Kent H. wrote:
> I have tried to cook a number of Smithfield hams unsuccessfully,
> including soaking for 24 hours in the basement with several changes of
> water to desalt before cooking, and it has never worked quite right.
> What do you and what does mother and father do to make it right?
> Thanks
> Kent

This was a bone-in large ham, lower sodium so no soaking necessary. They
simply put it in the large roasting pan on a rack (it barely fit!) and baked
it for 5 hours. I've never cooked a ham like this myself so I really
couldn't tell you if there is a secret to it, but I suspect there isn't.
Not sure why yours don't turn out.

Jill

> jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> I ordered a 1/2 Smithfield lower sodium (due to Mom's diet
>> restrictions) EZ Slice ham for my parents, along with some "Buster
>> Bones". Buster Bones are fully cooked meaty ham bones which are
>> either treats for large dogs or may be used in cooking. My dad
>> likes to use a ham bone like that when he makes his navy bean soup.
>> I alerted my parents to expect the package.
>>
>> I got a phone call from my parents asking me, "Why did you send us
>> dog bones?" When I finished laughing I explained. Mom said, "Oh,
>> then I guess I'll tell your father to stop gnawing on that one." LOL
>>
>> A couple of days later (Saturday) I was talking to Mom and mentioned
>> what they could do with the leftover ham. She said, "Why do you
>> keep talking about a ham? We didn't get a ham." "Well I sure as
>> heck was charged for one! Gotta go make a call, Mom."
>>
>> Smithfield is closed on weekends. So I sent them an email. Then I
>> called to follow-up on Tuesday (when I remembered!). They said the
>> ham had been shipped that day for overnight delivery and gave me a
>> tracking number.
>>
>> Wednesday evening my parents called me. Delivered was a 15 POUND
>> ham. WHAT?! I didn't order you a 15 lb. ham! (At least it was
>> lower sodium.) It was pretty comical listening to them describe how
>> it barely fit into the turkey roaster.
>>
>> The mystery was solved when I signed on tonight and checked my email.
>> Apparently Smithfield was out of the half ham I'd ordered. When
>> they got my email and realized the problem, customer service took it
>> upon themselves to send a whole ham at no extra cost, priority
>> overnight delivery. Now THAT is service!
>>
>> My 79-year-old parents cooked the ham the same day. And Dad has yet
>> another ham bone. They're going have to package up and freeze a lot
>> of it and give a good bit of it away to neighbors. Even with that,
>> they're going to have ham for a loooong time!
>>
>> Tonight, Dad said, they're quickly heating a couple of slices in a
>> skillet and having ham & eggs for dinner
>>
>> Jill