Amana Pickled Ham

[Johnny West]

One of the traditions in the Amana Colony restaurants is to have a bowl of pickled ham on the table. It used to be included in the price of a meal but is now charged separately. There are many recipes on the net. I used Smithfield Hickory Smoked Ham slices which I cubed. Today tried this one and the house smells quite nice from the boiling of the brine. The picked ham will be one of the appetizers for Easter dinner.

 

[medtran49]

Is it just a bowl of ham chunks, like with toothpicks for picking up or it is served with something else? We've been places that have freebies like various breads or pastries, even pickles in deli restaurants, but never something like a bowl of ham cubes so I'm curious.

 

[QSis]

Love this idea!

So, you don't add the onions and pickling spice to the jar with the ham cubes and brine?

Lee

 

[medtran49]

Love this idea!

So, you don't add the onions and pickling spice to the jar with the ham cubes and brine?

Lee

The recipe says you put everything in a pan to make the brine. I think it's 1 of those recipes that assumes you would know to put the ham and the brine in a jar after the brine boils.

 

[QSis]

Maybe I should have said "liquid" instead of "brine". I see the onions in John's photo now.

Please tell us how you and your guests like it, John!

Lee

 

[Johnny West]

Love this idea!

So, you don't add the onions and pickling spice to the jar with the ham cubes and brine?

Lee

no, the pickling spice goes into a spice bag witch is boiled and discarded. The onions are in with the ham. I layered the onions and are difficult to see in this picture. I know they will like it as they have had mine before as well as at the Ox Yoke.

 

[Johnny West]

Is it just a bowl of ham chunks, like with toothpicks for picking up or it is served with something else? We've been places that have freebies like various breads or pastries, even pickles in deli restaurants, but never something like a bowl of ham cubes so I'm curious.

the ham goes into a bowl and folks just help themselves. I have little cocktail forks we use to serve. The pickled ham is a tradition in the restaurants in the Amana Colonies. My folks were going there before I was born. My dad said after the war he would order a t-bone and it would fill the whole plate.

 

[Johnny West]

Here is a picture with the onions. I tried to layer the onions but wasn’t to tidy. I wouldn’t enter this bottle at the fair.

 

[Johnny West]

My son, John A., put a piece of ham on a deviled egg. I’ll do that tomorrow.
The ham was a hit.