The crown jewel of the Finnish Christmas table, a massive brined pork ham slow-roasted for hours and finished with a sweet mustard crust, sliced thin and served cold on rye bread throughout the holiday.
Allergen Warning
Contains: gluten, eggs
Equipment needed
oven, roasting pan, meat thermometer
Place the ham in a large roasting pan and insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part, away from the bone.
Roast at 125C for approximately 1 hour per kilogram, or until the internal temperature reaches 77C.
Remove from oven and let rest for 30 minutes. Carefully peel off the rind, leaving the fat layer intact.
Score the fat in a diamond pattern and stud each intersection with a whole clove.
Mix mustard, egg yolks, dry mustard powder, brown sugar, and breadcrumbs into a thick paste.
Spread the mustard crust evenly over the ham.
Increase oven to 225C and roast for 15-20 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown.
Let cool completely before slicing thin. Serve at room temperature with mustard and rye bread.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate up to 1 week — the ham is meant to last through the holidays. Freeze sliced portions for 2 months. Serve cold on rye bread or warm in sandwiches.
Cultural Context
The absolute centerpiece of Finnish Christmas Eve dinner. Families often wake at 4am on Christmas Eve morning to start the slow roast. The tradition of licking mustard-crust residue off the roasting pan is an unofficial Finnish Christmas ritual.
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