Baked Glazed Ham

This was our Boxing Day feast, a lovely baked ham. We had it with bubble and squeak and mustard. Delicious!

Baked Glazed Ham (from Leiths Meat Bible)

1 ham or gammon joint

1 onion

1 carrot

1 bay leaf

fresh parsley stalks

black peppercorns

2 tbsp demerara sugar

1 tsp dry English mustard

1 handful cloves

Soak the joint overnight in cold water to remove excess salt.

Place the joint in a large saucepan of cold water and add the onion, carrot, bay leaf, parsley stalks and peppercorns. Being slowly to the boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer and over the pan. Large joints weighing more than 3.5kg should be simmered for 25 mins per 450g. Joints weighing less than 3.5kg should be simmered for 20 mins per 450g. Do not allow the water to boil as the ham may dry out.

Heat the oven to 220C.

Lift the joint out of the poaching liquor and carefully trim off the skin with a sharp knife., leaving a thin coating of fat on the joint. Reserve the liquor for ham stock.

Mix the sugar and mustard together and press the mixture evenly over the fat.

Using a sharp knife, cut the diamond lattice pattern across the coated fat. If any sugar falls ff press it back on again. Stick a clove into the centre of each diamond segment or into the cuts where the lines cross.

Stand the joint upright on a roasting rack over a roasting pan, fat side up. Bake the joint for about 20 mins or until brown and slightly caramelised. 

Carve into thick slices and serve.