Perfect Christmas ham
Source: Guardian
1. Put the ham in a large stock pot, and cover with cold water. Add the molasses, spices and orange peel and bring slowly to a simmer, skimming off any scum. Simmer very gently for about an hour and a half, until the internal temperature of the ham reaches 68C.
2. Heat the oven to 220C. Lift the ham out of the liquid (which can be used to make delicious baked beans), allow to cool slightly, then carefully cut off the skin, leaving as much fat beneath as possible. Score this in a diamond pattern, and stud the intersections with cloves. Put the ham in a foil-lined roasting tray.
3. Mix together the glaze ingredients into a thick paste, and brush this all over the fat. Put into the hot oven for about 25 minutes, basting twice during this time, and adding a sprinkle more sugar as you go, until the glaze is caramelised and bubbling. Allow to cool completely before serving.
Grigson outlines the basics in English Food, saying that "the thing is to have a basic mixture of mustard and sweetness" – in her case, French mustard and brown sugar, redcurrant jelly or marmalade, plus double cream and cinnamon or cloves. Smith has clearly been issued with the same carol sheet, smothering her ham with English mustard and topping it with demerara sugar.
Prince disagrees – in Ham, Pickles and Jam, she offers three options for a sticky glazed ham, only one of which involves mustard. The second, which I decide to try, replaces the mustard powder with plain flour and uses soft brown sugar and either sherry or orange juice. The guiding principle seems to be to ensure there's something dry in the topping, whether that's flour or mustard powder, so it forms a thick paste and doesn't simply slide off the joint as it heats like McLagan's port, honey and sugar mixture.
Prince's sugary, floury glaze (which I put on Grigson's ham by mistake) gives the best result: a crunchy, solid crust with a lovely sweetness to it. But I miss the heat of the mustard, so I decide to adopt the same principle, making a thick paste, but using mustard powder instead of flour. Adding breadcrumbs, as Grigson suggests, does provide temporary crunch, but they quickly go soggy when the ham cools, so I'm steering clear on this occasion.
There are several options for the sweet element of proceedings: I find Lawson's treacle rather bitter after heating and McLagan's honey too subtle, so dark brown sugar seems the ideal compromise. Instead of Grigson's marmalade, which I like but fear will loosen the mixture, I'm adding orange zest for a festive hint of citrus. The mixture does need some liquid, of course, and Prince's sherry worked pretty well, but really, what could be more Christmassy than my old favourite, ginger wine, which combines spice and booze in one glorious package?
Temperature-wise, a shortish blast in hot oven, as Lawson and Smith suggest, works better for crisping than Grigson's slower cooking at a more moderate heat. Smith's mustard and brown sugar glazed ham looks lovely – a vibrant yellow colour – and although it's not quite Christmassy enough for my taste, I find that sprinkling on a little extra sugar once the glaze is on, as she does with her mustard, gives a more even caramelisation.
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Serving Size: 1 Serving (208g) | ||
Recipe Makes: 10 Servings | ||
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Calories: 29 | ||
Calories from Fat: 1 (3%) | ||
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Amt Per Serving | % DV | |
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Total Fat 0.1g | 0 % | |
Saturated Fat 0g | 0 % | |
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g | ||
Polyunsanturated Fat 0g | ||
Cholesterol 0mg | 0 % | |
Sodium 2.2mg | 0 % | |
Potassium 13.9mg | 0 % | |
Total Carbohydrate 7.1g | 2 % | |
Dietary Fiber 0.1g | 0 % | |
Sugars, other 7g | ||
Protein 0.1g | 0 % | |
Powered by: USDA Nutrition Database Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are derived from linked ingredients (shown at left in colored bullets) and may or may not be complete. Always consult a licensed nutritionist or doctor if you have a nutrition-related medical condition. |
Calories per serving: 29
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