This beer and maple braised ham recipe is one of my favorites, which I’ve been making for years.
It’s a comforting dish, easy to prepare, and above all, absolutely delicious.
This beer-braised ham fits perfectly into a sugar shack-inspired menu.
Paired with baked beans, a quiche, or a frittata, it works wonders for a hearty brunch.
A Made in Quebec braised ham
This beer and maple braised ham recipe is from the excellent cookbook Made in Quebec: A Culinary Journey by Julian Armstrong.
Unlike the traditional maple-glazed ham, this version offers a slow-cooked blend of leeks, carrots, beer, sugar and maple syrup, resulting in a tender, flavorful ham.
And trust me, you won’t even need mustard to go with it!
Maple beer
The recipe uses a maple beer from Ferme Brasserie Schoune in St-Polycarpe.
But if you can’t find one, just use the same amount of beer and add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of maple syrup.
Beer and maple braised ham
A slow cooked ham, braised in beer and vegetables with a touch of maple, that will outshine your average ham.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) butter
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 leek (white), finely chopped
- 1 carrot, diced
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) granulated maple sugar
- 1 smoked ham with bone, 2 pounds (1 kg), pricked with 8 cloves
- 1 tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
- 1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, a few sprigs of fresh thyme and flat parsley tied together or wrapped in cheesecloth)
- 2 bottles (12 ounces, 341 ml each) of Blonde à l'érable, Schoune's maple beer (see note **)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a deep ovenproof pan with a lid, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the onion, leek and carrot until soft (about 5 minutes).
- Add maple sugar and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until lightly caramelized.
- Place the ham on top of the vegetables, then add the tomato, bouquet garni and beer to the pan.
- Roast in the oven, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) and continue roasting for another 45 minutes, brushing the ham occasionally with the beer sauce from the pan.
- Remove the pan from the oven, place the ham on a serving plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let the ham rest for 10 minutes.
- Slice the ham and serve it with the vegetables and beer sauce.
Notes
** Note for the beer: if you don't have maple beer, use 2 bottles of blonde beer and add 2 tbsp (30 ml) of maple syrup.
Recipe from the book Made in Quebec: A Culinary Journey by Julian Armstrong, 2014, by Quebec microbrewer Patrice Schoune of Ferme Brasserie Schoune in St-Polycarpe. Publisher: Harper Collins Canada, all rights reserved
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Marie-Noël Ouimet is a writer and content creator specializing in gastronomy, wine, and travel. She is the founder of the digital magazine Urbaine City, where for over 10 years she has been highlighting the pleasures of the table and the destinations that bring them to life. She also holds the WSET Level 3 certification in wines and spirits.