Directions

To make the ham-infused milk:

1. Sauté the smoked ham pieces in a skillet to brown and render out any excess fat.
2. Combine the cooked ham pieces with the milk and ham hock in a sauce pot. Ensure the pot is small enough to completely submerge the ham in the milk.
3. Bring to a boil over high heat, remove from heat and cover. Allow ham to infuse for 30 minutes off the heat.
4. Strain the ham out of the milk. Cool the milk quickly over an ice bath and proceed with the ice cream base.

To make the ice-cream base:

1. An instant-read thermometer will come in handy for this entire process.

2. Combine the sugar and egg yolks in a small bowl.
3. Place the milk in a pot over high heat.
4. At 77°F, add the milk powder. To ensure the milk powder doesn't settle to the bottom of the pan and burn, whisk constantly from here on out.
5. At 95°F, pour in the yolk mixture.
6. At 113°F add the heavy cream.
7. Bring the mixture up to 185°F, take off the heat, and stir for two more minutes while whisking constantly to pasteurize and homogenize the mixture.
8. Pour the ice cream base over a fine-mesh sieve and chill to 39°F quickly over an ice bath.
9. Allow the mixture to age for at least 4 hours, or ideally 12 hours before churning.
10. Set up your ice cream maker. If you are using the KitchenAid ice cream attachment, you will need to freeze the bowl for at least 15 hours before churning.
11. Once you are ready to churn, follow manufacturer instructions. Ideal temperature when the ice cream is finished will be 25°F.
12. Place the churned product into the freezer to set up for at least 6 hours, if not overnight.

To make the Sundaes:

1. Render out some bacon until crispy and chop into little bits. (About half of a strip per sundae will do.)

2. Grill fresh or canned pineapple rings over high heat, ideally on GrillGrates. (Two or three rings per sundae.)

3. Place maraschino cherries onto paper umbrella.
4. Assemble into bowl as such: grilled pineapple ring, fresh scoop of smoked ham ice cream, bacon bits and cherries on top!
5. Serve and enjoy!