Forget about purchasing perfectly rectangular pieces of processed ham from the deli counter or whole ham in a triangular can. The best hams come from American heritage breeds. Chefs champion small artisanal producers across the country for good reason: humane treatment of livestock, slow cures, natural wood smoking, or a nitrate-free cure. The end result to this minimal processing is deeply flavored ham that shows off the best of the breed’s inherent qualities. These artisan ham producers are among our favorites.

Monte’s Ham?Bridgehampton, New York Monte’s Hams are cured free of preservatives and nitrates. Cook these natural hams “long and slow” smothered in glaze. The end result will look more like roast pork, and will be one of the most succulent, juicy hams you’ll ever enjoy. Monte’s Ham’s commitment to an all-natural product doesn’t end with the ham. Orders arrive packed in a biodegradable, compostable boxes.

Monte Mathews knows about giving through food. From 2001 to 2009, he was the creative director on the Newman’s Own account at Gotham Inc., a Manhattan advertising agency; the account was Paul Newman’s company, which donates all proceeds to charity. After starting Monte’s Ham about a year ago, he pledged $5,000 annually to the hunger-relief organization City Harvest, which works out to at least $10 a ham. The hams are from hogs raised upstate as part of an initiative to convert dairy farms, and are cured by the Purdy family in Chenango County. Because the hams are nitrite- and nitrate-free, the meat is not pink, more like a fresh ham. Mr. Mathews also sells a mustardy ham glaze made by a small producer on the North Fork of Long Island. The ham, which is bone-in and runs 13 to 15 pounds, comes with a 16-ounce jar of the glaze and a tin of Madagascar cloves. The hams take about two and a half hours to bake. It all comes packed in a lovely willow basket lined with linen and straw, for $189 plus shipping: montesham.com.

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Serves 4 to 6

1 bunch carrots, peeled and trimmed

3/4 cup fresh orange juice, about 2 large oranges

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 to 3 teaspoons Monte's original glaze

1. Slice carrots on the bias, about 1/8th-inch thick. Put them in a saucepan with the orange juice and bring to a boil. Adjust heat to medium and cook at a brisk simmer for 8 to ten minutes until 'al dente'. Season carrots with salt and pepper to taste. Drain carrots over a bowl reserving the juice.
   
   
2. Place butter and glaze in saucepan the carrots cooked in and stir to mix over low heat. Add the carrots and a tablespoon or so of the reserved juice to thin the sauce and cook for another minute or two until the carrots sizzle. Taste to adjust seasoning and serve.

MONTE'S MASTER HAM WITH ORGINAL GLAZE

Serves 20 to 25

1 Monte's ham, bone in, 13 to 15 pounds

1 jar Monte's original glaze, divided

1 tablespoon whole cloves

Preheat oven to 325*

1. Line a large roasting pan with several layers of aluminum foil. Remove ham from sealed wrap and trim tough outer skin and excess fat and discard. Place ham, meat side down, in foiled-lined pan and, with a sharp knife, score the fat, making crosshatch incisions about 1/4-inch deep and 1-inch apart. Place ham in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove ham from the oven and increase oven temperature to 350 degrees.
   
   
2. Stud the ham with the whole cloves by inserting one clove at the intersection of each crosshatch), then, with a spatula, spread with one-third of the glaze and return to oven for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and coat with another one-third of the glaze and bake another 30 minutes.
   
   
3. Coat the ham with the glaze a third time and bake for 30 minutes longer or 2 hours total. Transfer to a cutting board and allow ham to rest for at least 30 minutes. Carve into thin slices and serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Leftovers can be refrigerated in a suitable container and will keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

GLAZED SALMON MONTE'S WAY

Serves 4 to 6

4 to 6 6-ounce center cut salmon fillets

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 to 3 tablespoons Monte's Original Glaze

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350*F

1. Place salmon fillets on a tray or dish large enough to hold the fillets in one layer.
   
   
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the glaze and bring it to a gentle boil. Stir to mix and remove from heat. Spoon half of the glaze over the fillets and let marinate about 10 minutes.
   
   
3. Heat the olive oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high. Transfer the fillets to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Brush the fillets with remaining glaze and cook for 2 minutes. Pour over the lemon juice and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 6 minutes longer until medium rare and the tops of the fillets are lightly caramelized or bake another couple of minutes for medium. Be sure to remember to wear gloves when removing the hot skillet from the oven. Spoon over pan juices and serve.

From Oct 11 2010

When he first moved to New York City in 1972, the Montreal born Monte Mathews went to a dinner party where the host advised: If you want to impress, “buy an expensive watch and serve a cheap ham.”

But Mathews, a retired Madison Avenue creative director, who handled campaigns for Sara Lee, Jimmy Dean, and most recently Newman’s Own, knew that “nothing could be worse on God’s earth than cheap ham.” So for a second career, he dove into books like Pig Perfect and A Field Guide to Pigs. He printed up “Be a Hambassador” T-shirts and cocktail napkins. He created a Ham-a-daire for storing masses of meat in his cellar. He started a blog, www.chewingthefat.us.com . And, with the help of Patrick Martins at Heritage Foods USA, he found the Purdys, a family that cuts, smokes and cures ham in Seneca County, New York. The ham comes from neighboring Amish families who raise heritage breed hogs (Duroc-Landrace crosses to be exact) without hormones or antibiotics and mostly on pastures planted to alfalfa, clover and rye. Monte’s Ham was born...continue.