Fresh Ham With Cracklings And Pan Gravy

• 8 to 10 pound fresh ham
• (shank end of leg of pork)
• vegetable oil for rubbing ham
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon died sage, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon English style dry mustard
• 12 ounces beer(not dark)
• for the gravy:
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/2 teaspoon dry English style mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar

1. With a small sharp knife prick the ham skin all over, make a4 parallel 1/4 inch deep incisions through the skin the entire length of the ham, and rub the lightly with the oil.
2. In a small bowl rub together the coarse salt, the thyme, the sage,thhe pepper, and the mustard and rub the mixture over the entire surface of the ham.
3. Put the ham on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan and put in a preheated 500degF oven. Reduce the temperature immediately to 325degF and roast the ham for 1 hour. Pour half the beer over the ham, roast the ham 30 minutes more, and pour the remaining beer over the ham. Roast the ham for 2 1/2 hours more, or until a meat thermometer registers 170degF, let it cool on the rack in the pan for 15 minutes.
4. Pull off the brown crisp skin, leaving the layer of fat on the ham, with scissors cut the skin into small pieces, arrange the cracklins in one layer in a baking pan. Sprinkle the crackings with salt and bake them in the middle of a preheated 350degF oven, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until they are crisp and browned. transfer the cracklings to paper towels to drain.
5. cut the remainder of the fat from the ham, slice the meat thinly across the grain, arrange on platter.
6. Keep ham covered and warm.
7. For the gravy:
8. Skim off the fat from the pan juices, add 1 cup of water, and deglaze over moderate heat.
9. Transfer the liquid to a saucepan.
10. Ina small bowl whisk together the flour and 1/4 cup of the broth until flour is dissolved and whisk it into the saucepan with remaining 3/4 cup of broth, the mustard, the sage, the thyme and the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking, add the vinegar and pepper to taste and simmer, whisking for 5 minutes.

ham, pork, vegetable oil, coarse salt, thyme, died sage, pepper, english style dry mustard, flour, beef broth, mustard, sage, thyme, sugar, cider vinegar

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/fresh-ham-with-cracklings-and-pan-gravy-50006072 (may not work)