Apple cider glazed Christmas ham
Serves:
10
Preparation Time:
15 mins
Cooking Time:
4 hours
Ingredients:
- 4.5kg Bertocchi leg ham (on the bone)
- 4 litres apple juice
- 2 cinnamon sticks, cracked
- 2 bay leaves, cracked
- Pinch nutmeg, freshly ground
- 60 cloves to stud the ham
Glaze:
- 200ml sweet apple cider (may also be replaced with Champagne or Maderia)
- 100g castor sugar
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ground
- 100ml honey
- 100g red currants
To Serve:
- Roasted vegetables
- Mustard
Method:
- Preheat oven to 170⁰C.
- Place the leg of ham flat side down into a large saucepan and pour in the apple juice.
- Add the cinnamon quills, bay leaves and nutmeg to the pot.
- Simmer gently over a low heat for two hours. If the liquid level begins to drop, top up with extra juice or water. Remove and cool.
- Using a sharp knife remove the rind (skin from the leg) carefully to expose the fat.
- Score the fat into diamonds and stud the ham with cloves.
- Combine the apple cider, sugar, nutmeg and honey into a small saucepan and heat over a low heat until sugar has dissolved and continue to boil until liquid is reduced by half.
- Place ham into a large baking dish and brush with the glaze.
- Bake ham in the preheated oven at 170⁰C for 1 hour, basting frequently.
- Serve hot with festive roasted vegetables and red currants.