If long hung, soak it for twenty-four hours in lukewarm water, changing it frequently. Wash and brush it well: trim off any rusty parts; put it into a boiler of water, and let it simmer from three hours and a half to five hours, according to its size. It is best to allow time enough, as it is easy to take up the ham when done, and keep it hot over boiling water, covered closely. Take off the skin as whole as you can, as it keeps the cold ham moist when skewered on again after dinner.

There can be no doubt that the foregoing is an excellent mode of boiling a ham, but many people prefer to have it baked, in which case send it to" the oven in a deep pan, with half a pound of suet over it to baste it occasionally; or skin it, cover it with a crust of coarse paste, and, when taken from the bakehouse, strip off the crust, rub it with yolk of egg, on which put finely powdered crumbs of bread strewed with a dredging-box, in the same manner as when the ham is boiled.

In Spain and Portugal, where the hams are generally fine, the method of dressing them is to put the ham in cold water with a large handful of brown sugar, to which some persons add a quantity of the common country wine, and let it simmer on the fire until parboiled, keeping the pot well skimmed; when taken out, the skin is stripped off, and the ham covered with brown sugar to the thickness of an inch, after which it is sent to the oven and baked until thoroughly done.

A ham of fifteen pounds should be allowed nearly two hours before the water begins to boil, and as much more for simmering until half done; then from three to four hours' baking, according to the heat of the oven, which however should never be allowed to be too hot.

When cold, twist some neatly fringed letter-paper round the shank-bone.