juices. Add the demi-glace and bring to boil. RESERVE FOR PEACH sauce

Peach Sauce

• Heat the butter in large skillet 4 tbsp of butter, when hot add peach wedges to each skillet, saute for 2-3 mins. Sprinkle sugar and cook 3-4 min longer. Add dried peach juliene and the apple cider vinegar, stir to mix. Strain the reserved demi-glace over the peaches, stil in the salt. If sauce is thinner than you would like add the potato starch and bring to a boil. At serving time stil in the basil julienne.