Every year, for Christmas, I buy the best ham that I can and glaze and cook it. This makes the ham moist and flavoursome. The glaze is pretty much whatever you feel like putting in the mixture.I have put together a list of what I used in each year’s glaze.

Cooking instructions are pretty much the same:

  • Remove the skin from the ham, leaving the fat
  • Slice through the fat, but not the meat, cutting into large diamonds
  • Rub all over with the glaze
  • Place in large pan and add about 2cm of water
  • Cook at 160ºC for 1 1/2 hours, basting and rotating regularly or until fat is well browned
  • Remove from the heat and cover with foil.
  • Rest for at least half an hour and serve or if preferred return to the fridge and serve chilled. (can be done a couple of days ahead if serving chilled)

2014

  • 1/2 cup of any really nice chutney, preferably home-made. I used rhubarb relish.
  • 1/2 cup of honey
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp powdered mustard
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1/2 nutmeg
  1. Stir everything up and rub into meat.
  2. Reapply regularly during cooking.

2012

  1. Heat star anise, cinnamon quill, cloves, molasses, brown sugar and leave to steep.
  2. Rub all over meat and bake.