If very salt, let it soak over night Scrub well; trim off the hard black part, cover with cold water, and let it simmer slowly, allowing half an hour to the pound. Take it from the fire; let it remain in the water until nearly cold; then peel off the skin and sprinkle sugar and grated bread, or cracker crumbs, over the top, and brown in the oven. Or boil until nearly tender; remove the skin and bake two hours; baste often with vinegar. Cover with crumbs, return to the oven, and brown. Or omit the crumbs and cover with a paste made with one teaspoonful of brown flour and half a cup of brown sugar, moistened with a little port wine. Spread this over the ham, and brown in the oven. Serve with a brown sauce flavored with half a glass of champagne. Trim the knuckle with a paper ruffle. In carving, cut in very thin slices. Old hams are improved by adding a pint of vinegar and a table-spoonful of herbs to the water in which they are boiled. If the ham is not to be served whole, boil till it is very tender; let it cool, and remove the skin and bones, and press it, with the fat well mixed with the lean. A boiled ham is done when the skin will peel easily.