SOUTHERN MARYLAND STUFFED HAM, ST. MARY'S COUNTY MARYLAND

St. Mary's County,Maryland, Marylands Oldest

1 20-23 lb. ham you can have it deboned and tied or leave the bone in CORNED HAM REQUIRED

2-3 heads of cabbage chopped

9 onions chopped

2 handfuls of chopped kale ( this is basically for color)

3 Tablespoons of mustard seed

2 tablespoons of crushed red pepper

1 cup salt

If you have the bone removed have the butcher tie it for you. Make several v slits in the ham, go about 1/2 to 3/4 into the ham. Make several of these v slits in the ham. I use my sink to mix the above ingredients. This is where the fun starts. Stuff the cabbage mixture into the slits in the ham, the ham really does get big. You will have some stuffing left over, take this and put it on top of the ham, then wrap the ham in cheesecloth and tie the ends together or a clean white pillowcase with ends tied. This gets put in boiling water and simmered for about 4-41/2 hours, Now i use a crab cooker to do this, Which is outside . It's the biggest pot I own. I let it cool in the water, It's really to hot to try to remove right away. Now the first time you make this you might have added to much red pepper or not enough. this is a trial and error recipe, but it's so good.I have never found stuffed ham anywhere else, and it is my late mother-in-law Wilma's recipe. I had to watch her make it the first time, my hands were so red from the red pepper, I thought I must be crazy trying to learn this. This is one for the Active Rain cookbook