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Kentucky Potted Country Ham

Source of Recipe

From "Pig: King of the Southern Table" by James Villas


Recipe Introduction

"No doubt the tradition of potting numerous meats and seafood with butter in the South can be traced back to our English heritage, and since Kentucky has been producing some of the region's finest country hams for well over two centuries, it's little wonder that cooks chop, grind, mince, and purée the salty delicacy for all sorts of savory cocktail spreads, pastes, and molds—many, of course, spiked with a good Kentucky bourbon. Tightly covered, this spread keeps for up to a week in the refrigerator, but be warned that if it's not brought back to room temperature before serving, it's almost impossible to spread."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ½ cups cooked chopped country ham
â—¦ 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
â—¦ ½ teaspoon dry mustard
â—¦ ½ teaspoon ground cloves
â—¦ 2 tablespoons bourbon
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper to taste


Recipe

In a blender or food processor, grind the ham finely, add the butter, and grind till well blended. Add the remaining ingredients and grind almost to a paste. Scrape the mixture into a crock, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator.

Allow the spread to return to room temperature about 1 hour before serving with tiny biscuit halves or crackers.

Makes about 2 cups