Boiled bacon (gammon/ham) instructions?

[Fred Tiber]

Im follwing a meat cooking calculator, but I think it has an error

Here is the instruction for 3kg to be served at 11 am,
The times for every step are listed, but is step at 7:00 and 8:20 are they the wrong way around? the simmer time says 2.40 hours, but that takes us to 9.40, that makes no sense, but if simmer 2.40 was at 8.20, then that would take us to the last step at 11.00 and completion.

6:36 Place the bacon joint with rind (if any) in a large pot and completely cover with cold water.
06:36 Bring to the boil (uncovered). The purpose of the first boil is to remove any excess salt.
06:48 Immediatly the water boils, discard the boiled water.
06:48 This is a good time to add any flavourings (beer, herbs, spices, vegetables etc.)
06:48 If using flavourings, add them now, top-up with enough cold water to cover the joint and return to the boil.
07:00 Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 2 hours and 40 minutes
08:20 Skim and discard any scum from water.
11:00 Remove the joint from the pan and discard the water unless needed for stock.
11:00 Remove and discard the rind. Carve and serve.

Here is the online meat calculator link so you can check it

meat cooking time calculator Imperial

(check the boiled bacon (gammon/ham) and honey roast gammon (bacon/ham)

Are the reduce heat and skim results the wrong way around? or muddled up?

 

[jabbur]

I'm guessing that about halfway through the cooking (simmering) you'd want to skim off any scum or gunk that has cooked off the meat and is floating around the top of pot. I don't think that the steps are mixed up. I know when boiling my chickens for stock they often get a gray foamy substance that floats on the water and I skim it off so I'm guessing it's the same here.

 

[menumaker]

That seems right to me Fred. What it means is that when the joint has been cooking for 30-40 minutes you will see a 'scum' developing on the top which isn't very pleasant so take a slatted spoon and scim it off onto a saucer or plate and discard.let the joint continue cooking OK? As for the cooking time, the joint is needing to 'rest' and you can either cover loosely with foil until you are ready to serve, let it cool completely to serve as a cold ham or turn your oven up to about 190-200c, cut diamond shapes in the exposed fat on the top and gently smear with a knife equal quantities ( about 1 tablespoon each) of colmans made English mustard and brown sugar mixed together. Put back in the oven near the top for about 20 minutes. Keep your eye on it though as it is a begger for burning if you leave it . Another tip, spread a layer of foil underneath the meat before the 'smearing' stage. You'll thank me when you get to the washing up stage !!

 

[menumaker]

Sorry, To be clear I should have written; cover with foil and keep warm until ready to serve OR let it cool..etc OR do the sugar/mustard thing and then let THAT cool. Hope this makes more sense??

 

[Fred Tiber]

Thank you for the reply's, on the chart the details look right, apart from the
for 2 hours and 40 minutes
it looks like its in the wrong place, if it was on the next line, the time would take you to the end at 11.00, but where it is, it doesnt make sense, look at the times, that important, you are given instructions at specific times, cooking for 2 hour 40 at 7.00 makes 9.40, you have interpupted it at 8.20 to skim scum, so what happens at 9.40. But it does make sense to say contine cooking at 8.20 when you skim the scum for 2 hours 40 because that takes you to 11.00.

 

[menumaker]

I still think that it is about right. You see, what this recipe is telling you is to turn off the heat after 2 hrs 40mins and then leave it in the pan until your next instructions at 11am when you take it out of the pan. It's a big joint fred and is needing to be cooked all way through. If you were glazing it as I mentioned then that would be another 20mins too before resting time.
If you are still worried, try looking at a recipe from a different site to compare. I do sometimes.