Traditional Glazed Ham with Fresh Orange Slices

Ingredients

Description

Whether it’s Christmas, a special birthday or wedding buffet, a large pink ham takes pride of place and stands there, glistening in all it’s glory. I think it is well worth seeking out the best ham you can. Especially given the expense. I always order my ham from Holly Bacon in Hastings, where fourth-generation butcher Claire Vogtherr takes pride in traditional methods or preparing hams. Look for a ham that’s not exuding too much moisture (often a sign there’s been rather too much moisture injected in the curing process).

For really easy carving, order a ‘champagne’ ham with almost all the bones removed; it is chunkier and rounder than the traditional ham on the bone. I reheat my ham thoroughly when glazing it, and it seems to take on extra sweetness from the orange juice, sugar and spices.

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Carefully cut around the skin at the knuckle or shank end of the ham, leaving about 6cm on the bone. Remove the skin by sliding your fingers under the skin to loosen it, leaving a good coating of fat on the ham. Use a sharp knife to score the surface of the remaining fat into small even diamonds. Place the ham in a large baking dish and pour over one cup of the orange juice.

Slowly bake the ham in the oven for about 15 minutes per kilogram (hams generally weigh between 6kg and 9kg). About 15 minutes before the total cooking time is up, remove the ham from the oven and turn the heat up to 200°C. Mix together the sugar, cardamom and mustard with the remaining orange juice and spread this paste over the ham. Return to the oven for the last 10 to 15 minutes so the skin is nicely glazed. Remove and decorate with the garnish.

To make the garnish of orange slices, bring the water and sugar to a simmer, making absolutely certain all the sugar is dissolved before the syrup boils. Allow the syrup to boil for 20 minutes to reduce and thicken. Cut the oranges into thin slices with the skin still on, and drop them carefully into the syrup. Poach for five minutes and leave in the syrup to cool.

Attach the slices of orange to the edge of the ham with cloves, and poke more cloves into the corners of the diamonds.

The ham can be prepared well ahead, but keep it refrigerated until serving.

Place the ham on a ham stand, ready to carve.

Serves 25 (and there’ll be leftovers). 

Categories

Pork/Bacon
Savoury Baked Dishes
Christmas

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