BAKED VIRGINIA HAM

Wash the ham and place it in cold water; let it soak for twelve hours, then put it into fresh cold water and let it soak for another twelve hours. When ready to cook, place it skin down in a large casserole, which must be of good size and full of cold water. It will take about one hour, over a moderate fire, to come to boiling point.

Then keep it boiling steadily—on no account must it be allowed to boil fast—and as the water boils down replenish with hot, never with cold, water, so as not to check the boiling.

When the ham is done it will, on its own accord, turn over skin up. This is sufficient proof of its being thoroughly cooked without further test. Let it cool in the liquor in which it was cooked. Take it out, gash the entire top, having the gashes about half an inch apart. Stick cloves in the gashes, sprinkle thickly with brown sugar, and pour over all the sherry wine.

Lay the ham in a fireproof dish and bake till brown.