This deliciously moist ham is cured in salt (a process known as corning). The recipe is an adaptation of one that appears in Bill Smith's Seasoned in the South (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2006).

8–10-lb. fresh shank-end ham, rinsed and dried
1 1⁄4 cups kosher salt

1. Insert a knife into either end of the ham, next to the bone, making 3"-deep incisions in each end. Fill the incisions and rub the outside of the ham with salt. Collect and reserve any salt that doesn't cling to the ham; store in a container in refrigerator. Place ham in a nonreactive pan and cover with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil; let chill.

2. Turn ham every 1–2 days, rerubbing with remaining salt, for 7 days. (Pour off any juice that collects in the pan.) Wash the ham under cold running water; be sure to flush out the salted incisions. Transfer ham to a large, clean container and cover with cold water; let chill overnight. Drain.

3. Preheat oven to 325°. Bake ham on a rack in a roasting pan, covered, for 1 hour. Uncover, increase oven temperature to 375°, and continue to bake, basting from time to time, until the meat pulls away from the bone, about 3 hours more. (Cover ham loosely with a piece of aluminum foil if skin is browning too fast.) Set ham aside to let rest a little, then carve and serve.