Ham in the Copper

New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 539, 21 October 1949, Page 22

Ham in the Copper

Dear Aunt Daisy, Some time ago you published an easy way of cooking a large ham. It was done in the copper and left all night, thus needing no watching..Can you give me the details, please? "Busy Farmer's Wife." The idea was sent in years ago by another busy ftarmer’s wife, who cooked her Christmas ham this way. On Christmas Eve she put her ham into the washhouse copper full of water, brought it to the boil and kept it boiling half an hour. Then she let the fire die out, and went to bed hoping for the best. She had piled several sacks over the copper lid to keep in the steam. In the morning the copper was cold, the ham perfectly cooked, and all was well. However, someone has since pointed out that she does not use her ordinary copper lid, in case

it may be impregnated with soap suds anid might taint the watet. She ptits other boards across, and then plenty of sack$. Shé also puts ah enatnel plate under the ham, to prevent any possibility of its sticking to the copper. Dear Aunt Daisy, I was very interested in the idea for cooking hams in the copper. I always cook mine that way, but it is made much | easier by putting.the ham on a good thick stick, threading it through the piece of string which is often tied on the shank end, This, makes it much easier for handling and prevents it from sticking to the bottom of the copper.

Petone.