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[Daphne]

Following on from the Christmas Dinner thread and Cinnamon's idea, we've decided to have a ham on Christmas Eve. Trouble is, mine never turn out as nice as my Mum's - she uses a pressure cooker which we don't have, tho I'm happy to buy one if that is the answer! So, could I have your top tips please for a moist and succulent ham which I'd like hot and then cold.

[Cinnamon]

I use a tried & trusted recipe for an aromatic spiced ham,which is brilliant.

I do the boiling bit on Christmas Eve,then the baking bit on the day,which is great as it only takes a short while,unlike a blooming great big turkey

 

Put the following into a BIG pan or stock pot:

 

2.25 - 2.75 boneless mild cured gammon

250ml red wine

3ltr water

1 large onion,halved

2 cloves garlic,unpeeled

1 head Fennel

2 star anise

1 tbs coriander seed

1 tbs fennel seed

1 tbs mixed peppercorns

 

Add a little more water if the ham is not covered.

Bring to boil,reduce heat,partially cover & simmer for 2.5 - 3 hours,depending on the size.

 

When you are ready to glaze & finish the ham:

Pre heat oven to 230/gas 8.

remove ham from liquid & strip off the rind,leaving just a little layer of fat on the meat. Score this into a diamond pattern with a knife& stud each 'corner' of the diamonds with a clove pushed in.

 

Put the following into a pan:

 

4 tbsp redcurrant jelly

.5 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp smoked paprika

.5 tsp red wine vinegar

 

Whisk together & bring to the boil. let it bubble to a nice syrupy glaze that will coat the ham.

Pop the ham into a roasting pan onto a layer of foil (the sugar will barn in the oven as it drips off otherwise),& pour the glaze over it.

Bake for about 15 minutes,or until the glaze is burnished.

Rest for a short while before carving.

 

Its making my mouth water just thinking about how brilliant this tastes & smells!

[Cinnamon]

If you go to the BBC Good Food site,there are lots more recipes,plus a video on how to prepare a ham

[Daphne]

Thanks Cinnamon

 

I've not used so many flavourings with a ham before, but fennel/aniseedy things are one of my favourites and we do pork with fennel seed, so I think I'm going to try your recipe. I like the idea of a 2 stage prep as well!

[Patricia W]

Daphne - this is Nigella's recipe cooked in cola. It it good, but the cola gives the outside rather a dark colour.

 

2 kg gammon, mild cure

1 onions, peeled and halved

2 litres cola

For the glaze

1 handfuls cloves

1 tbsp black treacle

2 tsp English mustard powder

2 tbsp demerara sugar

 

Most mild-cure gammon doesn't need soaking, but if you know that you're dealing with a salty piece, then put it in a pan covered with cold water, bring to the boil then tip into a colander in the sink and start from here; otherwise, put the gammon in a pan, skin side down if it fits like that, add the onion then pour over the cola.

 

2. Bring to the boil, reduce to a good simmer, put the lid on, though not tightly, and cook for just under 2 1/2 hours. If your joint is larger or smaller work out timing by reckoning on an hour a kilo altogether, remembering that it's going to get a quick blast in the oven later. But do take into account that if the gammon's been in the fridge right up to the moment you cook it, you will have to give a good 15 or so minutes' extra so that the interior is properly cooked.

 

3. Meanwhile preheat oven to 240°C/gas 9.

 

4. When the ham's had its time take it out of the pan but do not throw away the cooking liquid. Let the ham cool a little for ease of handling. (Indeed you can let it cool completely then finish off the cooking at some later stage if you want).

 

5. Remove skin, leaving a thin layer of fat. Score the fat with a sharp knife to make fairly large diamond shapes, and stud each diamond with a clove. Then carefully spread the treacle over the bark-budded skin taking care not to dislodge the cloves. Then gently pat the mustard and sugar onto the sticky fat.

 

6. Cook, in a foil lined roasting tin for approximately 10 minutes or till the glaze is burnished and bubbly.

 

7. Should you want to do the braising stage in advance and then let the ham cool, clove and glaze it and give it 30-40 minutes, from room temperature, at 180°C/gas 4, turning up the heat towards the end if you think it needs it.

[Eggasperated]

I always use Nigella's recipe with Coca Cola but then I don't like the look of the stock so I have never used that for anything as I would with normal stock, but I think it makes the ham taste lovely .