DIY cooked ham

An important part of leading a healthy lifestyle is avoiding highly processed food- the one that is made in a factory and enriched in preservatives, artificial flavours, colouring and other additives. In order to avoid that it's best to bake, cook and prepare meals at home from good quality ingredients. Let's be honest, it's time-consuming but in a long run it pays off- it's the best investment in your wellness and good health. 

One of the most problematic food items is, in my opnion, ham and sausage. I've been searching for a chemical-free ham and sausage for a while without any result- at least in the place where I live. So I decided to start making my own ham. It could seem time-consuming and requiring special equipment but that's not true! Today I am presenting a simple recipe for a cooked homemade ham which you can eat for lunch with your favourite bread. This kind of hame is free from artificlal flavours, preservatives and other chemical additives. Just try! 

  

Ingredients:

- 1 kg of meat from pork's leg

For the marinade:

- 1 teasp of corriander seeds

- 1/2 teasp of ground white pepper

- 1/2 teasp of ground nutmeg

- 2 teaspoons of salt

- 2 cloves of garlic (pressed)

For cooking:

- 2 liters of water

- 1 teasp of sugar

- 2 tablesp of salt

- 5 juniper berries

- 5 allspice seeds

- 5 bay leaves

Clean and dry the meat. Rub in all the ingredients for marinading. Tie with a string to keep it tight. Place in a glass bowl, cover with cling film and store in the fridge for 24 hours. 
Pour the water into a big pot and put all the cooking ingredients. Stir and make sue that the salt and sugar dissolved. Put the ham inside and simmer 12 minutes after boiling. Set aside until it cools and then repeat the procedure: simmer again for 12 minutes after boiling, set aside until it cools and then store in the fridge. The ham is ready to eat.