4 from 3 votes

Swedish Holiday Ham (Julskinka)

TYPE : Swedish
Meat
YIELD : 1 ham
CALORIES : 123 kcal
PREP TIME : 15 minutes
COOK TIME : 8 hours
TOTAL TIME : 14 days 8 hours 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS :

  • 1 boneless pork shoulder butt roast, preferably in netting

Brine

  • 10 quarts (liters) water
  • 3 1/2 lbs (1.6 kg) salt
  • 1 cup (2.5 dl) sugar
  • 1 – 2 tbsp saltpeter or curing salt (optional, for pink color)

Glaze

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 4 tbsp mustard (I use half Dijon, half spicy brown)
  • 1/2 cup (1 dl) bread crumbs, divided
  • 2 tbsp whole cloves (optional, for decorating)

INSTRUCTIONS :

Brining

  • Heat the water to dissolve salt and sugar, then let it cool completely.
  • To make sure the center becomes properly brined, you can inject brining solution into the ham with a syringe before placing it in the container (optional).
  • Pour the brining solution into a food-grade plastic container or bag. Submerge the meat and make sure it is covered on all sides.
  • Refrigerate for at least 2 weeks.

Cooking

  • Soak the meat in cold water for 2 – 12 hours, to draw out some salt.
  • Bake at 200°F (95°C) until the inner temperature reaches 160°F (70 – 72°C), which takes about 1 hour per lb (0.5 kg) of meat.
  • Cover with aluminum foil until time to glaze.

Glazing

  • Whisk egg yolks with mustard and divide in half. Mix one half with half of the bread crumbs and spread evenly on top of the cooked ham. Brush the remaining glaze all over the ham and then dust with more breadcrumbs.
  • Bake at 425°F (220°C) until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
  • Decorate with cloves (optional) and serve warm or cold.

12 thoughts on “Swedish Holiday Ham (Julskinka)”

    1. I don’t think it will affect the brining time. Injecting brine into the meat may speed it up, but looking online it seems it takes at least a day per pound of meat. So maybe a smaller ham? Or check with butchers for already brined but not smoked ham. Hope you find it and wish you a great Christmas!!

  1. 2 stars
    I am a Swede but don’t like this. When it’s taken out of the stove, it’s juicy and very tasty, but after some days it’s very dry and tastes almost only salt. I eat smoked ham, bought in the mall, in Christmas, much better.

  2. 5 stars
    Also a Swede and me and family have been enjoying this for several years now and I can highly recommend it.

    In the beginning we tried smoked ham but it doesn’t feel right. Usually these days the ham in Sweden comes brined but doing it ourselves brings back some memories from my childhood as well.

  3. We bought a 8 pound boneless pork shoulder with fat cap.
    ( probably 6 pound with meat only). Is the brine time same.regardless of weight?

    1. We tend to wing it, but the general rule is the bigger the ham, the longer it takes. We usually use a syringe to inject some brine directly into the middle, just to make sure it doesn’t end up grey inside. Two to three weeks should be fine for your size of ham. Then we let it soak in water for at least a few hours before cooking. The last couple of years it has tasted kinda salty directly after cooking but then it mellows out and ends up really yummy! If you are worried about the salt, soak it overnight in water (in the fridge of course). Just remember to keep the cooked ham covered so it doesn’t dry out.
      I hope it turns out well and happy holidays! <3

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