Learn How to Brine a Paleo AIP Compliant Christmas Ham! This main course is an instant Autoimmune Protocol holiday classic.
Your soup pot, roasting pan, and oven are ready for this Paleo AIP ham that is free of refined sugar, seed-based spices, fruit-based spices, nightshades, nitrates, nitrites, or preservatives!
Read on to learn how to make this simple main course that is sure to be the star of the dinner table this season. Your guests will love how tasty and classic the flavors are, and you’ll love that it is elimination-phase friendly (but that can be our little secret)!
Gather the Ingredients
To get started making your AIP Compliant Christmas Ham, first you’ll want to round up a few simple ingredients. You‘ll need raw, uncured and unseasoned pork leg, filtered water, a good quality sea salt (like this one), pure maple syrup, a large orange (preferably organic since you will be using the peel), and some AIP compliant spices.
Below are the exact measurements you’ll need:
- 5 lb pork leg (bone in or out)
- Filtered water, to cover
- ½ cup sea salt
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- Juice and peel of 1 large orange
- 1 tsp each ground cloves, ground cinnamon, and ground mace
- Whole cloves and additional maple syrup for roasting, optional
- Another orange for garnish, optional
Brine the Pork
Next you’ll add your pork to a large, tall bowl or pot. Cover the pork completely with the filtered water.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the salt, maple syrup, orange juice, and ground spices until the salt dissolves. Stir this mixture into the filtered water, then drop in the orange rind.
Cover the bowl or pot, then allow the pork to brine in the liquid for 5 days. A good rule of thumb is to brine meats for 1 day per pound.
Prepare the Brined Pork for Cooking
Drain and discard all of the brining liquid. Do not attempt to reuse the liquid, as tempting as it may be! Rinse the brined pork off in running, cool water.
If you are roasting the pork in the oven, then pat it dry with paper towels. If you are boiling the ham, you can skip the drying step.
Boil or Roast the Pork
To make boiled ham:
- Add the brined pork to a large tall pot, then cover with fresh filtered water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes per pound or until internal temperature reaches 160.
- Drain very well, then cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
To make roasted ham:
- Heat your oven to 350. Add the brined pork to a large roasting pan, fat-side up.
- Score the fat in a diamond pattern. Optional: Insert whole cloves into the diamond fat sections.
- Add 3 cups of fresh water to the bottom of the roasting pan, then cover the pan tightly with its lid or with foil.
- Roast for 20 to 25 minutes per pound or until internal temperature reaches 160.
- Remove ham from the oven. (If you wish to glaze the ham, increase oven temp to 450. Brush additional maple syrup on top of the ham, then return the roast to the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer or until golden brown on top.)
- Cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
Serve Your Paleo AIP Compliant Christmas Ham!
Enjoy your beautiful, nutritious, and Autoimmune Protocol-friendly ham with orange slices for garnish if you like. Try it served alongside mashed white sweet potatoes, roasted asparagus, and homemade AIP cranberry sauce for a lovely presentation fit for the holidays!
Here are some more AIP side dishes you might want to try with your delicious ham.
Also check out this AIP Holiday Cookie Roundup and my coconut-free, dairy-free, nut-free Homemade Tigernut Milk for a little something to leave for Santa on Christmas Eve that won’t give him a leaky gut! *wink*
Now that You Know How to Brine a Paleo AIP Compliant Christmas Ham, Share this with a Friend!
How are you celebrating Christmas this year? I’d love to hear your plans!
