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GINGER-GLAZED HAM
I make no excuses for the fact that this is far too big a joint for the planned supper. Even were I to invite a crowd, I know I could count on leftovers. But that, after all, is the point. Anyway, you can adapt it freely, depending on the number of people you want to feed at the first sitting (I did this for 11 adults and 6 children last year) and how many days you want to eke it out for afterwards. But what is important, given that this is probably the most labour-intensive time of year in the kitchen, is that this dispenses with any fiddly steps. The gammon is simply simmered in ginger ale and, although you need to strip off the rind to glaze it, the glaze is straightforward. My patience is pretty well exhausted by Christmas Eve and knowing that I’ve still got the stockings to fill and the next day to get through, I don’t go in for clove-by-clove studding on the ham: instead I let the golden cubes within the ginger preserve (or jam) give a criss-cross effect as they rise to the surface. It works glowingly well.
It won’t give that same crowning effect, but if you cannot get hold of ginger preserve, you could use ordinary orange marmalade and add a teaspoon of ground dried ginger or, indeed, grated fresh, as you heat it up.
Recipe posted by Nigella
Ingredients
- 1 x 5.5kg joint (mild cure boneless) gammon
- 3 x 2-litre bottles dry ginger ale
- 350g chunky ginger preserve (or orange marmalade)
- 2 x 15ml tablespoons hot English mustard
- 100g soft dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Method
Serves: 10
- Place the joint in a large pan over the hob and pour the dry ginger ale over it, topping up with water so the ham is just about covered with liquid.
- Bring to the boil, then lower the heat to keep the joint bubbling gently for 3 1/2 hours.
- Towards the end of cooking, preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7 and start on the glaze.
- Put the chunky ginger preserve (or marmalade) into a small bowl, and spoon in the hot English mustard. Add the soft, dark brown sugar, sprinkle in the ground cloves and stir to mix.
- After the ham has had its 3 1/2 hours (and check that it’s ready by inserting a meat thermometer – it should read 71°C), gently lift it out of the pan – no mean feat – and place in a foil-lined roasting tin. Carefully cut away the skin, leaving a thin layer of fat. There is no need to score the surface, simply slap on the glaze and place in the hot oven for 20 minutes.
- Transfer to a carving board where it can be admired before being carved as thinly as possible; I try to get someone else to do this.
- Additional information - for gluten free replace the English mustard with a gluten free mustard, such as Dijon.
MAKE AHEAD TIP:
About 6 hours before serving, cook the ham for 3 hours only, take the pan off the heat, remove the rind and return the ham to the hot liquid. Set aside in a cool place for about 3 hours. One hour before serving, preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7. Put the ham in a shallow, foil-lined roasting tin, cover with a tent of foil and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Then glaze and return to the oven for 20–30 minutes or until golden and burnished.
FREEZE AHEAD TIP:
Any leftover ham can be thinly sliced, wrapped in a double layer of foil, or put into a sealable bag, and kept in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Comments
You are a Genius! This is the best ham I have ever had!!!
Posted by shaunstruik on 13th Dec 2011 at 3.28