Top 5 Essential Tools for Easter Ham

Hope you read yesterday’s post on how to thaw, prepare and roast your Easter ham?  Today, I will list my top five essential tools for cooking and serving your Easter Ham.

5.  Rimmed sheet pan with a cooling rack – pictured is my very reliable, durable “Lincoln Food Service” half-sized heavy duty sheet pan.  Lightly colored, so it heats and browns evenly.  It is 18″ x 26″ and I own four.  Two for home use and two for barbecue competitions.

http://www.amazon.com/12-0417-LINCOLN-FOODSERVICE-ROASTING-BAKING/dp/B001J87PY6/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1458750005&sr=8-4&keywords=lincoln+foodservice+pan

4.  Slicing knife – this is the Victorinox Fibrox 12-inch Granton Edge Slicing Knife, evaluated by America’s Test Kitchen’s as a best bet, it has a tapered 12-inch blade for slicing large cuts of meat.  Designed with oval scallops (hence the Granton Edge) carved into both sides of the blade, which is rigid with a rounded tip for ease of slicing.

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-12-Inch-Granton-Slicing-Fibrox/dp/B0000CFDB9

3.  Basting Brush – my ideal basting brush has silicone bristles and is heat resistant.  Plus, they are so easy to clean. I have a short handle and long handled brush.  For basting my ham, I would use my short handled brush for its steering flexibility.

http://www.amazon.com/Tiemom-Silicone-Basting-Brushes-Yellow/dp/B002UED7QS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1458756231&sr=8-4&keywords=silicone+brush+basting

2.  Carving Board – for slicing your ham, or any other juicy meat, a trenched carving board is ideal.  I like the Boos Edge-Grain Carving Board.  It is heavy duty and sturdy.  Its deep, wide trench will trap valuable juices.  With a 20″ x 15″ surface area, even the largest turkey will fit.  It has hand grips on both ends for easy handling.   Although, this particular model is expensive, with proper care (monthly mineral oil rub down) it will last for years.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/231423/?catalogId=73&sku=231423&cm_ven=MSN_PLA&cm_cat=MSN_Shopping&cm_pla=default&cm_ite=default&kwid=bingproductads-adid^11472831015-device^c-plaid^1100309429566-sku^231423@ADL10BMC-adType^PLA

1. Instant read thermometer –  one of the most valuable tools in the kitchen.  The Thermapen by Thermoworks is the industry standard for professional chefs.  Provides digital, instant reading in 2-3 seconds. Available in many colors to match your kitchen decor, it has a wide temperature range, a long stem that can reach the interior of large cuts of meat and is water resistant.  Beware of intimation manufactures.  Thermoworks is the industry leader and the $100.00 price tag is well worth the investment.

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/thermapen/

What are some of your ESSENTIAL TOOLS in the KITCHEN???