Honey Glazed Ham

Method

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1. Put the gammon in a very large pot with the cider, onions, bay, peppercorns and the 4 cloves, and top up with cold water to cover.

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2. Bring slowly to a bare simmer, skim off the grey foam, then cover and cook at the gentlest simmer for 2 hours 15 minutes — about 20 minutes per 500 g. The surface should barely move.

   Mark done Start 2 hr timer

3. Lift the joint out and leave it until cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes. Keep the cooking liquid for soup.

   Mark done Start 30 min timer

4. Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Cut the string off and slice the skin away with a sharp knife, leaving an even 5 mm layer of fat behind.

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5. Score the fat in a diamond lattice, cutting into the fat but not into the meat, and push a whole clove into the point of each diamond.

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6. Whisk the honey, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar and ground cloves together and brush a third of it over the joint.

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7. Roast 30 to 35 minutes, brushing with more glaze every 10 minutes, until deeply lacquered and blackening at the edges of the diamonds.

   Mark done Start 30 min timer

8. Rest 1 hour before carving. It is at its best warm rather than hot, and better still cold the next day.

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Chef’s Tips

• Ask for unsmoked gammon on the bone. Smoked is fine but it fights the honey, and the bone is worth having for stock.
• Do not glaze early. A glaze applied at the start of a long roast will be black and bitter by the end.
• The cider stock makes the best pea and ham soup of the year. Freeze it.

Pairing Suggestions

• Cumberland sauce or piccalilli
• Scalloped potatoes
• A glass of cold cider

Storage & Reheating

Wrapped in the fridge for 5 days; the flavour improves. Slices freeze for 2 months. The stock keeps 3 days or freezes for 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.