Chef Marco Moreira of Tocqueville Restaurant – New York, NY
Adapted by StarChefs.com

Yield: 15 Servings

Ingredients:

Marinade:
• 1 cup chopped Spanish onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped leeks
• 20 whole peppercorns
• 1 sprig thyme
• 5 whole allspice
• 1/4 cup coriander seeds
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 cup whiskey
  
  
Ham:
• 1 (15-pound) uncooked Virginia ham
• 2 whole heads of garlic cut in quarters
• 3 chopped apples
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 1 cup whiskey
• 2 quarts apple cider
• 4 Tablespoons sweet, unsalted butter
• 4 Tablespoons flour

Method:
For Marinade:
In a large roasting pan combine marinating vegetables and spices with 1 cup of whiskey. Remove ham from packaging and rinse in cold water. Marinate ham for up to 3 days, turning at least twice a day.

For Ham:
Preheat oven to 500°F.

Place ham on a rack and then back into the roasting pan. Arrange quartered garlic and chopped apples around the pan.

Add 1 quart chicken stock and 1 cup whiskey to the roasting pan and roast for 25 minutes. Lower the temperature to 325°F. Ham should cook for approximately 18 minutes per pound. Continue adding stock to maintain a 2-inch liquid level on the bottom of the pan.

Baste ham every 20 minutes with cider. Ham is ready when it has reached an internal temperature of 130°F. Let ham rest 20 minutes before carving.

To prepare the sauce for the ham, combine butter and flour well to form beurre manié. Strain roasting liquid from pan through a strainer and let rest for at least five minutes. With a spoon remove any fat that rises to the top. Bring liquid to a boil in a sauce pot and whisk in beurre manié, a little bit at a time, until it reaches a sauce consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to gravy boat and pass at the table.

Wine Pairing:
A full-bodied sparkling wine from California or Champagne