Beaver Ham, Apples and Cipollini Onions

Made our beaver ham recipe? Or maybe you’ve cured your own ham from a wild hog. Either way, this is a great use for leftovers. The fatty, smoky meat provides a rich backdrop for the bright, sweet apples and onion. This dish would be a perfect side for a backyard barbeque.
Beaver Ham, Apples & Cipollini Onions
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 cup beaver ham (or any smokey ham) chopped roughly
2 honeycrisp apples, cored, sliced ¼” thick
1 lb cipollini onions, peeled, halved
4 tbsp butter
2 cups stock (we used beaver stock, but use any light to medium stock)
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
Method
Add 2 tbsp butter to a large pan, heat to medium high, and add apples. Cook until brown edges form, about 4 minutes. Remove apples from pan.
Add remaining 2 tbsp of butter, add in beaver ham and crisp the edges, about 4 minutes, then remove from pan.
Add onions and brown, about 4 minutes, stir and add stock and vinegar. Bring to a simmer and partially cover, cook for 10 minutes or until the onions are almost fork tender. Add ham and apples back to the pan, stir and allow to simmer for another 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, serve hot.
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