Hamlet Recipe

Learn how to make Christmas Hamlet! Enjoy this easy home-cured, fresh holiday ham recipe. Ingredients for 4 Hamlets: 4 thick-cut (10-12 oz) center cut, boneless pork loin “chops” For the brine: 1/2 cup *kosher salt plus 1 tablespoon (*if using fine table salt, you’d only need barely 1/3 cup) 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 tsp finely ground black pepper 1 tsp allspice 1/2 ground cloves 1 bay leaf 1 1/2 cups boiling water to dissolve salt and sugar 3 celery stalks (about 2 cups chopped) 1/2 yellow onion 3 cloves garlic 2 cups cold water to puree vegetables in blender, plus add enough cold water to make 2 quarts total volume of brine Brine for 48 hours before roasting For the glaze: 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 2 tbsp Dijon mustard pinch of cayenne whole cloves as needed Roast at 325 degrees F. until an internal temp of 145 degrees F. is reached.