As quintessential as turkey is for Christmas, ham is for Easter. It doesn’t matter whether you are in the maple ham or pineapple ham camp, here are some tips to help make your ham a success, from the choice cut to use, right down to how to best use leftovers.

1. Choosing a cut of meat

Ham comes from either the buttocks or shoulder—the muscle of the buttocks is less fatty—and then it’s brined. Once cooked, the meat becomes sliceable. Shoulder ham (also called picnic ham), on the other hand, is made of several muscles and requires a longer cooking time. The result is a tender and soft ham that is served in pieces. An essential element to remember: Hams must be on the bone to get the most flavour while cooking. When the meat is easily detached from the bone, it means the ham is cooked.

The spinning top-style hams found at the grocery store are made of chunks of churned ham that are kneaded before being moulded. These are very wet hams that require heating rather than cooking. They do not give the same meat effect as other hams on the bone.

2. The balance of sweet and salty

Easter ham is often combined with sweet flavours, for an irresistible meat with a sweet and salty taste. That’s why maple syrup is its ultimate ally. Choose an amber syrup because its taste is more robust than that of a clear syrup, which you then mix with cooking water. You could also replace water and maple syrup with juice, such as pineapple juice, to make a pineapple ham. 

3. Desalinate before cooking

Ham is a piece of meat that is often very salty. Before cooking it for a long time, it is necessary to remove the excess salt. The way to do this is simple: Let the meat simmer for about thirty minutes in boiling water. Taste the broth. If it is very salty, change the water to continue cooking. Otherwise, continue with the same water.

4. Cook the ham

When you buy a ham on the bone, calculate about 340 g of ham per person. If you choose a boneless ham, plan instead for 170 g per person because you don’t have to take the weight of the bone into account.

The weight of the ham does not affect its cooking time, since it cooks in a humid environment of either beer, broth mixed with maple syrup, or fruit juice. If you want to get a ham that you can slice, consider a desalination time of about thirty minutes and add two hours of cooking. For a ham that falls apart, add an extra hour, or three hours of cooking time.

Slow cooker cooking is perfectly suited to ham. It’s an ideal choice for brunch since the ham can cook overnight and be kept warm until serving. Cooking a ham in the slow cooker will always yield a very tender, fall-apart meat.

5. Keep the rind

Hams on the bone are covered with rind—a thick layer of fat. Since fat is flavour, it’s better to leave the rind on the meat while cooking it. It prevents the ham from drying out and once cooked, it can be removed very easily. 

6. Cooking with leftovers

The recipes for cooking with leftover ham are endless. Just think of quiches, salads, and even Mexican-inspired recipes. As it is already cooked, ham makes for easy, quick meals. You can also use the rest of the ham juice to make pea soup or baked beans. Keep the ham bone to help flavour another braised dish.