Roasted Fresh Ham

• 1 16-to-18-pound fresh ham
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme (from 14 to 16 stems)
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1/4 cup half-and-half

1. Place a rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 425 degrees.
2. Trim skin and excess fat from ham, leaving a layer of fat.
3. Score ham all over in a diamond pattern of 1/2-inch-deep cuts about 1 1/2 inches apart.
4. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and thyme, pinching and sifting mixture until thyme becomes fragrant.
5. Pat mixture all over ham and into crevices.
6. Place ham fat-side up on a rack in a large roasting pan and roast uncovered for 1/2 an hour.
7. Turn heat down to 350 degrees, pour 2 cups wine and 1/2 cup water into pan and loosely tent with aluminum foil.
8. Continue to roast, basting every hour.
9. Add water to pan, if necessary, to keep pan juices from scorching; bake until a meat thermometer pressed into thickest part of ham reads 155 degrees, about 3 1/2 hours.
10. Let ham stand 15 to 20 minutes before carving.
11. Pour pan juices and remaining 2 tablespoons wine into a small saucepan and simmer about 2 minutes.
12. Turn off flame, add half-and-half, and serve with ham.

ham, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, fresh thyme, white wine

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12097 (may not work)