A daisy ham boiled dinner is a hearty comforting one-pot meal that is perfect for chilly nights. This classic dish has been enjoyed for centuries and combines smoky seasoned daisy ham with tender vegetables for an incredible meal bursting with flavor. Learning how to cook up this delicious boiled dinner at home is easy with just a few simple steps.
What Exactly is a Daisy Ham Boiled Dinner?
A daisy ham boiled dinner consists of a cured, smoked daisy ham simmered slowly with vegetables like potatoes, carrots cabbage and onions. The daisy ham is cured with pickling spices which gives it a slightly salty, smoky flavor that pairs perfectly with the vegetables.
As the daisy ham and vegetables simmer together in the cooking liquid, the flavors blend together into a wonderfully seasoned broth. The vegetables become fork-tender while still retaining their shape. The daisy ham shreds into moist, succulent pieces and infuses the broth with its smoky aroma.
Tips for Selecting the Best Ingredients
The ingredients you select will have a big impact on the final flavor of your boiled dinner. Here are some tips for choosing top-notch ingredients:
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Daisy Ham – Select a smoked, fully cooked daisy ham preferably with the bone in. The bone adds extra flavor. Choose a size based on the number of servings needed. Allow 1/2 pound of ham per person.
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Vegetables – Opt for firm, fresh vegetables without blemishes. Good choices are russet potatoes, carrots, onions, and green cabbage. Leave potatoes unpeeled for more nutrients.
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Herbs & Spices – Dried thyme, bay leaves, whole black peppercorns, and whole allspice berries make excellent additions. They boost flavor without overpowering.
Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
Follow these simple steps for cooking up the perfect daisy ham boiled dinner:
1. Prepare the Daisy Ham and Vegetables
- Rinse daisy ham under cold water and pat dry. Trim off any skin or excess fat.
- Peel and chop carrots and onions into large chunks. Cut potatoes into halves or quarters.
- Remove outer leaves from cabbage. Cut cabbage into 6-8 wedges leaving core intact.
2. Add Daisy Ham and Cover with Water
- Place daisy ham into a large Dutch oven or soup pot.
- Add chopped onions, carrots, potatoes, and seasonings like bay leaves, peppercorns, and allspice berries.
- Pour in enough cold water to just cover everything.
3. Bring to a Boil Then Simmer
- Bring pot to a boil over high heat. Then reduce heat to medium-low.
- Place cabbage wedges on top of other ingredients.
- Partially cover pot with lid and simmer for 1.5-2 hours.
4. Check Doneness and Finish Cooking
- After 1 hour, check that vegetables are fork-tender. If not, continue simmering and checking every 20 minutes.
- Once tender, use a slotted spoon to transfer vegetables and ham to a serving platter.
- Increase heat to medium-high and simmer cooking liquid for 5-10 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly.
- Pour reduced broth over vegetables and ham just before serving.
Handy Tips for the Best Flavor
- For the most flavor, cook the daisy ham with the bone in. The bone adds extra flavor to the broth.
- Use a smoked daisy ham and leave it unpeeled for the most authentic flavor.
- Add a tablespoon of vinegar to the cooking liquid. It helps tenderize and adds a tasty tang.
- Sprinkle some brown sugar over the cabbage wedges. It caramelizes and enhances flavor.
- Stir in a dollop of grainy mustard before serving to add some zip.
Big Batch Tips and Storage
Cooking up a big batch is easy and provides leftovers for days. Here are some storage tips:
- Allow broth to cool completely before storing. Transfer to airtight containers with vegetables and ham.
- Refrigerate boiled dinner leftovers for up to 4 days. The flavors continue to develop.
- Freeze leftover boiled dinner for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat gently over medium-low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add broth or water if needed.
Delicious Ways to Serve Daisy Ham Boiled Dinner
This satisfying one-pot meal needs nothing more than crusty bread or rolls for dipping in the delicious broth. Here are a few other tasty serving suggestions:
- Top potatoes and vegetables with a pat of butter, a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon.
- Offer deli-style mustard, horseradish sauce, or hot pepper vinegar as condiments.
- For an Irish twist, serve boiled dinner with slices of Irish soda bread.
- Ladle reheated boiled dinner broth into mugs for sipping.
- Toss chopped boiled dinner with mayonnaise for tasty ham salad sandwiches.
With its comforting flavors and simplicity, daisy ham boiled dinner is sure to become a favorite meal. Follow this easy guide for cooking up the perfect pot of this hearty classic.
Grandma’s Irish Boiled Dinner with Ham Recipe
My grandma’s boiled ham dinner was one of my favorite meals she made. I’ve heard it called Irish boiled dinner and New England boiled dinner. Frankly, they both look the same to me. Since neither of us is Irish (update: this isn’t true! Ancestry helped me find out I’m part Irish), com. I’m not from New England (who knows, maybe I’m from there too!), so it’s just boiled dinner to me. Since St. Patrick’s Day will soon be upon us, this is going to be “Irish” boiled dinner today.
Veggies for the boiled dinner with ham
I used the same blue cast iron pot that my grandmother gave me to start making this, but it was too small to fit everything. I probably used too many vegetables, so I ended up having to transfer it into another pot. If you use as many vegetables as I did, you’ll need a big pot for this ham and vegetable boiled dinner.
Little carrots are great because all I have to do is throw them in, which is what I did here. Really, my grandmother scraped carrots with a knife instead of a peeler to peel them and then cut them up. Ah, the good old days.
I cut up 2 onions into chunks. The next time I make this I’m going to add more. I just love cooked onions!.
I think this is where I added too many vegetables. Or maybe I didn’t cut the potatoes small enough. I’m not sure. I used 4 medium sized potatoes, so the next time I think I’ll use 2 or 3. We never end up eating all of the potatoes anyway.
Here is where everything had to get dumped into a bigger pot. I used about half of a smallish cabbage and just cut it into chunks. It has been a long time since I had this boiled dinner with ham made by my grandmother. I think she added more cabbage to hers than this.
I bought a precooked ham piece and just cut it into big chunks and threw it in. I didn’t have to cook it first like I do for traditional Irish or New England dinners with corned beef because it was already cooked. I didn’t know what corned beef was until I was thirty years old. I’m still not sure what it is, but I’ve had it on Reuben sandwiches.
Then I just covered everything almost to the top with water and added a tablespoon of salt to the cooking water. Put the lid on, bring the meal to a boil, and cook it until it is done. This boiled ham dinner is so good and brings back great memories.
LET’S MAKE BOILED DINNER
FAQ
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