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1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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2
It is not essential, but you will ease carving the ham after cooking if you run a knife around the contour of the hip bone on the underside of the ham.
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3
Run the knife down deep around the bone, but do not remove the bone now.
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4
It will be removed after cooking
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5
In a mixing bowl, blend the salt, pepper, cumin, garlic, sage and oil.
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6
Place the ham on a flat surface with the rind side up.
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7
With a boning knife, make 1/4-inch-deep gashes from the butt end to the shank and cut through the rind at 1-inch intervals.
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8
Place the ham in a roasting pan with the skin and fat side up; massage it all over with the spice mixture.
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9
Place the ham in the oven.
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10
Bake for 45 minutes and reduce the oven heat to 375 degrees.
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11
Bake for 45 minutes more, basting occasionally.
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12
Add the onion, carrots, celery and bay leaf.
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13
Cover with foil and reduce the heat to 350 degrees.
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14
Bake for 2 hours, basting occasionally.
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15
Add the chicken broth and continue cooking for 1 more hour.
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16
The internal temperature should be about 165 degrees.
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17
Two bones will protrude from the shank (the small end), one large and one small.
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18
If the small upper bone can be removed with a slight pull, it is an indication that the ham is cooked.
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19
Remove the ham from the pan, cover with foil and keep warm.
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20
Skim off the fat from the gravy with a large spoon.
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21
Strain the gravy with a strainer.
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22
Let the ham rest for at least half an hour before carving.
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23
To carve, run the carving knife under the rind, remove it and cut away excess fat.
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24
With the ham fat side up make a perpendicular cut down to the bone about 3 inches from the shank end and carve in thin, long slices on the bias.
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25
Serve with hot gravy.
