Fresh Ham

Most of us think of ham as a pink haunch that’s smoked, fully cooked, and ready to eat. Fresh ham is none of those things: It’s simply the pig’s upper hind leg. Whole fresh hams can weigh up to 25 pounds, so they’re usually broken down into the sirloin (or “butt”) end closer to the torso, and the tapered shank end (seen here; we prefer this cut for easy carving). Brine fresh ham before cooking it to keep it moist.

The leg is divided into two cuts—the tapered shank end and the more rounded sirloin end. The sirloin end has a lot of bones that make carving tricky. We prefer the shank end. This cut is usually covered in a thick layer of fat and skin, which should be scored before roasting. This cut is not as fatty as you might think and benefits from brining.

Because of its bone structure, the rounded sirloin is more difficult to carve than the shank end and is our second choice. Its flavor, however, is quite good.