Less than a week from Easter, Chef Tim McCarty from the Minnesota Pork Board prepares a showstopping ham plus creative ways to cook up the leftovers. 

Perfect Easter Ham

Ham of your choice, I like a bone in Ham never frozen. The reason bone in, the bone gives added flavor. Never frozen I feel its moister and better flavor. I know this is going to sound crazy how I cook my ham but I always cook them this way. If it is a small ham that will fit in a crock pot, I place the ham in the bag unopened in the pot pour 2 to 3 cups of water in. Put the lid on and set it on low for11/2 to 2 hours to heat up to 145 deg internal temp. If it’s a larger ham I will place a rack in a roasting pan, place the ham still in the plastic bag on the rack and add 2 quarts of water. Place the cover and set on low as the roaster will go 150deg for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until you reach 145deg. Remember the Ham is already cooked and we are trying to heat it, not cook it or over cook it. After I have reached the temp I am looking for I will remove from the roaster and let it rest 10 min. Then I will remove it from the wrapper, it this point I will put a Honey Mustard Brown sugar mix Or the Apricot Bourbon mix on the outside and place it in a 450 deg oven for 10-15 min to caramelize the sugars. Slice and serve     

Ham Pot Pie

Ham filling:

2 cups Ham, diced                            
½ cup Carrots, diced                             
½ cup Red onion, diced                            
1 cup Mushroom, sliced                             
½ cup Peas                                                         
1 cup Mashed potatoes                                  
½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded             
½ cup Herb white sauce                                  
1 TBSP Oil                                                             
2 sheets Puff Pastry  

In a large sauté pan over med-high heat add oil, onions, carrots, mushroom sauté until lightly browned, add ham and peas 2 min. Remove from heat mix in mash, parm and herb white sauce. Slightly roll both puff pastry sheets and place 1  in a glass pie dish, cut off the extra dough pour filling in. place the other on top cut extra and pinch  to seal. Bake at 375 for 25-30 min or until the pastry is golden brown.

Herb White Sauce

½ cup Onion, diced                              
1 TBSP Garlic, minced                        
3 cups Half & half                                                           
½ TBSP Ham base                                                   
2 TBSP Parsley, chopped                         
¼ cup Corn starch slurry                                      
2 TBSP Butter                                                           

In a sauce pot med-high heat add butter, onion sauté 4 min  add garlic 1 min add ½ n ½ , ham base simmer 5 min add slurry until lightly thickened add parsley. Add ½ cup to the filling , save the rest to go over the top when you serv.

Ham and Egg Salad  

2 cups Ham                                                    
1 cup Hard boiled eggs                             
½ cup Cream cheese                                   
½ cup Mayo                                                   
¼ cup Dijon                                                   
1 TBSP Sweet pickle relish                            

Place all ingredients in a food Prosser and pulse until smooth. Now here is the fun part you can stuff egg whites like deviled eggs or make a sandwich bread of your choice.