[ken5050]

it makes it incredibly tender....go to www.americastestkitchen.com...type "brining" in their search engine...and enjoy...trust me on this one....

[Aracelis]

Thanks! Will check it out.

[CobaltBlue]

I have been craving old fashioned baked ham, you know, with pineapple rings and cherries stuck in with toothpicks, but have been wondering whether it is a good idea to brine a fresh (unsmoked) ham.

I've seen recipes going both ways, and given that we're talking about a huge piece of meat, am afraid to ruin it.

I will say that here in Virginia everybody raves about Virginia style cured ham, which you can keep, as far as I am concerned. I want a fresh ham, baked slow until it almost collapses.