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On Saturday, June 6, 2006 Wheels (not his real name) and I (Margarita Will) went down to see Dan at Motovation Cycles in Charlotte Hall, MD to have my brakes done before my annual family vacation to Myrtle Beach.
While there, Fred Harper from Jacksonville, North Carolina (thanks for reminding me, George!) showed up to pick up his new Titanium ION trailer that Dan's folks were prepping for him. After my brakes were done (and Dyna Beads added), and the paperwork for Fred's new trailer had had all its "i"s dotted & "t"s crossed, the four of us (Wheels, Dan, Fred & I) headed over for lunch at St. Mary's Landing Restaurant. St. Mary's Landing Dan convinced me to try the "Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham". Apparently it's a traditional Southern Maryland dish - which, not being originally from Maryland - I'd never heard of. According to Dan it's traditionally prepared using a "corned" ham. Now... That's the SECOND thing in this lunch time conversation I'd never heard of. So, I had to do some research... What I found was that obtaining an official "corned" ham is well neigh impossible. I did find a place online - Raley's Town & Country Market - that sells them. Raley's Town & Country Market
As Dan promised, the "Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham" was very good! Basically, it's a fairly mild ham (not overly salty, or smokey) filled with a "stuffing" made of finely chopped kale, cabbage, onion, mustard seed & crushed red pepper. I think Dan may have said that celery's also include in the stuffing... or not... The crushed red pepper gives it just the tiniest bit of a kick. Good stuff! I couldn't find what I thought accurately portrayed the dish that Dan described (and I ate!), but here are several recipes that I "liberated" from...
Oh... BTW, this dish is served cold. Mine was served as a sandwich. Dan ordered his without the bread. Bon appetit, y'all! Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham - #1 1 canned ham (10 to 12 lbs.), boned With a sharp knife, cut vertically through the top of the ham 8 to 10 pockets. Chop onions, cabbage and kale. Mix vegetables with remaining ingredients. Stuff "pockets" with vegetable mixture. Fill with as much as possible then put remaining stuffing on top of ham. Put ham on a large piece of cheesecloth. Sew or tie the cloth around the ham, tightly, to keep dressing in place. Cook 20 minutes per pound of ham. cook, place ham in a large covered pan on a rack, covering the ham with water. The rack is so the ham will not stick while cooking. Cover with lid, cook as specified, remove from water to cool. Serve cold. Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham - #2 1 cured 12 lb. ham Chose a plump, thick ham. Parboil 20 minutes. Do not remove skin. Cut greens in small pieces (1 to 1 1/2 inches). Chop celery and pepper fine. Blanch greens, celery, and pepper in boiling water until limp. Drain well. Add seasonings and mix. Cool ham until comfortable to handle. Starting at butt end of ham, cut 3 lengthwise slits, 2 inches long, all the way through. Second row - 2 slits. Third row - 3 slits, so that one slit for stuffing does not split into another. The ham is now ready for stuffing. With the fingers, push the seasoned greens into slits first from the top, then from the under side until you feel every space is filled. The remaining greens are banked over the top of the ham. For keeping ham in shape, use large square of clean cloth. Place ham, skin side up, on cloth; fold ends over tightly and secure with pins or sew. Return to ham boiler and simmer 15 minutes to the pound. Let cool 2 hours in "poit likker". Chill in refrigerator overnight in cloth. Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham - #3 A traditional Easter dish dating from early 1700's. 1 (7 lb.) ham Chop onions and greens. Mix seasonings with greens. Cut 2 inch slits (pockets) on a 45 degree angle, in the ham. Alternate 3 pockets then 2 pockets, making sure they are not parallel. Press seasoned stuffing into slits until they will hold no more. Put ham in pillow case or cheesecloth; add left over stuffing, tie closed. Put ham in large pot and cover with water. Simmer or boil slowly for 20 minutes per pound. Reduce cooking time by 1/2 hour when using precooked ham. Turn off heat. Let ham cool in the water (about 2 hours). Remove and drain. Remove from cloth and refrigerate overnight. Serve cold. Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham - #4 12 lb. County Cured Ham Choose a plump, thick ham with thin layer of fat. Parboil 20 minutes. Steam and remove skin. Cut greens in small pieces and chop celery fine. Blanch greens and celery in boiling water until limp. Drain well. Add seasonings and mix. Let ham cool until comfortable to handle. Starting at butt end of ham, cut 3 lengthwise slits, 2 inches long, all the way through. Second row - 2 slits, all the way through. Third row - 3 slits, all the way through so that one slit for stuffing does not split into another. The ham is now ready for stuffing. With the fingers, push the seasoned greens into slits, first from the top and then from the underside until you feel every space is filled. Remaining greens are baked over top of ham. For keeping in shape, use large square of clean cloth. Place ham, skin side up on cloth, fold ends over tightly and secure with a pin. Return ham to boiler and simmer 15 minutes per pound. Cool 2 hours. Refrigerate overnight in cloth. 
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