RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
December Pick: Crockpot Meals

Fresh Ham with Orange and Clove

A fresh ham rubbed with orange zest, clove, and garlic, slow-cooked on fennel, carrots, and onions, and served with a fresh orange and parsley relish.

Why you'll love Fresh Ham with Orange and Clove

Orange and clove are classic December flavors for pork, and here they go on a fresh ham: the raw pork leg, sold as a roast like any other, and seasoned and cooked at home. Rubbed with orange zest, ground cloves, garlic, and thyme, then seared and slow-cooked on a bed of fennel, carrots, and onions, it turns into tender, juicy slices with a fragrant crust and a pot full of vegetables and sauce.

Searing before the slow cooker is worth the ten minutes. A slow cooker cooks with moist heat that stays below the boiling point, and browning needs a hot, dry surface, so the only chance to build that deep roasted flavor is in a skillet first. The same skillet then turns the cooking liquid into a sauce: boiled hard for ten minutes, it concentrates into a glossy, savory gravy, and a spoonful of Dijon gives it a sharp finish.

A relish of fresh orange segments, parsley, and olive oil goes on at the table. Its juicy, bright sweetness against the rich pork is the same contrast a sweet glaze gives a holiday roast, from the whole fruit instead.

Quick overview: This Fresh Ham with Orange and Clove takes 25 min of hands-on time and about 9 hr 40 min in all and makes 8 servings, each about 5 oz sliced pork with vegetables and sauce. You'll need a slow cooker and a skillet.

Jump to recipe

Sliced fresh ham with roasted vegetables and orange relish
Prep 25 minCook 9 hr 15 minTotal 9 hr 40 minServes 8Serving about 5 oz sliced pork with vegetables and sauceYou'll need Slow cooker, Skillet

Ingredients

  • one 4 lb boneless fresh ham roast (raw pork leg, also sold as pork leg roast), tied Label: pork, and nothing else (a fresh ham carries no curing salt, brine, or celery powder)
  • finely grated zest of 2 oranges
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 6 cloves garlic, 3 finely grated and 3 smashed
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, divided
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 2 large onions, cut into thick wedges
  • 5 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 large fennel bulb, cut into 8 wedges, fronds saved
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup chicken bone broth Label: chicken bones, water, vegetables, herbs, and salt, with no sugar, natural flavors, or oil
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard Label: mustard seed, vinegar, water, and salt
  • the 2 zested oranges, peeled and cut into segments
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Season the pork: Mix the orange zest, cloves, grated garlic, thyme, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and the pepper into a paste. Pat the fresh ham dry and rub the paste all over it. You can do this the night before and refrigerate it, covered, so the salt seasons the meat more deeply.
  2. Sear: Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the pork, turning it every 2 minutes, until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Lower the heat if the zest starts to darken too fast.
  3. Load the slow cooker: Spread the onions, carrots, fennel, smashed garlic, and bay leaves in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, sprinkle them with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and set the pork on top. The vegetables lift the roast out of the liquid so it braises in steam, and they soak up its juices as it cooks.
  4. Deglaze: Pour the broth and vinegar into the hot skillet and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Pour the liquid around the pork, not over it, so the crust stays on.
  5. Slow-cook: Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours, until the pork is fork-tender and a thermometer in the thickest part reads well above 145°F (63°C). The long, low cook melts the connective tissue in the leg, which is what makes it tender enough to cut with a fork.
  6. Rest: Lift the pork onto a cutting board, tent it with foil, and rest it for 15 minutes. Move the vegetables to a platter with a slotted spoon and keep them warm.
  7. Make the sauce: Skim the fat from the top of the cooking liquid, then pour 2 cups of it into the skillet and boil over high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until reduced by half. Whisk in the Dijon. Boiling concentrates the juices into a sauce with real body.
  8. Make the relish and serve: Toss the orange segments with the parsley, chopped fennel fronds, olive oil, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Snip the string, slice the pork across the grain, and serve it with the vegetables, the sauce, and the relish spooned over the top.

Storage and leftovers

Refrigerate the pork, vegetables, and sauce within 2 hours in sealed containers for up to 4 days. Keep the relish separately, refrigerated, for up to 2 days.

Freeze sliced pork covered in its sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it gently, covered, until it reaches 165°F (74°C).

Variations

  • Pork shoulder: Use a 4 lb boneless pork shoulder roast in place of the fresh ham. Shoulder carries more fat and shreds instead of slicing.
  • Mustard crust: Rub 2 tablespoons Dijon over the pork before the spice paste for a sharper, tangier crust.
  • Cabbage: Tuck 4 wedges of green cabbage around the pork for the last 2 hours.
  • Rosemary: Use 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary in place of the dried thyme.

Notes and tips

  • Buy it by name: Ask the meat counter for a fresh ham or a pork leg roast. It looks like any raw pork roast, pale pink and sold by weight, and its label should read pork and nothing else. Pork leg sold fully cooked, spiral sliced, brined, or with celery powder on the label has been cured, and it is a different food.
  • Order ahead in December: Fresh hams are often special order around the holidays. A 4 lb boneless piece from the top or bottom of the leg fits a 6-quart slow cooker.
  • Keep it on low: Leg meat is firm and has little fat, and the low setting gives it time to turn tender without drying out.
  • Use the leftovers: Thin slices of cold pork with a spoonful of the relish make an easy lunch over greens.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Pork leg brings protein along with thiamin, zinc, and selenium, and the slow cook makes it tender and juicy.
  • Fennel, carrots, and onions cook in the pork juices, so the vegetables carry as much flavor as the meat.
  • Fresh orange segments add vitamin C and fiber, and paired with the pork they make a sweet note that sits easily.
  • Olive oil and the fat from the pork are the real fats on the plate, and they carry the clove and orange flavors.
  • As you eat, notice the warm clove and the bright orange against the savory pork, and check in after dinner: a plate of pork and vegetables should keep you comfortably satisfied through the evening, 4 hours or more, with no craving for something sweet.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Fresh Ham with Orange and Clove? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

What is a fresh ham?

It is the hind leg of the pig, raw and unseasoned, sold as a roast. It cooks like any other pork roast and tastes like roast pork.

Can I cook it on high?

Low is better for this cut. If you need to, cook it on high for 5 to 6 hours, until fork-tender and well above 145°F (63°C), but expect slices that are a little drier.

Can I use a bone-in fresh ham?

A whole bone-in fresh ham is usually too large for a slow cooker. A bone-in piece of 4 to 5 lb will fit and takes about an hour longer on low.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes. Cook it a day ahead, refrigerate the pork in its liquid, then slice it cold, which gives very neat slices, and reheat the slices in the sauce until hot.

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Tags: December Pick, Crockpot Meals, American, Dairy-Free