Preparing a Ginger and Apricot Glazed Ham

A Christmas ham is one of those great centre piece dishes that mark out a Christmas Eve or a Boxing Day. The recipe is taken from Skye McAlpine from the Sunday Times, The Dish. It seems such a great treat to produce.

The apricot and ginger flavour is subtle but lends a sweetness that a fatty ham depends upon to add just a faint luxuriousness that might other wise be missing. It is not overly spicy or peppery hot and is best served warm although we invariably have it as a cold cut a few days later. Can be made a few days before serving and instructions on how to do this are given.

Recipe: Ginger and Apricot Glazed Ham

Makes 8-10 servings.

Ingredients:

• 3 kg gammon joint.
• One red onion, peeled and cut in half.
• 2 litres ginger beer.
• Handful of cloves.
• Two heat tablespoons of apricot jam.
• 4 teaspoons of water.
• One teaspoon ground ginger.
• 4 teaspoons light Muscovado sugar.

Preparation:

1. Put the Gammon joint and onion halves in a deep saucepan, then cover with the ginger beer.
2. Set the pan over a high heat, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for three hours.
3. Check on the ham every now and then and top up the ham with boiling water to keep the meat completely covered.
4. Heat the oven to 220ºC or 240ºC if non fan.
5. Line a roasting tray with tin foil.
6. When the ham is ready, drain. Discard the cooking liquid and sentence inside out in the roasting. Let it cool a little so it’s easy. Use a sharp knife to remove the skin, leaving a thin layer of fat. Form a diamond pattern. Stud each diamond with a clove.
7. In a small saucepan, combine the jam, water and ginger. And set over a medium heat for a couple of minutes, to make a glazing syrup. Carefully spoon the syrup onto the exposed fat, taking care to glaze it all over.
8. Then sprinkle over the sugar, patting it in so it sticks into the fat. Put in the oven and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the glaze is burnished.

Making the ham in advance

If you want to make the ham in advance, let it cool completely. Then stud with cloves over the whole surface as before. Please ladle over the jammy syrup and store in the fridge. When you are ready, bring it to room temperature and then bake at once at 160ºC or 180ºC non-fan in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes.