The Ohio boiled dinner: one pot, a smoky ham and tender vegetables that soak up all that flavor.
4 to 6
15 minutes
About 2 hours
Hickory-smoked and hand-trimmed in Cleveland.
Shop Cottage HamAvailable in small (about 1.5 lb), medium (about 2 lb) and large (about 2.5 lb).
Cottage ham is one of those Ohio favorites that's hard to find anywhere else. It's the hand carved boneless butt of the pork shoulder, trimmed lean, cured and slow-smoked over hickory wood. Simmered gently, it turns fork-tender, salty-sweet and smoky, and it flavors everything cooked alongside it.
The most popular way to make it, and the one our customers ask about most, is the classic one-pot boiled dinner. The ham simmers on its own first, then the potatoes, carrots, cabbage and green beans go into the same smoky broth. It's an easy, cozy Sunday supper, and the leftovers make the best sandwiches.
What Is a Cottage Ham?
Despite the name, cottage ham isn't from the back leg like a traditional ham. It comes from the pork shoulder, sometimes called the "cottage butt" or "daisy ham." It's boneless, has just enough marbling to stay juicy, and cooks much faster than a whole ham. Raddell's Cottage Ham is hickory-smoked in our Cleveland smokehouse.
How Long to Cook a Cottage Ham
Our rule of thumb: cover with water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until a fork slides in easily. A larger ham needs the longer time. Don't rush it at a hard boil, or the meat can turn tough.
Other Ways to Cook It
- Slow cooker: Put potatoes and onions on the bottom, the ham on top, and add water or broth to cover the ham halfway. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours, adding cabbage and green beans for the last hour.
- Glazed in the oven: After simmering, brush the ham with a mix of brown sugar and mustard and bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes until glossy.
One-Pot Cottage Ham Dinner
15 minutes
About 2 hours
4 to 6
Ingredients
- 1 Raddell's Cottage Ham (about 2 pounds)
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 1 bay leaf and 6 whole black peppercorns
- 1 1/2 pounds small red or Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
- 3 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 small head green cabbage, cut into 6 wedges
- 8 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed
- Spicy brown mustard and horseradish, for serving
Instructions
- Place the ham, onion, bay leaf and peppercorns in a large pot or Dutch oven and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Cover partially and simmer 1 hour.
- Add the potatoes and carrots. Return to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.
- Nestle the cabbage wedges into the pot and simmer 15 minutes more.
- Add the green beans and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the ham is fork-tender (at least 145°F in the center).
- Transfer the ham to a cutting board, rest 10 minutes, then slice. Serve with the vegetables, a ladle of the broth, mustard and horseradish.
Recipe Notes
Leftovers: Refrigerate sliced ham and vegetables separately for up to 4 days. Thin-sliced cold cottage ham on rye with mustard is a Cleveland lunch classic.
Save the broth: Strain it and use it for bean soup or split pea soup.
Cottage Ham FAQs
How long do you boil a cottage ham?
Bring it to a boil, then lower to a slow simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on size, until fork-tender.
Is cottage ham the same as a picnic ham?
Both come from the pork shoulder. Cottage ham is the boneless upper part (the butt), while a picnic ham is the lower shoulder and usually has a bone.
What goes with cottage ham?
Potatoes, cabbage, green beans, carrots, sauerkraut, rye bread, mustard and horseradish.
Can you slow cook a cottage ham?
Yes. Cook it on low 6 to 8 hours with potatoes and onions underneath, adding cabbage and green beans for the last hour.
Sunday dinner, shipped to your door.
Order Cottage HamRound out the table with Smoked Slovenian Sausage or a Zelodec.